This was supposed to be an answer in another thread but i figured it became way to much.
Disclaimer:
This post is long.
I like the game, even if nowadays more for what it could have been that for what it is, otherwise i wouldn’t care.
You are allowed to disagree with me, you are allowed to still like the game the way it is, no need to get butthurt because someone dared to voice a different opinion.
TLDR: ship interior and the possibility to move seamlessly from your seat to wherever, is necessary for the immersion needed for a „life in space fantasy“ game and should therefore be a priority and slowly be implemented and build up over time.
The reason we’ll likely never see ship interior is that there is actually people defending fdev for this outright betrayal of the community and their backers, not ever to implement ship interior, using the same completely retarded argument that it would not benefit the game because there’s nothing to do inside the ships…
I’m supposed to get bored from walking 20 seconds from my seat through the ship but running minutes through the hangar, the corridors and the lifts to reach the barkeeper is okay…
Well guess what, then give us stuff to do there. What the fuck are they game designers for?
Move certain functions of the ship to separate seats like a crafting station or a fss console so that going multicrew finally makes more sense.
The big selling point of a game like this is IMMERSION!
Seamlessly getting from your cockpit seat to the outside and back is super important to achieve that.
Otherwise we could all just play eve online which by the way is 20 years old and does way better jobs in terms of gameplay balance and player driven economies.
No one really expected them to do it in one go as well, the ships bridges are already there, you could look around them in vr for years, there’s even a fucking coffee machine in some of them!
Let us get out of the seat open a door and leave the ship using a ramp or ladder for Christ sake and then slowly expand from there.
I find it mind boggling that it was so very important to put a damn coffee machine there, that barely anyone can see and no one can ever use, but now they want to tell us that interior serves no purpose, which is their own damn fault!
For years we heard David Braben fantasise about players being able to sneak on others ships as blind passengers or even stealing the tin can and now they told us they never gonna even let us walk around our own shitbuckets.
Over all these years what did they fucking do? What did they bring to us that’s actually worth mentioning?
Planetary landing on dead worlds with nothing interesting to be found.
Ground vehicles that are fun to drive but barely have a use.
Carrier ships that you can not fly, that can’t even be attacked and that normal players can never afford.
Stations we can walk around but not even meet each other there.
And a mediocre excuse for an fps with way to slow ttk and an unintuitive and unclear ruleset that runs with 40fps…
We still have a fucked up economy, how is an hour of mining or collecting bacteria ten times more worth than an hour of combat?
We still have those super retarded, sudoku committing limpets instead of proper drones.
We still have this stupidly unimmersive, endless grind of an engineering system.
Multicrew still does not work properly in so many situations, ever tried to use a gunner seat? It’s marvellous. You have two different perspectives one in the cockpit and one in the turret, one gives you radar but no target, the other gives you target but no radar….
I could go on and on, but all they seem to care about is their damn alien invasion (not even mentioning that you need an entirely different set of equipment to fight them).
They are only doing all of this to distract the players from their laughable lack of progress.
I mean they release an update and their big highlight is that they fixed some progress bar for their invasion content most players don’t even take part in.
I’m looking at this nonsense for years now.
Every now and then there is some steam post… discovery scanner, whatever bla bla, no interesting information, no fundamental changes to the game, they don’t even have the guts to give us a proper rundown of what they are working on, if anything, or to put the final nail in the coffin and shut the game down for good.
They don’t even care to give us an actual roadmap with useful information instead of 6 months of „improvements to the game“ and then some obnoxious „story element“.
Nobody cares about that! We need more and bigger ships for players to fly, better and more detailed ship customisation (and I’m not talking about stupid skins), less vertical and more horizontal progression,improvements to the fps aspect of the game and better multicrew features.
I want to see players ganging up to do missions together. Landing outside of a perimeter, dropping off a bunch of infantry and a support srv, then taking off again and using the ship and it’s fighters to provide air support for the ground crew.
I for myself want the game to become better, but it rarely ever does.
Why is that so? Is it a lack of funding? I guess it is. Star Citizens raised over 587 million dollares and although they grasped the scope a game like this should have way better and have all this funding, it is still an unplayable mess.
ED can not possibly even be close to that amount of money.
But even if thats the problem, they don’t have the balls to tell us.
ED exists in the shadow of games it used to be way ahead of, due to a lack of funding, communication and competence, because it’s developer prefers to tell players what they want instead of listening to what they want.
In other words: give me ship interior.

Okay, a little bit of background
I bought a sq3 machine at the beginning of April. Upon unboxing it and trying it for a few weeks, everything went smoothly, the screen and sound were great, battery life was beyond impressive, and overall I was super impressed by the machine.
Fast forward to last week, I decided to install Unigram, yet whenever I opened it and/or switched windows, a small white square appeared on screen. Naturally, that made believe that perhaps this was related to the machine running on older drivers (I hadn't updated it at that point yet) and so I updated it!
That's when bad stuff began... Once it restarted and I had to type in my password on the in-screen keyboard, I noticed the typing felt a little more sluggish than usual (no big deal, I thought). Then I was greeted by the home screen, but the menu bar color was now solid black and without any translucency anymore (at first I thought that was just how the updated windows was supposed to look like, so again I didn't pay much attention). Finally, when I began opening programs and stuff, another thing struck my eyes, as the windows had lost their curved corners. All of the former led me to do some research and what I found out was that the qualcomm display adapters were not working for some reason, the OS was stopping them and as such it was defaulting to the basic display adapter... so no effects, no rounded corners, no smooth performance. To put the nail in the coffin, yesterday I also discovered that the sound drivers were gone, too! No sound either!
I tried installing the most recent updates, but the issue was still there. Then I tried uninstalling the updates I was allowed to uninstall, thinking it would regress to older drivers and give the ones I lost back, but same result.
Now I'm torn between three options: Waiting for another hardware update, with hopefully newer working drivers; doing a full factory reset (although I'm scared that if I update from there again, the same thing will happen); or reinstalling the OS.
It really sucks because this was otherwise a great product, now bricked by what was a seemingly harmless update, and I really really want to keep it and have a good experience with it as it suits my needs perfectly.

Created this alt account just to post this.. It's gonna be very long and with many grammar mistakes.. I have been in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend for more than 2 years now. It's been hard but we usually make it work and would spend a lot of time almost every evening playing video games and watching shows. I have always felt a bit more needy in the relationship.. Like I will miss him more, will be the one initiating calls more, text first most often, be the one pushing for the next meeting. Usually we meet every 2-3 months for a week, sometimes just for a weekend, usually in my country, because his family is here and I have my own flat. Meanwhile the whole relationship he was renting a room from his friends and was very against us meeting there, which was always upsetting for me because that meant that we could meet a lot less often. He has a lot of money and could have easily afforded to move out sooner, but honestly.. he was just lazy and didn't want to and would spend most of his free time playing video games.. he would talk how hard finding a place is and how hard it is to move all your things.. he would complain all the time how he didn't like living at that place, but wouldn't do anything about it.. at one point we almost broke up because I told him that I can't handle him living there and barely seeing him anymore, I told him I don't even think he will ever move out at this point..
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But now he has finally moved to his new place and has been moving his stuff, unpacking, etc. for the last few weeks and finally finished everything today (friday).. Obviously this whole time he was quite busy with his job and moving so we weren't spending any time in the evenings, maybe at most watch one episode of some show together and go to sleep immediately after. He wasn't really texting first or calling these weeks too and I was understanding of course that he was busy and tried to not bother him too much, but I really missed him these past couple of weeks, but can't say I felt the same from him.. He did actually have a lot of free time, but besides the whole moving in, he started working out a loooot every day and also just going out in the city, going on walks, runs etc. I was actually happy and proud that he was being active, going outside and not just playing video games all day (he is actually addicted to it and that's a whole other story..), but still feeling quite lonely and hoping he will have some time to spend with me once he's finished moving in.
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And I'm about to graduate university and have been quite busy myself these past months and actually finished my thesis recently and absolutely nailed my thesis defense (is that what's it's called in english?) this friday! Which I consider quite a big milestone for me because these past 6 years in medical school were really challening... And I was really hoping to spend some time today with my boyfriend, celebrate a bit, you know? But honestly I have been feeling like he's not even that interested in my life, like he barely asks any questions about what's going on in my life.. He was actually the only close person of mine that didn't know about this whole thesis defense.. I would mention I have a big thing coming up this friday and he wouldn't ask anything about it, didn't wish me luck, didn't ask me how it went last night, etc.. Anyway, I called him during the day on friday, asked about his plans for the day, he told me he's actually about to finish moving in and talked about some exciting new show he wants to watch with me and got me all hyped up like we are going to watch it today.. I told him I'm gonna be free today and just be resting after my thesis defense and once he's free and want to do something together to let me know..
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Well I haven't heard from him the rest of the day and at about 11 in the evening I got a text from him that an aquantaince is coming over and they are going to go to the city, which is really unusual for him.. I call and ask him what's going on. He told me he's been texting with this aquantaince all day and he (the friend) just got back from a fishing trip and is very tired, but is still coming over?? I asked if they're going to go to a bar or club and he said something about not being in a party mood and they are probably going to just walk/sit in some park/forest.. at 11 in the evening? I actually got a bit upset and cried.. I told him how he didn't find any time for me these past couple weeks and didn't even text or call me, but found time to do this and text his friend all day and I said I was waiting for him to watch that show and I missed him so much.. but we quickly talked it out and I wished him a fun time. At first I didn't question this whole thing, but then I started thinking this whole meeting with the friend in the middle of the night didn't make any sense.. and frankly can't imagine him just meeting a friend for a stroll in a park.. I didn't even sleep today because I felt like he was lying to me.. My gut was screaming that he's probably just going to a club and going to be doing drugs and drinking alcohol till the morning... but he actually didn't seem active on any social media during the whole night so I started thinking maybe he actually just met his friend briefly and went to sleep, but then he reacted to some meems I sent earlier at like 5 in the morning.. and that meant he was out this whole time.. I immediately asked what's he up to, but he just left me on read.. which happens often when he's really drunk..
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I'm just feeling sick.. He actually (in my opinion) has a big drinking problem.. not that he drinks every day, but that once he starts drinking he can't stop.. and he becomes a very mean selfish asshole when he's drunk and just completely can't control his behavior or the things he says.. and he usually doesn't even remember the awful things he says and does to me when he gets like that.. He hurt me a looooot about half a year ago when he was high and drunk and we almost broke up then, at first I forgave him but after some months I realised that I couldn't be with a 30 yo man that can't control his drinking and I don't want to see him do drugs or drink in front of me ever again.. I was actually preparing myself to break up with him till he completely out of nowhere told me that he realised that nothing good comes out of drinking and he wants to at the very least to completely stop drinking beer.. And I gave him a chance and looked at it almost like a new beggining.. And he did really good for like half a year and our relationship got a lot better and healthier, but a few months ago someone got him some beer for his birthday and he kind of started slowly drinking again - occasionally going to bars..
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And I'm just over it.. I don't want him to start doing drugs and drinking again.. I'm terrified of him when he's drunk (not physically, but emotionally..) and maybe that's just me, but it's a huge turn of that a man in his 30s is still spending all night in some club together with his buddy.. and a lot of his buddies are quite scummy people that cheat on their girlfriends.. and while I completely trust him sober, I don't trust him to control himself from doing something while he's super drunk.. Honestly all my family and my friends that have met him and seen how he acts while drunk hate him and want me to break up with him and I was really hyping up the fact that he stopped drinking and hoping to repair his reputation with them.. And I really love him, as stupid as that sounds, and was really hoping he could change and stop drinking.. when he's sober and we spend time together it's so so good.. I know I wrote a lot of negative things but there are lots of very good things too, but it would be too long to write everything.. I was supposed to move to him this summer after graduating and now I'm just so scared and nervous about that and don't know if I should.. I know I have to ask what happened last night, but it will end up with him being upset and angry and starting a fight and gaslighting me.. I have my final exam next week and hate that it all happened now when I really need to focus on studying.. What do I even do in this situation?

Hi lovely FFXIV fam, can anyone share their MCH PlayStation hot bars setup and also dummy down the rotations for me I’m struggling to get this perfected and any help would be greatly appreciated, just trying to nail my DPS🙈

I posted this on movies and some one recommended that i post it here since i go in depth with this. I apologize if my post doesn't fit in well here, as I have never posted here before.
So, I have ADHD and one of the symptoms of my adhd is an intense hyperfixation on cinderella. It also helps that my homelife is very tumultuous so i am quite attached to her, i even have a cinderella collection. So I decided to make it a hobby of mine to engage with every single cinderella related thing i could find. Movies, games, youtube videos, stage musicals, tv series, comics, whatever it is, i have made it my mission to consume it. I'm basically an expert now.
I also believe these movies are very intriguing as a they exist in their only little niche genre that nobody really cares to take a closer look at. Cinderella movies can range from horror, to porn, to childrens fairytales, and many other genres you wouldn't really expect. They're also fascinating to me as they show how rising up above abuse is a story that stands the test of time and must be retold again and again. I think these movies deserve a little more than just a cursery glance when you pass by the bargain bin at walmart. With all that being said lots of these movies get pretty weird and i would love to share them with you.

1. Cinderella: once upon a time in the west

Starting off with one of the weirdest ones, this Cinderella is an anthropomorphic Elk, not only that, she's also a tough as nails old western cowgirl. Her fairy godmother is an anthropomorphic male goat who's a native american shaman, and it's handled just as stereotypically as you'd imagine. She gets in a bar fight and loses a tooth and that ends up being the glass slipper replacement. Oh, and instead of horses they ride ostriches. This is surprisingly not the first cowgirl cinderella i have ever seen.

1. Cinderfella

Ahhh Jerry Lewis, one of the funniest and most annoying people in film history. He stars in this 1950's genderbend version of cinderella with a very 1950's mentality. The fairy god father in this movie is said to be the original fairy god father from the cinderella tale, and that women lied and erased male history because "women are like russians, they wanna claim they invented everything". He is only helping fella so men can confidently snap back at their nagging wives that keep complaining their husbands aren't prince charming, because this will somehow settle the score. This movie is pretty cringe and it's treatment of women only gets worse from there, but even as a very liberal gay woman, i found this movie entertaining for what it was.

1. Year of the fish

Wow! An actually good movie! This movie is a very artsy foreign film with an all asian cast, based on one of the oldest iterations of the cinderella story, before charels perrault came and wrote abour pumpkins and glass slippers. Ye Xian is a very demure and kind 17 year old who has been sent to work at her great aunts brothel under the guise it's a salon. She is forced to be a maid after she refuses to have sex for money and then her uncle sexually harrasses her. This movie has many many hilarious lines you would not expect from a cinderella movie. "Your momma should of taught you how to suck dick" "he likes you to touch his butt hole", at one point yi xians fairy god mother threatens to cut her tits off. This movie is incredibly fucked up and depressing, and i really respect it for that.

1. Elle: a cinderella story

One of the worst movies i have ever seen is no doubt Elle: a cinderella story, Elle is a wannabe country singer working as an intern at a record label for 3 ungrateful pop stars. The story itself is your rather standard modern cinderella fair but where this movie gets really weird is the characters and dialouge. Elle herself is incredibly snotty and mean, she makes fun of eating disorders and other people with no remorse, and she is never held accountable. This movie is a very poor rip off of the much better movie, another cinderella story, i wouldn't reccomend anyone watch this unless you're very drunk with friends.

1. Rags

What is Keke palmers best preformance? I'm sure some of you would say Nope or any actually good movie but i'm here to tell you that you're aaaaalll wrong! Her best role was in the movie rags, where she plays a knock off beyonce dating a knock off russelbrand and fills the prince's role in this hip hop cinderella story. Charlie prince is just your average pasty white boy who dreams of being a rapper, but his stereotypically new yorker step dad insists he must be a janitor. This movie was aired on nickelodeon and you can tell it really really wanted the success disney channel had with it's "a cinderella story" series. I always got this movie confused with let it shine and i'm not really sure how? Anyways there's not much to really say about this movie but it's interesting how Keke plays the prince in this movie and then went on to play Cinderella in the stage version of rogers and hammersteins cinderella.

1. A cinderella story: Star struck

The fourth installment in the epic a cinderella story series, this movie stars Bailee madison, who you might know from the haunting hour or the good witch. She plays finely, a wannabe movie star farmhand but her metrosexual influencer stepfamily look down on her for being southern. She ends up cross dressing tk go to an acting audition and things just get weirder from there. Instead of two step sisters though, Finley has one step sister and a really gay step brother, who even mentions that Finley's cross dressing persona, Huck, might be gay, which is surprisingly progressive for these movies. There's some jokes about tik tok and a really cringey subplot where Finley's step sister is attracted to Huck. It's awful. Although this is surprisingly not the first time there's beenna cross dressing cinderella story.

1. Cinderella (2002)

Yet another absolutely terrible movie, i almost feel bad picking on this cause i suspect it was some kind of passion project. I cannot imagine a studio would actually fund this and think it would make money. Cinderella is named Zezolla in this movie and she is incredibly annoying, bratty, and self righteous. Instead of a god mother we have a mermaid in a cave. 98% of this movie is green screened and Lucy Punch appears in this movie, with this being, no joke, her THIRD time playing an evil step sister in cinderella movies. Iconic. This movie is bad. Do not watch it.
Honestly i could keep going but i suspect anybody who actually bothered to read this far is getting bored. Despite how bad these movies are i am glad i watched them and i respect the people who made them for trying to tell cinderella's story in new, intriguing ways. I love that this story about survival and abuse has so many movies about it, that's incredible.

The lawsuit has pretty much come to an end and we are waiting to see how the judge is going to rule on summary judgement. It’s the only thing left in the lawsuit.
The only other possible outcome is a settlement though that seems highly unlikely at this stage.
This lawsuit took so long for 2 reasons, the sec kept requesting extensions and the Hinman emails. The SEC fought tooth and nail to keep these hidden for around a year. The sec would also request extensions on EVERY submission. This would draw out issues over months instead of weeks.
It’s finally at the end. All the in court fighting is done and now it’s summary judgement time. This could come today or a couple of months from now bar an unlikely settlement.
The case outcome will potentially give the sec very broad powers to go after exchanges and cryptocurrencies.

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Intro

To preface this review, I just need to say that this is going to be a very, very long read. Going through it myself just for the fun of it takes around 30 minutes — it's almost 7k words of text, including lyric references. So for the best experience, listen to the album beforehand to understand what the hell I was thinking when I wrote this review, play the album while reading, and set a good amount of time aside.
Another thing to get out of the way: yes, this is 9 months late 😭 I'm not sorry — when I find an album review online it's always around a paragraph per song or even shorter. It makes sense from a journalistic perspective, but I want to do this album justice, hence taking 7 months to write out all my thoughts.
This shit is comprehensive, and possibly a bit too overanalyzed and wordy, especially in Talk that Talk and Trouble. Each song review will compose of my commentary going over the song, writing the details I noticed through months of listening, followed by a conclusion. Also, mild swearing warning, I like implementing a touch of "French" when I'm very emotional about something. Anyway, onto the review!
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Between 1&2 💞

Album Review
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TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT
TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED
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Talk that Talk 🎙

Lead producer: collapsedone
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One of the most perfect TWICE songs.
I think this is one of TWICE’s best-sounding title tracks. Warm modulated synths, a thrumming bass line, distant bells, shimmering synths — the purpose of this song is to be fun and my god is it excellent at it, like… Sana and Chaeyoung are saying knock-knock-knock and beep-beep-beep as if they’re some kind of car. So much fun.
Further along in the verse, Dahyun’s voice sounds so full and smooth with that harmony layered on top. Tzuyu coming in with the Yes or Yes, Push & Pull, and 1 to 10 references — these are 5 years of song references in one line. And Jeongyeon closes the pre-chorus accompanied by a rising synth to drop into chorus one. Jeongyeon slays pre-choruses.
The drums accelerate, the synths start blasting, and Jihyo opens to that party of a chorus with her godly vocals,
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Tell me what you want
Tell me what you need
A to Z da malhaebwa
But shijageun ireoke have
Talk that talk ttak han madi
Talk that talk L-O-V-E
deullyeojweo ooh
Now now now now now yeah~

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During Sana's Talk that Talk~ lines there’s this ascending synth bell that gently rings with the descending melody and it sounds absolutely gorgeous. And the choreography during that part of the chorus is so so so so fun: the talking hands bit, spelling L-O-V-E, concluding with the deullyeojweo ooh! Oh my god Jihyo the deullyeojweo ooh…
Have I mentioned this song is fun?
Speeding through verse 2; Chaeyoung’s little part with the cat ears popping in the music video is adorable; Momo’s part with her stretching her arms out looks so damn cool; and Dahyun with her replay part sounds so lovely — although I think it sonically sounds a touch random, it makes sense thematically.
And now for this pre-chorus. Mina and Jihyo leading into it sound great BUT JEONGYEON… Now, she is my ult bias, and this pre-chorus sounds almost identical to the first one, but the way she holds that final note, enunciating and holding that now~ for one more beat before the chorus drops sounds so goddamn perfect — the song teeters on a cliff edge. Jeongyeon slays pre-choruses.
Dropping into the second chorus and man, Jihyo powered through that first chorus, but the way Nayeon delivers it just hits different. She has this indescribable “pop” voice (I promise this wasn't on purpose) that stands out and shouts this is THE chorus. I think this is especially apparent in how both lead into their choruses where Jihyo starts the chorus at 120% power while Nayeon waits until [Tell me] WHAT YOU WANT to full-send it. Later in the chorus, she also highlights “malhaebwa” in a similar way.
Another deullyeojweo ooh! Nayeon travels to Narnia, and Mina the engineer strikes again in this heavenly, underwater-esque bridge,
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The simple words “I love you”
That’s all I wanna hear
Without hesitation, I’ll go up to you
I’ll make it simple
And just tell you I love you

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The word “love” is said for the first time in the song. There’s a funky keyboard-like instrument behind Chaeyoung’s part. Jihyo, Chaeyoung, and Nayeon take the initiative in their lyrics, professing their love before closing the bridge.
And now for the pièce-de-résistance: this final double chorus is exceptional — 40 seconds of crack-laced euphoria; Jihyo switches up the chorus and the choreo, Dahyun comes in with her airy and fluttery “Talk that Talk”, Momo comes out of nowhere with “oh yeah it sounds so good!” — you’re damn right it does, and this is where the song SOARS.
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han beon deo~ haejweo
geurae banggeum geu mal~

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Nayeon outright shouts “Tell me what you need” and then Jeongyeon sings the above lines in such an ethereal, warm way that the first line ascends while the second line descends, causing a lull in the song before the finale with Nayeon finishing off the song with the final deullyeojweo ooh! What a party. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• The synths of all time
• The chimes during Talk-that-talk~
• Jeongyeon’s pre-chorus going into Nayeon’s chorus
• The entirety of that magical, double-shot, final chorus and outro
• Solid line distribution

Needs Work

• The opening hook (Tell me what you want) and accompanying choreography could be “catchier”

Core Memory

• Singing (and dancing) my heart out when this song played at a K-pop club

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Lyrics and theme-wise, if this were to have been TWICE’s last comeback, they’ve once again built upon the theme they've been doing since debut: a Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story.
This song’s chorus is so honest yet so simple; it asks the listener, in this case, the other half of the relationship, to be more upfront and open with their love (never be scared of love) that before the relationship can continue and flourish there has to be a foundation and commitment of love between each other.
TWICE debuted with a song about making your crush go ooh ahh. Years later, they started maturing after asking “What is love?” by imagining their crush responding with “yes” when asking them out — and now concluding with the phrase “Talk that talk, [talk that] L-O-V-E”, being upfront with the relationship, wishing their partner to also be happy, to commit to them, to feel the love that they want to impart on them. From gawking like ooh-ahh to talking out your shared love like real adults — to having a true relationship between (one and) two.
And can I just say before finishing off Talk that Talk's review that this is such a fun and repeatable song with many little intricacies hidden in the nonet’s vocals and the production. This is the third draft I’m writing about Talk that Talk and its original word count pretty much quadrupled.
Harkening back to TWICE’s roots by combining mature thinking with youthful character, an incredible ending to look forward to, and just simply being a club-banger that’s easy to listen to, TTT is an easy 10/10.
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WATCH ME GO WATCH ME GO
RULE THE WORLD
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Queen of Hearts 👑

Lead producer: LDN Noise of SM
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If there was one B-side to promote in a live clip, this was a solid choice.
Helmed by LDN Noise going headlong into the Western boy-group rock-band aesthetic, Queen of Hearts is a boom-boom-clap song through and through. The drums are very prominent throughout the song, only giving room to riffs of electric guitar in the chorus to drive and continue the momentum of the music.
And speaking of the chorus, vocal line each got a chorus to flex and they did not fuck around,
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You ain’t ready for it
Watch me go~ watch me go~
Rule the world
Know you never doubted baby
I’mma go run the whole universe~

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Cymbals crashing, drums booming, and 3MIX belting all just so sound so equally good.
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Baby I was born to rule~~
Yeah I’m the queen, I’m the queen
And it’s all because of you~~
That I’m the Queen of Hearts

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These long, held-out notes performed by Jihyo and Nayeon are simply exquisite. Along with the shredding guitar, the drum set coming in full, and the interludes by Dahyun, Momo, and Chaeyoung, this is the part of the song that always, always, gives me goosebumps — it sounds so visceral, so energetic, so fun, so triumphant. Boom-boom-clap songs can be hit or miss with people, but there is no denying that the payoff from the first part of the chorus to this second part is worth the wait.
The theme of the song so far has been kind of spread around the song. The chorus alludes to it with the line "And it’s all because of you." But Mina shows more sides of it in the second verse, especially with the phrase
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And now that I’m surrounded by all my girls
We be shining bright like diamonds and pearls

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It sounds really lovely — in a very cheesy and affectionate kind of way, as it rightfully should — the song is about the girls and their fans. But the bridge is where the song indeed shows its colours
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Screaming out my name
See it in the stage lights
Feel so lucky just to have ya
Cause I know deep down I was meant for something bigger! Greater!
I know you’re seeing what I see
Yeah I’ll be everything you need
I know I’m gonna walk the walk
And talk the talk to be~ [the Queen of Hearts]

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This is a song CONCEIVED TO BE PERFORMED FOR THE FANS. It’s meant to be loud. It’s meant to be unapologetic. It’s meant to be sappy. And it’s all the more wonderful for it.
This is the TWICEiest shit ever.
Like Talk that Talk, Queen of Hearts also has a killer closer. The production already started to grow from the bridge, but now the guitarist finally went Super Saiyan and instead of supporting the drums, they both take the centrepiece in tandem, ending the chorus with a little shred.
Then finally, the closing moments of the song even manage to squeeze in some more sappiness.
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So thank you for the memories
You’re all the ones who made me~
So thank you for the memories
That I’m the Queen of Hearts

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I still can’t believe that this banger is a FAN SONG out of all things. Truly, the TWICEiest shit ever.
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THE GOOD

• Adorable fucking lyrics
• Unrelenting, roaring chorus
• English and vocal flex
• Addicting guitar riffs

Needs Work

• Chaeyoung rapping in English in their Korean songs somehow slaps harder than her English rapping in their English songs, nonetheless, in QoH, it fits with the sound of the song

Life Highlight

• Walking home from a K-pop festival with this song playing, felt like a Queen of Hearts

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I love these types of rock songs with how grunge and head-bang-able they are, there is just a certain nostalgic and cheesy quality to them that feels so appropriate and cozy. I don’t love putting them on repeat, because in this case, I do believe there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Perhaps more shredding, maybe even a guitar solo to rock out to, or more gusto from the drums, cymbals, bass guitar, or an accompaniment(!) of ad-libs from 3MIX to support Jihyo’s final chorus? A ONCE can dream of a truly bombastic rock song from TWICE. But then again that distracts from the core of what this song is: a fan song undercover as a rock song.
Queen of Hearts has so much sweetness in its lyrics and message that it's overflowing. The drums, guitar, and vocals can be as loud and intricate as they can, but the theme of this song is what makes it special from TWICE’s other rock songs, especially for fans of this type of sound — it’s a 9/10 for me.
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I WANNA WANNA WANNA
TAKE YOU TO THE BASICS
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Basics 🌈

Sole lyricist credit: Chaeyoung
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Quite possibly the jammiest (pun intended) song of the album.
A song written by the Strawberry Princess herself — an event similar in frequency to other artists' releases with her last song being 2020’s silky Handle It — Basics first starts with an understated and dreamy delivery. After the first stanza, however, a bouncy Miami bass line emerges, revealing the true nature of the song: this is a classic summer bop!
This is especially apparent in the first rap.
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dareun aedeulgwaneun dalla
Ain’t beggin’ for love
nappeun geon anijana ige naraseo
eodiro twilji molla
Like rainbow bubble gum
geureoni nal kkwak butjabadweo

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Syllables are pronounced in a relaxed nature, bars often starting with an "ah" sound, flirty lines in English — this rap features a production full of pop with R&B flourishes and, in my opinion, this is Chaeyoung’s bag. Also, the line rainbow bubblegum is so adorable and so Chaeyoung.
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I wanna wanna wanna take it to the basics
da weonhae weonhae weonhae? seodureuji ma Baby
ppeonhae ppeonhae malhae mweohae da al tende
Ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah ah yeah

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That chorus is pure pop with a Miami bass backing; you better be bopping your head to the melody, if not booty poppin' to the bassline. Chaeyoung loves rhyming in the first half of the chorus to enhance its catchiness and it's damn incredible: the “wanna”, “weonhae”, and “ppeonhae” all combine to create these imperfect rhymes that continue momentum without feeling repetitive.
After the very Boy With Luv-sounding “ah yeah ah yeah, ah yeah ah yeah” comes an 8-bar split half and half between Chaeyoung and Momo. Coming from the chorus, the production completely cuts out for the first 2 bars. This adds tension; the song yearns to have that bass beat thumping again and all we have in the audio space in those 2 bars is Chaeyoung spitting and she delivered.
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taneun deut tteugeoun samak wie
yeppeuge pieonan jangmi gata
joshimseure naege dagaol ttae
nado moreuge jjilleobeoril tende

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Translating to:
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Above the hot, burning desert
It’s like a rose that bloomed beautifully
When you come to me slowly
I will prick you unconsciously

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The rap feels slick, effortless, and confident. Her diction remains sharp when enunciating each syllable but she doesn’t let the flow of her rap waver or build as her 4 bars go by, it’s just smooth consistency throughout. Even the lyrics possess an aura of laid-back collectedness that is just so her.
The things Chaeyoung can do when given her pen.
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THE GOOD

• That sweet summer vibe of a chorus
• The “spaceship” post-chorus is killer
• Chaeyoung devoured this song
• Sure-footed, confident lyrics

Needs Work

• Perhaps an alteration of that ah yeah ah yeah line
• The way Jihyo did her pre-chorus line is good, but Mina’s is great

Core Memory

• After donating my hair, walking down the rainbow-coloured areas of downtown Toronto with this song playing was very… fitting

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This song is summer bliss distilled into 2:56 of MP3. It’s dreamy, the raps are satisfying, and the ending is charming. I will say that although the second half of the song adds the stunning “spaceship” post-choruses and a floaty bridge with an incredible drumbeat-drop transition to the final chorus, the raps of the song make it feel a bit front-loaded. And in an album stacked with incredible finishers, it feels more apparent.
With that said, it’s an 8/10 bop for me. This song is so radio-friendly and easy to put on and it feels exactly what Chaeyoung would make if given the reins to produce a pop song all on her own. The lyrics are nonchalant but full of conviction, the wordplay is intricate, the production is playful, and it’s not too bombastic — the song's just a nice vibe. Songs like Basics are the standard for good, simple, repeatable pop music and I’m happy that Chaeyoung got to test her pen in this genre.
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BABY WE’RE IN
TROUBLE TROUBLE
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Trouble 💃

Sole lyricist credit: Jihyo
Background vocals: Jihyo
Lead composer credit: Jihyo
Vocal director credit: Jihyo (an assumption given her contributions in First Time)
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One of the most enjoyable songs I’ve heard in a while.
There is an underlying tension within the first 4 bars of the song, Jihyo and Nayeon confidently open it to a nondescript array of synths and then the stanza ends, Momo announces “Let’s go”, the beat drops and it hits you:
This is a club song.
Dahyun's relaxed delivery contrasted with Jeongyeon's staccato flow, the wobbly synth beat with the sprinkle of that house piano, Sana dramatically slowing the song down only for Tzuyu to build it back up until the chorus drops,
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• Nayeon opens it using a breathy tone, with vocal chops serving as harmonies
• The blooming of the house piano takes centre stage and the song ascends into euphoria
• A random drum roll capped off by a cymbal crash
• Jeongyeon’s pronunciation of the word “trouble” almost being a growl
• Chaeyoung slyly admitting “I like this trouble”
• The entirety of Tzuyu’s tro~oh~oh~ouble yeah~
• Sana using her deep voice for the na~na~na~na
• Jihyo leading the vocals during the synchronized T W I C E chant

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This chorus is perfect. Toronto’s residential market needs this song injected into its veins because god damn this song has SO much house in it.
And then. AND THEN. ANOTHER KILLING PART. This rap fucking slaps.
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gamchweo bwatja geugeon Fake
ppajin hamjeongeun Sweet cake

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During the first 2 bars, Chaeyoung is keeping it calm because that trip of a chorus just ended and the song needs a breather, but I don't think anyone expected her to SNAP this hard afterwards:
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You cannot resist this
Cannot miss this, such a bliss
Ima put it down down
Oh yeah, better kiss kiss

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Below is the structure of her this portion of the rap, I’m not that well versed in this technical aspect of music theory but I digress, this is all in the span of around 5 seconds where it’s:
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Triplet-triplet
Quadruplet-triplet
Quadruplet-doublet
Doublet-quadruplet

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Now, 25/5 = 5 syllables per second isn’t groundbreaking, but goddamn it these 2 bars sound so nice — if there is one part in this album that I always repeat, it’s these bars. The addition of that first quadruplet for “cannot miss this” in the midst of all the triplets sticks out and accelerates the flow of the rap while the following doublets and quadruplets help to destabilize and slow the rap down as the verse closes. And can I just point out:
THE MAIN VOCALIST WROTE, DIRECTED, AND COMPOSED THIS SONG ‼
Chaeyoung of course delivered the fuck out of her verse but THIS is what you get when you have a member not only write the words they’re saying but also the melody and flow with which they sing it. This is what you get when one member knows the others so well that when they write a song, they know how to make the group as a whole exceed. This is what you get when the artists you stan love doing artist shit.
And. AND. That's not all — with how much I mentioned I love a damn good outro to close a song, this outro slaps as well:
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Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble be-be [Momo]
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble bay-be [Sana]
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trouble bay-beh [Chaeyoung]
Woo wee woo wee woo
I like this trou-ble [Jihyo]

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What an outro.
Like, come on, Nayeon’s imitating a police siren for crying out loud. And this is all after her ad-libs in the final post-chorus; after the pianist going full tilt and playing that piano as if it was their last chance to ever play; after that final T W I C E chant by all the members come these blissful 20 seconds at the very end.
What a song.
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THE GOOD

• The theme of relishing in an uncontrolled love
• Sana and Mina’s melody in the pre-chorus
• Chorus
• Post-chorus
• Rap
• Outro
• Wees and woos

Needs Work

• Mina’s line of “falling down, falling down, falling down low” in verse 2 feels a bit too abrupt of a change

Core Memory

• While writing Trouble's review I had this song on repeat for my whole subway commute and I must've been so distracting, just head-bopping and being so invested in enjoying a song

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Need I say more, easy 9/10. The only reason I place Talk that Talk above Trouble is because of what that song represents but besides that, this song is one of the best “international” sounds they’ve put out. Actually, I haven’t listened to Eyes wide open in a while but this song is up there with one of the most sonically pleasing pieces of work they’ve done.
Clubbing TWICE music has always been a thing since TT was birthed in 2016, and has been a staple of their discography since 2019’s Fancy You and Feel Special mini albums, but Trouble unapologetically dives into and fits the house genre so well you’d think that this is TWICE’s bread and butter sound.
Trouble is Jihyo’s magnum opus. What a song.
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BRAVE BRAVE BRAVE
FOR YOU
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Brave 💖

Main producer: Slow Rabbit of HYBE
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I first thought this was just a good song, then I read the lyrics.
Gentle guitar plucks, shimmering synths, a distant keyboard in the right ear, in the left an occasional glockenspiel, the melodic oohs from the members — this song is PRETTY.
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The night that was unusually dark
Above this terrifying world, felt so lonely
The world has grown in the time of wandering
So hard to breathe

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Mina and Chaeyoung open the song with how they feel lonely and that it's hard to breathe and now suddenly the song sounds bittersweet — I was not expecting the song to be more emotional. Brave describes a situation where the singer is in a darker place in life and it isn't until another person gives them hope by calling them 'brave' that they find the drive to keep on going.
Once the chorus hits, the melodies pick up, more guitars get added, and there’s even an electric guitar hidden in the mix somewhere, and the song drops the emotional front to reveal a mid-tempo pop song to dance to while crying in the club. The song as a whole still carries this melancholy feeling, but now with the added support of this chorus acting as a light amongst the gloom.
Continuing on in the second verse there's this gorgeous, well-placed break in the song that just lets it settle back into the gentle back and forth after that chorus. Only a seasoned producer would risk this much empty space in a song and Slow Rabbit went to fill those shoes.
Back onto the chorus, I'll take this moment to once again commend Slow Rabbit with the mixing of the song, because 4MIX will undoubtedly sound good in the chorus, and the interludes from Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Mina also sound really good, but undoubtedly the highlight of the choruses are these lines:
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Oh na na na neon nal naige hae [Momo, then Tzuyu, then Momo]
On and on and on
Brave brave brave for ya [Dahyun, then Chaeyoung, then Mina]
Oh na na na neon nal sum shwige hae [Sana, then Momo, then Sana]
On and on and on oh trust me babe

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Momo, Sana, and Tzuyu form this beautiful, surprisingly catchy, second half of the chorus accompanied by a guitar drop. It should not turn out this well with how conflicting the "na"s are with the guitar melody but it creates this gentle bopping ebb and flow that just feels so lush and mellow.
Diving into the bridge reveals that the listener of the song is revealed to not only be capable of supporting the singer through direct words but also through their thoughts and dreams; no matter how they convey their wishes to this person, they will always try to push themselves to be their truer, better selves for it. And, as can be discerned, this can be a song interpreted to be about ONCEs. About how they push TWICE to be their best selves despite the breathless hardships they face.
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THE GOOD

• Special lyrics
• Pleasant sound to vibe out to
• That gentle break after the first chorus
• Jihyo’s high note at the end
• A Nayeon Jeongyeon joint high note ⁉️
• Just pretty vocals throughout

Needs Work

• Potentially hard to comprehend without translating the Korean lyrics

Core Memory

• Form of Therapy’s life motto revolves around the word “brave”. I don’t know where I got that from, but I remembered it right before watching his album reaction

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I’m actually spoiled with the TWICE members’ easy-to-understand songwriting when a song like this pops up where it isn’t written by a member and the thematic bits are mostly in Korean I just tend to put it aside in favour of the other songs on the album. And, especially for a song focusing on a theme like this where the English phrases don’t do the Korean lyrics enough justice, it does place a barrier on the listening experience a bit, dropping it down to a 7/10 from an 8/10.
With that anecdote out of the way, this song is just such a vibe, man. I know that sounds super hippy to say but Brave is so mellow and smooth that I can’t help but sway a little when that chorus hits. And then I remember what the lyrics say and I stop and cry a bit on the inside. This song is so pure, raw, and full of heart — we need more songs like these where they just reminisce about life while putting up an upbeat front. Don't mind me just crying while dancing the night away.
This isn't the first time this theme has been sung by TWICE either, they've long trodden this path of supportive, confiding, up-lifting songs with Young & Wild, Rainbow, Queen, Go Hard, Depend on You, even this album's Queen of Hearts, and, of course, Feel Special. Brave just adds another on top of an already stacked lineup, unique with its mellow somberness.
Also now feels like a good time to get into my rating system:

• 7/10s are songs are ones that are simply good throughout or great songs with apparent flaws
• 8/10s are great songs with standout characteristics
• 9/10s are borderline perfect songs where I sometimes can't comprehend how great they are
• And 10/10s are the best of an artist's discography, songs that encapsulate their ethos perfectly or expand upon them in a meaningful way

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I SEE THE LIES
ON THE TIP OF YOUR TONGUE
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Gone 💨

Sole lyricist credit: Dahyun
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Who the fuck pissed off Dubu this time??
It’s getting quite rare to see TWICE pull off brand new sounds because, with now 190 original songs under their belt, they’ve done so many genres and sub-genres varying from hyper pop, to bossa nova, to whatever 2020’s Go Hard is. So it’s surprising to know they’ve still got tricks up their sleeves and Gone is one of them.
The song starts with strings swinging back and forth and vocal chops dancing from ear to ear, teasing what’s yet to come. Jihyo enters the song with a whisper and the song sets its pace. A stagnant drum pad moves the song along and typical song progression would have Mina continuing the build but — it doesn’t. The song continues to simmer, adding a hint of high hat to the pot. And then, Sana and Tzuyu come on and surely the buildup must boil over right?
Silence, until…
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I see the LIES on the top of your tongue

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The strings emerge again on full blast, the simmer turns into a rolling boil, and the anger of the song is revealed.
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All the fate I had towards you
Fades like a fog, gone, gone
Your flipping mind of doing this and that
I’m tired of it, it’s meaningless
In the beginning, it was hard to believe
With that, hatred increases

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The singer is so scorned and burned from this relationship that they reminisce about all the effort they’ve put in since the beginning, but their “partner” is so unconcerned and unfaithful that they’ve just about had enough of the relationship altogether.
This has been Dahyun’s thing coming from 2020’s Bring It Back, 2021’s Cruel, 2022’s That’s all I’m saying, and even 2023's Don't Blame It On Me — emotionally charged breakup songs that make you feel as if she’s gone through a dozen bad relationships. Dispatch, do your job better, or don’t, I don’t really know.
Another highlight of the song is the post-chorus going into the bridge. This segment reiterates the structure from the first post-chorus — a barrage of drums supported by the rhythmic strumming of a bass guitar in the back along with a consistent synth filling out the soundscape. But this time, it’s Dahyun and Chaeyoung on the rap:
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I can’t stand it anymore [Dahyun]
My patience, invisible
I can’t find it, it’s all gone
Even if I try to turn back, it’s too late [Chaeyoung]
There’s no use anymore
It has left, it’s long gone
You, with flipping mind, you are out [Momo]
I know that you know what I’m talking about [Dahyun]
Nothing you could say that could turn this around
I’m gone

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Continuing the disrespected theme of the song, Dahyun notes that she’s finally had enough and Chaeyoung adding on that there’s no point salvaging what was once there for all of it is long gone. Momo and Dahyun round it off by telling the listener that there’s no point trying to reason with them or playing naive, they fucked up and there’s no coming back.
Can I just say, it is a bit of a shame that Chaeyoung’s rapping popped off in this album whilst Dahyun only has this one verse that she shares with Chaeyoung, but it just sounds so good how Dahyun eases in after the chorus with her light rapping tone and transitioning into her singing. She even holds the “gone” in a little crescendo for some added pizzazz.
And, there’s no way I’m not going to talk about Momo’s vocals in this bridge. Damned if she only got 1 line to use it in, her lower register is incredible. She sounds so smooth singing in this tone. All of TWICE do in particular and there is nary a weak vocal performance in this album.
To close the song off, a wash of synths gets to have their shine in the spotlight, showered with Nayeon’s belting, signifying the dramatic and drawn-out conclusion of this partnership.
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THE GOOD

• They’ve still got a few surprises left
• Thundering chorus
• 2nd rap and bridge combo
• A bitter, crumbling relationship theme

Needs Work

• I’m not a huge fan of the mixing during the first post-chorus, where Momo's vocals were fighting with the production, which is disappointing because Momo is capable of an insane flow
• The post-chorus in general, specifically the first one, can be a bit tiring on repeat listens

Core Memory

• Actually, I think this song sounds like a mix between GOT7's Not By The Moon, BLACKPINK’s Love To Hate Me, and Dahyun’s Bring It Back. I don’t know where I got this thought came from, but it stuck

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Going back to that point about the first post-chorus as a whole; songs that have the production continue unchanged into the post-chorus/2nd verse are very hit or miss for me — see TWICE's Don't Call Me Again for an overbearing example. The first post-chorus could use some work because the post-chorus going into the bridge contrasts Dahyun’s light tone nicely with the hard-hitting production, continuing the energy until it slowly fades into silence at the end of the bridge.
Back to the song as a whole, as much as TWICE has been experimenting with their sound for the past 4 years now, I’m happy they’re still finding new ways to explore what they’re capable of. And for that alone, even though I’m not a big fan of songs like these where they rely on sounding “big”, Dahyun’s lyricism and the thrill I receive every time I indulge myself in this song when I listen to it for the first time in a while elevates it to an 8/10. Keep on breaking hearts, Dubu.
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INVINCIBLE
SUPERHEROES
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When We Were Kids 🧸

Sole lyricist credit: Dahyun
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Press play to reminisce, pull up lyrics to cry.
This song is so beautiful. I’m totally not writing this song review, crying on the bus, reminiscing about my childhood, while just having turned 21. I don’t know if these are happy or sad tears but this song is so beautiful either way.
Warm synths, muted piano, a gentle high hat, the younger members starting off the song — this has to be up there for one of the softest TWICE songs ever. And as it should, it’s one of the TWICEiest songs ever. And then Nayeon comes in,
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Invincible superheroes, we wanted to be adults
To the higher, clearer world

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The chords start swelling, the high hat keeps pace, and then the harmonies come in,
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Remember when we were kids
When we were kids, we didn’t know
If we could go back
I will love it even more
Remember when we were kids

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Jihyo takes up the second half of the chorus as it drops, trading the strings for an almost R&B synth production — if choir R&B takes off, this song started it. The song relishes in this cacophony of warm sounds until going back into its sparse and peaceful verses.
This time, the hints of piano are louder, little twinkling synths begin to shimmer, the drum buildup comes and Jeongyeon drives the song straight into the chorus. No time for the strings to build like in Nayeon’s — this song loves its chorus so much.
And can I just take this time to appreciate the amount of Jeongyeon vocals in this album. Her voice is so clean, stable, and projected — but also more tender and soft compared to the more pronounced tones of Nayeon and Jihyo.
The bridge comes in, repeating the phrase
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I wish that I could meet
Could meet the younger me

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Giving the song time to rest, before building back up to the last chorus — this time led by Jihyo, transitioning from the bridge with her own unique lead-in, completing the 3MIX trifecta. And interestingly enough, Chaeyoung follows up in the second half of the chorus, rather than another member of the vocal line. She really did pop off in this album.
As the last chorus begins to close, the percussion at its strongest, the harmonies as prolific as ever, the background choir vocals cranked up to their Sunday best, is the song going to end? Of course not! This is an album full of banger endings as if the songs don’t want to actually end, and When We Were Kids being the album closer very much indulges in that feeling.
After a brief refrain, supported by Nayeon’s high note with a touch of vibrato, the song almost dives back into a fourth chorus. Nayeon and Jeongyeon harmonize — an especially rare and heavenly moment. And the song repeats the bridge, reiterating that they want to meet their younger selves, this time with the more lush R&B production before closing with silence, a few piano notes, and Tzuyu singing the last line of the song
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Oh, we were kids

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Reflection, acceptance, hope. What a song.
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THE GOOD

• Heavenly vocals throughout
• Generous harmonies
• Relatable, heartfelt lyrics
• Euphoric chorus
• Great closer to the album

Needs Work

• Refrain after the last chorus, "Back when we were kids," could’ve been executed better

Core Memory

• For an album titled Between 1&2, I don’t think anything hits harder than finishing the song reviews, with this song in particular, during your 21st birthday

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I wrote the first part of this review at the beginning of November 2022. Then university, life, and other things got in the way of my headspace for me to feel confident about wrapping all of this up. In a way, I felt like I just didn’t want this review to end because of the joy that writing gives me. I didn’t want the happiness to end. And then it hit me, after watching a YouTuber rank animated movies and them placing Spirited Away at the top and explaining 'why' reminded me of just how important growing up is, and by extension this song.
This theme is important for both the rookie TWICE members in 2015 and the teenagers who would follow their journey and grow up with them, facing life’s obstacles along the way. Hardships that used to only involve family, crushes, and social media, evolve into working and commitments and all the struggles that adult life brings. Being a kid and enjoying the simple things in life is one of the most sought-after moments we want to relive because we took growing up for granted. The only thing we can do now is look back on ourselves with fondness and rose-tinted lenses.
TWICE’s original marketing was to resonate with people through their senses and their hearts. That was during their debut, and I think it still holds up today. In my opinion, touching people through their emotions is what TWICE does best and makes them one of K-pop’s all-time greats. It was never about having the best numbers — it was always about being the best idols. And to think that this journey of maturation and growth would occur from 2015 all the way to this song, being a fitting nod to TWICE’s 7th anniversary, I don’t think anyone at the company nor the group would ever imagine that they could get this far. It’s these nine women or none — 9/10.
This song honestly deserves a 10/10 with how much I noticed other people reminiscing their childhoods after I heard this song, it is such a widely-relatable message, but I am determined to limit myself to one 10/10 song per album and if I were to decide between TTT and WWWK, I'd give it to the one's that's more repeatable — Talk that Talk just has this electric energy about it.
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Epilogue

And finally here is the end. If you made it this far in one sitting then I commend you, because I could not write this whole word jumble in one sitting. As alluded to, I started writing this album review sometime in October, after a series of edits the first draft was finished in March, and now here's the final draft in June.
I truly love this album. It got me through some important parts of my life, both good and bad, and it is just a pleasant listen throughout. Getting to relive this album again this week before finally completing the review has been an exciting journey. Brave hit me harder this time, after being overshadowed by the other gems of this album, and When We Were Kids finally got me to tear up and not just be emotionally satisfied.
I feel like there's something for everyone on this album. From the exhilarating thrills of TTT to the anthemic euphoria of QoH, the clubbing dichotomy of Trouble and Brave to the blissful glee of Basics, and the sweet reminiscence of WWWK to the thundering anger that is Gone. Like Eyes wide open, I liken Between 1&2 as a pop music taste platter — there's such an eclectic mix of pop, house, and dance in this album that there's bound to be a song that someone will love, like, and dislike.

God I hate almost every event. From getting my ass kicked in a bar by some rando peasant as Emperor to apparently visiting the most filthy brothels teeming with VD, to events that make your kids hate you AND give you stress that risks death...
Yesterday I got an event where I randomly decided to go into a pool of water and had a 80% chance of drowning and no other options. Like, I guess I'll just die. No indication of a murder attempt (my Spymaster has a 34 Intrigue and was disrupting plots), no factions, no rivals, and my Wife and Spymaster were my friends.
It's like Paradox writes events only three ways: to utterly meme and be stupid, to fuck your character, and to make you choose one of three shit choices.
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And taking on raising a child is such a risk. Either you raise a complete monster and live stress free or you die at 40 from stress or your kid's inevitable assassination of you and you actually raise a good (well okay) kid. And god help you if you let someone else raise your kid, because he's coming back maimed, evil, stupid, and hateful.
Also, too many morons marry poorly. I've seen 16 year olds marry 60 year old peasants with good stats and then ride off to war to die so my Dynasty shrinks. Jesus, at least nail a nubile young chambermaid on the way out so I can keep the Dynasty Tree growing. But that's a different complaint from the Events and probably has to do with a messed up Seduction roll or the AI prioritizing Stats and Claims over fertility.

Hey! I have pretty much the whole day (from roughly 10:00 am to 12:00 midnight) as a layover and I'd rather not waste 14 hours in an airport. Tentatively I will be going to the Dallas Arboretum/hiking in White Rock Lake Park, exploring some local restaurants, maybe a museum, before finishing the day in a bar. If any travelers or locals want to meet up or if anyone has any suggestions on where to visit that's fairly accessible by DART do let me know.

I'm 25 years old, and last spring I made the decision to move out of state. I had lived on my own before, but when I made this choice I was living with my mom. I moved three states and 10 hours away, and got a job using my degree that I had never used before. I miss my friends. I miss my family. I have some family in this state but none I'm super close to. But it's mostly the friends - I am a very social person, and living alone in a new state, new job, new place has been extremely lonely and isolating. I have made one pretty good friend over the last year but it's not the same at all (who is an object of my personality disorder, but I won't get into that. The short is I have BPD and this person is taking the "favorite person" role in that). I miss my large social circle back home. It is making me depressed.
Honestly I had been considering it for awhile, but the nail in the coffin was spending memorial day with those hometown friends. I knew I missed them / was homesick, but that made it SO much worse.
I like the company I work for but I hate my job. It is my first in office job post graduation, and I have realized that I dislike the field I decided to go into when I was 18 and picking a college major. I hate office work, which I know isn't an unpopular opinion, but I felt so much more fufilled when I was doing my old job - which was bartending, which I had been doing since I was 18. I was making GREAT money (for bartending, I think the last year I did it I was gonna pull about 45k part time at a big nightclub in my city).
I have recently considered moving back in with my mom. I want to be around people I know again. I want to go back to bartending. I contacted my boss from my old nightclub job & told him what I'm considering. He told me that whenever I move, let him know and he will put me back on the schedule that day. He even made a facebook post on the bar's account to let people know I'll be back in a few weeks (even though I didn't say for sure, lol). I'm super conflicted, though.
Pros: Save money, be around friends and family again. Go back to job that actually made me happy. New career change, maybe start bartending full time and doing that as a career. go back to therapist that I had been seeing for years.
Cons: Massive paycut. Will miss my one friend a lot. Feel like I'm failing by not being able to stay in the new place. Moving in with mom. I have an AMAZING townhouse that I will likely not be able to afford a comparable thing to in old place. COL is much higher there
Mom thinks I'm blowing it cause I'm leaving a high paying job and she thought I liked it here. And I do, but I'm also severely depressed on top of it.
I dunno what to do. Guess I just want some advice or to talk about it.

I have the seamless sculpt brief bodysuit in xxs/xs (black) and s/m (pink) from before they did the redesign. the s/m is slightly loose in the butt, and the xxs/xs snatches me beautifully but kind of digs in a little at the straps. both wearable and still my favourite bodysuits by a long shot, only i accidentally punched a hole in the black one with an acrylic nail lmao so figured i will repurchase.
what size should i go for in the new line, xs or s? what changes did they make to the suits with the sizing overhaul anyway?
https://skims.com/products/seamless-sculpt-brief-bodysuit-onyx

Sometimes a band gets so big that they somehow outshine themselves. They reach a point in their career where it does not matter if they release a new album or not; fans just want to see them tour. No one gave a damn that Led Zeppelin had not released a new album since the 1970’s; everyone just wanted to see them play again at the O2 Arena in 2007. When The Who played the Super Bowl halftime show in 2010 they had only released one new album in 28 years, and no one cared. And no one cares that Guns & Roses aren’t making new music. They still packed arenas to see how much cake Axl had packed into himself.
We’re going to take a dive into a blues power trio from down south who have zero need to release any new music, since their recording career stretches back over five decades. They had amazing and groundbreaking success in the ‘70s, the ‘80s, and the ‘90s before hitting the max level. Instead of playing to win, they now play for fun. Their sexually charged lyrics and videos inspired generations of teens to both dress better and worry about their fly. And you can bet that their fuzzy, bluesy tight sound had a huge impact on our very own desert dwellers.
It’s time for us to take a walk with That Little Ol’ Band from Texas. This week’s featured artist is the legendary ZZ TOP
About Them
The Power Trio is a tested and true format for a rock band. Lots of examples come to mind: Cream. Rush. The Police. Biffy Clyro. King Buffalo. Them Crooked Vultures. (Wait a sec. Just three members? Clearly, not everything is bigger in Texas.)
There is a member joke there somewhere, but I just can’t get it to come. Hmm. Perhaps it will come if you play with it a bit.
Hey! Stop that. Get your mind out of the gutter.
ZZ Top’s original and founding member was William Frederick Gibbons. Born in Houston in 1949, the front man was originally a drummer but, after studying with Tito Puente in New York City, picked up the guitar at age 13. His dad was a musician in show business, which allowed Billy to get an insider’s view of the industry. By the late ‘60s, he had been in and founded a number of bands and had even befriended the late great James Marshall Hendrix. One of his first bands, a psychedelic/art house band called The Moving Sidewalks, toured with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. This meant that Gibbons was actually mentored by Snagglepuss himself. They also toured with The Doors, where Gibbons saw the legendary self-destructive band somehow manage to rise above conflict and make music every night. The Moving Sidewalks generated a following all of its own with a couple of hit songs, and things seemed to be headed in the right direction.
Things were going absolutely great until bassist Don Summers and keyboard player Tom Moore were drafted into the army to fight in Vietnam. Don't you just love the ‘60s?
Gibbons and drummer Dan Mitchell added a new keyboard player, Lanier Greg, and tried to make another run at it. But the chemistry was all wrong. Gibbons rechristened the band as ZZ Top (an homage to BB King), and declared that he wanted more of a straight up rock approach than the art-house kaleidoscopic sound.
Gibbons, Mitchell, and Greg (isn’t it weird when last names are also first names too?) recorded the single Salt Lick in 1969. This generated a bunch of interest and a recording contract. Decisions over the direction of the band ensued and it quickly became clear that Mitchell and Greg did not agree with Gibbons’ hard rock approach. That ended up being a poor life decision for them, but a great one for a couple of other guys.
Clearly, Gibbons needed a new rhythm section.
Fortunately, he found a package deal.
Dusty Hill and Frank Beard - also both born in 1949 - had been playing together on the Dallas-Houston-Fort Worth circuit in a number of bands, including The Warlocks, The Cellar Dwellers, and a fake cover band called The Zombies. Both the Duster and the (then ironically) beardless Beard also heard the siren call of rock and roll. Hill was classically trained and was an accomplished cello player before moving to his signature bass. Frank ‘Rube’ Beard appears to have been born with drumsticks in his hands (which I imagine might have been uncomfortable for his mom).
Beard joined the band first, along with bassist Billy Ethridge, who had played with Stevie Ray Vaughn. Ethridge balked at signing a contract and so joined Mitchell and Greg on the list of ZZ Top’s former members. Their lineup was set. Hill and Beard anchored the band in a rock-solid, tight, bluesy fashion. Gibbons meshed perfectly with this duo, and his Hendrix-inspired guitar work was on another level. Hill provided backing vocals, and Gibbons’ low throaty growl was an impressive counterpoint to his soaring fretwork. The talent was all there; now they just needed to record some music.
But success was not instantaneous, not by a long shot.
Their first album - appropriately called ZZ Top’s First Album - gives insight into who the band were to become. In this 1971 release, you can hear their raw sound. The record peaked at 201 on the charts, and had only one single - (Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree. It did give them material to go out and tour. The boys gelled on that tour and went back into the studio with renewed energy, and emerged with 1972’s Rio Grande Mud. The disc was a step forward in refining their sound. The album almost cracked the top 100, and the only single - Francine - went all the way to number 69.
Nice.
But the band knew that their third album, Tres Hombres, was something special. It is the epitome of Southern Rock: bluesy, fast paced, sexy, and irreverent, it is just over half an hour of pure magic. And while the album went gold and peaked at number 8 on the charts and is worth your time, it was one particular single that rocketed them to stardom. You know it and you love it, and a-how-how-how-how: La Grange. It is still in heavy rotation on classic rock stations today. And why not? The song is an absolute banger of boogie woogie blues, written about a visit to a whorehouse. What’s not to love?
La Grange propelled them to popularity. Tours sold out. Venues got bigger and bigger. 1975’s follow up album, Fandango!, was half live album (with some covers) and half new material - like an EP with bonus tracks. They covered the Elvis Presley classic Jailhouse Rock, Willie Dixon’s Mellow Down Easy, and John Lee Hooker’s Long Distance Boogie. The boys had rock and blues chops, and had 5 years of touring experience. These were bold statements that cemented their musicality as well as honoring their roots. But side two of the disc had another track that you’ve come to love. You ain’t asking for much: You’re just lookin’ for some Tush. Tush was the perfect sexually charged follow up to ensure that they were not one-hit wonders. It was written in a ten-minute spasm of creativity at a sound check, and has gone on to be one of their most popular songs.
While Tush topped the charts, ZZ Top went back into the studio to record their full length follow up, 1976’s Tejas. The name of the album means ‘friends’ in the Indigenous Caddo language, and was the basis for the name of the state. You know what that means? It means that the name of the state is ‘Friends’. Just like the ‘90s sitcom. Don’t mess with Friends. Anyways, this was an album of experimentation for the band, and unlike its predecessor it came out half baked at best. Billy Gibbons has called it a transition album. What actually happened is the band transitioned into a hiatus from touring and recording, taking some significant time off. They had recorded five albums in six years and spent virtually all their time on the road. The latest effort was just not up to their standards and was a step back. It also completed their recording contract.
What was the solution to this burn out?
Facial hair of course.
The boys took a few years off before landing another recording contract, this time with Warner. Over those months, both Gibbons and Hill grew what would become their signature long ‘Texas Goatee’ beards. Frank Beard did not grow a beard (though he did finally succumb to peer pressure from his bandmates in 2013, and his is much more neatly trimmed). So while they were resting/relaxing/getting their groove back/aligning their chakras or whatever, they also started to reinvent their signature sound as the world moved towards a decade of legendary excess.
The first step on this reinvention journey was 1979’s Degüello. The title literally means ‘decapitation’ but idiomatically refers to a fight to the death. Clearly, the band decided to tackle their transition head on. The album was not as successful as Tres Hombres or Fandango!, but it was not the flop that Tejas was. It did spawn a couple of singles - I Thank You (which was a cover) and the signature hit Cheap Sunglasses. Both are staples at ZZ Top concerts to this day. Degüello was quickly followed up in 1981 by the album El Loco. This was really the first time ZZ Top incorporated a synthesizer into their sound. As you know, the synth was THE new wave sound of the 1980s. Gods help us, keytars were once popular. But Gibbons, Hill, and Beard did not abandon their edge. The single Pearl Necklace was an immensely popular innuendo laced tune from this album. And no, I will not explain what a pearl necklace is to you.
Ask your mom.
Over the course of their first seven albums, ZZ Top had steadily grown in popularity and become a truly extraordinary live band. More than a decade of touring together meant that they had not just cut their teeth. They had found the Tooth Fairy, beaten her senseless, and added fangs to their jaws. They were ready to tackle whatever came their way.
Their huge breakthrough coincided with the birth of music videos and MTV. 1983’s Eliminator was an absolute monster of an album. ZZ Top were everywhere. They completely embraced the Music Video as a medium and became pioneers in this new genre. They branded their band with a 1933 fire-engine red Ford Coupe, which was on the cover of the album. They even had a signature hand gesture that they used as the car went by. The car belonged to Billy Gibbons and embodied his hot rod obsessions. It was featured in the videos for Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dressed Man, and Legs. Other singles from the album included Got me Under Pressure and TV Dinners. Eliminator is still the band’s most successful album. They were at the absolute height of their popularity with a massive audience. No doubt the 10-year-old Joshua Michael Homme watched those videos on a small screen in the California desert, little knowing that he would one day collaborate with Gibbons.
Seeking to capitalize on the popularity, the band went back into the studio and released Afterburner in 1985. It featured the signature hot rod on the cover and spawned two more singles - Sleeping Bag and Velcro Fly. Afterburner was not an innovative album by any stretch of the imagination. It simply built on the success of Eliminator and replicated the sound. If you blended the two albums together it would be very difficult for a novice fan to guess which song came from which disc. But hell, when you release the most popular album of your career and are earning millions of dollars for that sound, it is not time to mess with success. Or with Texas. Or with Friends (though Ross was a pain in the ass, IMHO).
That desire to not screw up a good thing was also evident in their next release, the retrospective re-release Six Pack. This was a great way to earn some bucks with a simple repackaging of existing tracks - I’m looking at you, K-Tel… - and introducing them to another generation of fans. This was not a bad thing at all - you gotta get that green whenever you can, because fame can be fleeting.
ZZ Top closed out the decade by going Back to the Future. Literally. They appeared in the third installment of the Michael J. Fox trilogy as the olde-timey house band (complete with rotating guitars) in the saloon scene. The single and signature song from the movie, Doubleback, appeared on their 1990 release Recycler. The album spawned two more singles: My Head’s in Mississippi and Concrete and Steel. Recycler was not as successful as its predecessors, but it did effectively max level the band. In the 1970’s they were a scuffling bar band that hit it big. In the 1980’s they were one of the most popular bands of the MTV generation. And in the 1990’s they achieved superstardom. They had hit the level where it truly no longer mattered if they ever released new material again. They could simply tour on their back catalogue alone and sell out stadiums.
It is clear that the band realized this as well. In the thirty years since Recycler came out, they have released five albums of new material: Antenna in 1994, Rhythmeen in 1996, XXX in 1999, Mescalero in 2003 and the critically acclaimed and Rick Rubin produced La Futura in 2012. This was equivalent to their output in their first six years.
In contrast, they have released no less than eight greatest hits albums, cover albums and live albums in the same time span. Greatest Hits came out in 1992. One Foot in the Blues was released in 1994. The massive compilation Chrome, Smoke & BBQ came out in 2003, and is a fantastic place to start if you are a new fan. Rancho Texicano was released in 2004, Live from Texas came out in 2008, and Double Down Live hit shelves in 2009. Live at Montreaux came out in 2013 and Tonite at Midnight: Live Greatest Hits from Around the World was released in 2016.
As recently as 2019, there were rumors that a new album was in the works for our Septuagenarian heroes. Lord knows the boys from Texas have nothing left to prove to anyone.
It was then that tragedy struck. Dusty Hill had to leave the band during a tour in 2021. The reason given was a hip injury. His guitar tech, Elwood Francis, filled in. Shockingly, Hill died at home at the age of 72 just five days after leaving the tour.
Fans were shocked and mourned the stalwart bassist. Per his wishes - and it seems he knew something wasn’t quite right - ZZ Top did not break up. Francis replaced Hill on bass, and the band soldiered on. In 2022, they released Raw, a soundtrack for a 2019 documentary about them. This was Hill’s final release.
You can still catch them on tour. They are going to be out there this summer, touring with Lynyrd Skynyrd, for something they are calling ‘The Sharp Dressed Simple Man’ Tour.
Go buy some tickets. Don’t miss your chance to see a truly iconic band before they are gone.
Links to QOTSA
The Reverend Billy F. Gibbons was a big part of the Lullabies to Paralyze album by our Desert Dwellers. He played guitar and provided backing vocals on Burn the Witch. He was co-lead vocalist and lead guitar on the QotSA cover of Precious and Grace, which he originally released as a ZZ Top tune on the Tres Hombres album. He also provided the guitar stylings for Like a Drug.
But the connections don't stop there. Billy sang the lead vocal track on the recent Desert Sessions tune Move Together, and he played guitar on Noses in Roses, Forever.
What may be most important to QotSA fans is that Gibbons was the first person, almost two years ago, who hinted that Queens were working on a new album.
And now we know he was right. Never doubt a Reverend.
Their Music
Salt Lick
(Somebody Else Been) Shaking your Tree
Francine
La Grange -- Live on Howard Stern
Jailhouse Rock
Tush -- a fan made video. It is not subtle.
Cheap Sunglasses
Pearl Necklace -- Live
Gimme All Your Lovin’
Sharp Dressed Man
Legs -- the ultimate makeover video
Got Me Under Pressure -- Live at Montreaux
Sleeping Bag -- Let’s go out to Egypt and check out some heads...
Velcro Fly -- also somehow in Egypt
My Head’s In Mississippi
Concrete and Steel -- vintage video
Doubleback
I Gotsta Get Paid -- from La Futura
Show Them Some Love
/zztop
Previous Posts
Tool
Alice in Chains
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Rage Against The Machine
Soundgarden
Run the Jewels
Royal Blood
Arctic Monkeys
Ty Segall
Eagles of Death Metal
Them Crooked Vultures
Led Zeppelin
Greta Van Fleet
Ten Commandos
Screaming Trees
Sound City Players
Iggy Pop
Mastodon
The Strokes
Radiohead
All Them Witches

Chapter 1 Previous Chapter
“Nice to meet you, Sanya. Look, me and that scary-looking but actually sweet guy here got captured like you and we will try to flee. Coming with us?”, asked Raphael pointing towards George
The young girl paused, her gaze fixated upon them with unwavering intensity. Seconds stretched into an eternity as Raphael held his breath, waiting for a sign, a glimmer of trust. And then, finally, it came—a subtle nod, barely perceptible, yet filled with unspoken understanding. It was a flicker of affirmation that resonated deep within him, lifting the weight of uncertainty from his weary shoulders. Relief flooded through his veins like a soothing balm, grateful that he had managed to persuade her to join their escape, sparing her from the desolate fate of being left behind. With determination in her eyes, Sanya reached out and clasped Raphael's hand, mustering every ounce of her weakened strength to lift herself up from the cold, unforgiving floor. As she rose, her fragile frame trembled, bearing the visible signs of prolonged hunger and deprivation. Her cheeks were hollowed, etched with the haunting shadows of days without any food. As Raphael eyed her from up and down, his stomach began to grumble.
“Sorry, right now, we don’t have anything but we will get you something as soon as possible. Do you have enough strength left to run or should we carry you?”, Raphael wanted to know. “I think, I ca-”, Sanya started before getting interrupted by George as he scooped her up, holding her in a princess carry. “We don’t have that much time, ya know? I am all for helping her, but if she can’t keep up, we will be slowed down and caught again. And this time they will not just capture us, I guess.”, the Orc said grumpily. “Ya have to put up with it, till we are safe, okay little princess?” “O-o-okay.”, Sanya said intimidated. “Good, Raphael, ya need to be up front. No cold feet, understood?”, George said.
Filled with newfound determination, Raphael stepped forward, taking the lead as they ascended the stairs. To his right, hanging on a solitary nail, he spotted the keyring that held the keys to their former cells. And directly ahead of him loomed a sturdy bulkhead door, a barrier between their confined world and the unknown outside. Proceeding with caution, Raphael exerted gentle pressure on the door, creating a narrow gap that offered a glimpse into the world beyond. As his eyes beheld the sight before him, a sense of stark contrast washed over his senses. There, sprawling beyond the threshold, lay a meticulously maintained garden, resplendent in vibrant shades of green. A winding gravel path led their gaze toward the very cellar they had longed to escape. But what caught Raphael's attention was the centerpiece—a fountain adorned with a striking modern art sculpture, an arrangement of hexagons and rectangles. Though Raphael had never quite grasped the allure of this particular art form, his focus now remained fixed on the grand manor standing tall in classic English architectural elegance. He knew all too well that such properties commanded exorbitant prices, symbols of immense wealth. This revelation only grew more apparent as his eyes fell upon the carport housing at least three luxurious supercars, each one a testament to opulence and excess. Having indulged in his fair share of mindless television, Raphael was all too aware that properties of this caliber were rife with surveillance, their every move scrutinized. It seemed as if all hope was slipping through their fingers, until a revelation pierced through the haze of uncertainty. In a secluded corner, a cage confined the majestic Griffin, captive against its will. The flicker of an idea ignited within Raphael's mind—a daring plan to unleash chaos and diversion. If he could dismantle the bars of the Griffins cage, setting the magnificent creature free, the resulting pandemonium would create the perfect distraction, enabling them to jump over the fence that encircled the property and forge their path to freedom, if the Griffin did not decide to attack them instead.
“I have a plan to get out of here. But it is dangerous.”, Raphael began explaining his plan.
As Raphael delved into the details of their predicament and outlined his audacious plan for their escape, he couldn't help but notice the growing gravity etched across George's face and the fading of colors from Sanya's. The weight of his words settled upon him, weaving a tapestry of doubt and uncertainty. Even as he spoke, the very sound of his own voice seemed to echo with the specter of a perilous undertaking—a mission that bordered on the brink of death and played with it. Yet, in his heart, he saw no alternative. Desperation propelled his determination forward, and the need for a diversion, compelled him to consider the Griffin as their savior. Regrettably, he alone possessed the ability to dismantle the confining bars of the creature's cage, thus placing the weight of this outright crazy task solely upon his own shoulders. Seeking solace in his own reasoning, Raphael attempted to convince himself that this act of self-sacrifice would give purpose to his existence. Perhaps, safeguarding the lives of his companions and giving his life while doing so, was the meaning why he was born. A huge contradiction to the bitter reproach his father had hurled at him in moments of drunken tirades. In the wake of his revelations, a hushed silence enveloped the trio, hanging heavy with unspoken thoughts and uncharted emotions, until it was Sanya who finally broke the stillness, her voice infused with a mix of trepidation and resolve.
“Uhm. If you can use magic, why can't you just not throw it?”, Sanya asked innocently.
Next Chapter
Thanks for reading, hope you liked it!

1. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I’ve met Harry Styles several times, and he is so nice and considerate. He actually put off going out with his team just to sit and talk to my 15-year-old daughter and me. I’m sure he was exhausted, but he seemed to enjoy relaxing and chatting with us. My daughter will most likely live on that memory for years to come!"
2. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "Jennifer Aniston is a sweetheart. She seemed very genuine and kind. I met her in a restaurant bathroom of all places. We talked for so long, her friend had to come and find her."
3. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I met Lorne Michaels when I worked at a 5-star restaurant. Everyone who worked with me knew I’d been a fan of SNL since I came out of the womb, so when I picked up the phone to make the reservation and spoke with his assistant, I told them I was Lorne's biggest fan. When he arrived with his wife and son (who went to a local boarding school), they were so kind, and he said, 'Oh, I heard you’re my biggest fan, and that’s amazing because I don’t have fans — the cast always has fans!' I almost died. I gave them my favorite table, which they were thrilled with, and when he got up to leave, he left me an envelope with a pretty sweet bonus tip inside. I wasn’t usually tipped doing my work, so it wasn’t necessary, but it was so thoughtful and appreciated. All three were true gems. You’d never know he was famous or rich at all."
4. TOTAL NIGHTMARE: "I met Roseanne Barr for work once. I went to shake her hand, and she looked me up and down and said, 'I don't shake hands,' then walked away."
5. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I met Matthew Gray Gubler after he did a talk years ago at my college! Only the first 100 people who got tickets were supposed to be able to do a meet and greet. He said 'rules were made to be broken' and that he would stay and meet with everyone until they kicked him out. Not only was he incredibly sweet to me (literally introduced himself...so humble and posed for a goofy pic), but he seemed so genuinely kind to everyone there. Just amazing energy all around."
6. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "A friend and I visited my boyfriend while he was doing security at a jazz festival in Malibu. He told us Adam Sandler and his family had been there all day and tons of people took pictures with him. We ran back to the car to grab the digital camera, looked up, and saw Adam, his pregnant wife Jackie, and their toddler leaving. We went up to them. Adam was clearly done for the day, but his wife said, 'Honey, let me hold [toddler's name] and you can take a picture.' We handed him the camera and he took a selfie with us. Still have that picture on my fridge. Love the Sandman!"
7. TOTAL NIGHTMARE: "My little cousin played one of Rob Schneider's kids in 50 First Dates. Rob was stuck-up, never got to know the children or their parents, and always went straight to his dressing room. I'm an introvert, so I like my alone time to recharge, but apparently the vibes he was giving off were that he couldn't be bothered to care about anyone else there. Also, the little girl in the movie was apparently a spoiled brat who threw tantrums and made them have to redo so many takes. I can see why Rob maybe didn't want to play with her, but the other kids were great!"
8. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "My husband met Rihanna years ago and said she was super nice. He was working as a ground handler at an airport and was setting up something on the ramp for her private plane. She came out, approached him, asked him about his job, and they chatted for a few minutes. Not sure if she was killing time until the gate opened, or if she went out of her way to talk to him for the heck of it, but he had nothing but nice things to say about her."
9. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I met Jerry Springer while bartending almost 20 years ago. He was thinking of getting back into politics and had a meeting in our private dining room on the second floor. It was happy hour and the bar was packed. Someone spotted him and started chanting, 'JERRY, JERRY,' while he was about to walk up the stairs. He then came to the bar, ordered a $2 beer, walked through the entire bar, shook hands, and took pictures. When he finished the loop, he set the full beer on the bar and handed me $40. Regardless of his show, I will always think of him as a class act."
10. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "My story is that I was actually horrible to a celebrity. In the '70s, I was obsessed with Donny and Marie. They were playing at our state fair that year. My dad tried to get tickets, but it was sold out. He took us to the fair anyway. A few times we could hear the music, which infuriated me at 7 years old. When we were leaving, my dad had to stop the car because there was a big crowd of people. As they cleared to let us through, two people popped their heads in the car window to apologize. It was Donny and Marie. I refused to believe it was really them, and I told Marie, 'You're not Marie. She's a lot prettier than you.' My family was horrified."
11. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "Hands down nicest celebrity I've ever met was Taylor Swift. I met her at a concert as part of her security at the Houston shows. She was polite and introduced herself to everyone. She was obviously very busy, but she seemed interested in what I had to say and signed an album cover for my son."
12. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I have been lucky enough to meet Sir Ian McKellen twice: once after a performance where I also met Simon Callow and Patrick Stewart, and once during his tour of 80 shows for turning 80. Absolutely lovely man. He is my #1 dream dinner guest. I wish I was his friend."
13. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I did a photo-op last year at my local con with Ewan McGregor and, even though it was so quick, he was super sweet. We shook hands, and he asked how my day was. He’s gorgeous in person!"
14. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I met Matthew Lewis at a local con at his booth and he was lovely (and gorgeous in person). I told him how jealous my Harry Potter-obsessed sister (who was working that day) was going to be, and he told me to tell her he sent his regards! It totally made her day at work when I texted her about it after!"
15. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I met Pink around 2000. She performed at a teen club I was at, and she was a sweetheart. After her performance, she even danced with us for a little bit."
16. TOTAL NIGHTMARE: "I’ve heard nothing but bad things from people who've met Bill Nye. One friend said he was at some children’s art show and made fun of the artwork in front of the youngsters. What a jerk."
17. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "When I was in college in Boston, I was making a late-night Taco Bell run. As I was walking in, this white limo pulled up in front. I went inside and placed my order, and a guy in a white jumpsuit with a white bandana tied around his head came in. There weren't that many people in the restaurant, but he stopped and signed autographs and was chatting everyone up when I left. It wasn't until a few years later that I realized that person was Steven Tyler. This was in the late '80s before Aerosmith had that string of hits."
18. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "The most genuine interaction I've ever had with a celeb was with Bert Kreischer. I saw a show (during which he mentioned his grandma was in the hospital). Then, he told the audience he would be going to the bar next door after the show if anyone wanted a picture. When he arrived at the bar, he waded through CROWDS of people and made sure everyone who wanted to was able to get a pic or a moment with him. I stayed at the bar for a drink until he was on his way out (by this time the crowd had dispersed). I called out as he passed, 'Hey, I didn't get a chance to say it before, but I hope your grandma does well.' He stopped, turned around, and had a very genuine conversation with me."
19. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "Jason Momoa was really fun to meet in person when I saw him at a Nine Inch Nails show. Really fun guy!"
20. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "Jennifer Lopez. I went to where they were filming Air last year (I live in LA) because I wanted to meet Ben Affleck. I met Matt Damon as he wrapped before he left. He was a SUPER nice guy. I waited for Ben as his Escalade pulled up, but I DID NOT expect JLO to get out. She got out right next to me. She was only with her driver and he didn’t tell me to move or anything, so when she got out, I was like ‘Jen! Can I get a picture?' and she said sure. We talked about Selena because I’m Latina and she’s super important to me, and the movie means so much to me. She was SOO nice and sweet. She didn’t give any vibes that I was annoying her or that she had to Go. We also spoke in Spanish. We took our picture and then she went inside to get Ben. When they got out, Ben was NOT HAPPY (I don’t blame him. He was acting and directing), so I just stepped aside."
21. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "In 2004, I met Tony Curtis. He exuded 'old Hollywood.' He made his way around the room, speaking to each person, and when he approached me, he extended his hand and held my hand through the entire conversation. He focused on our conversation as if there was no one else in the room. As we said goodbye (he was still holding my hand), he raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. He was dressed impeccably and was in fine form. I have had many celebrity encounters, but nothing rises to the level of Tony Curtis. Absolutely the best celebrity encounter I've ever had."
22. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I met Sir Patrick Stewart at the Peabody Hotel in Orlando. We were both hanging out with friends in the lobby. He told stories, made lots of jokes with his friends, and included us in the conversation."
23. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I went to college with Muhammad Ali's twin daughters. He came with them for move-in day, and they arrived in a chauffeured Rolls Royce. He was gracious and took as many pictures and signed as many autographs as people wanted. I even have a picture where he is pretending to punch me. I told him that I grew up down the street from the house he had in Chicago before he donated it to the Nation of Islam. He asked me if they were good neighbors and laughed when I told him not really."
24. TOTAL NIGHTMARE: "My sister met Katy Perry at a restaurant, but she was being rude to the bartender and all the employees who came over to help, so now my niece and nephew aren't allowed to listen to her music."
25. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I met Tori Amos, and she was an absolute sweetie pie. She hugged me and told me she liked my shirt. We spoke briefly. I was starstruck, but it made a lasting impression on me."
26. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I grew up in a tiny town (pop. 3,000), and every year for his twins' birthday dinner, Michael J. Fox would bring his whole family to the restaurant my mom worked at. She almost always ended up being their server and she said he (and his family) were the nicest people. They were unobtrusive, friendly, and excellent tippers."
27. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "James Earl Jones was super sweet. My father and I met him when I was young. His voice is deep, but sweet!"
28. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I met Dennis Quaid, and he was the nicest guy ever. We chatted about dogs for a while, and he was more than happy to take a few pictures!"
29. TOTAL NIGHTMARE: "I helped host a book signing for Bobby Flay, and he's a jerk."
30. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "Every time Dave Matthews plays at the venue across the street from our bookstore, people want to be working in the cafe because he randomly shows up for coffee the morning of his concert and gives the people waiting on him free tickets."
31. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "Nicest celebrity I've ever met was Cole Sprouse. This was way before when he probably got sick of being on Riverdale and decided to just show his true colors. He took the photo of us together because I was shaking from nerves and excitement."
32. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "I was a bartender at the Troubadour for five years and have so many stories! Jeff Bridges was the first celeb I met. His band was playing. Before we opened, after his sound check, he made a point of coming down to us bartenders to introduce himself and thank us for helping out that night. SUCH A GEM!"
33. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "Jason Schwartzman came into the bar I worked in on a night that had a bunch of teenage bands playing and was super sweet to any of the kids who came up to him."
34. ABSOLUTE DREAM: "When I was young, I went to an Olivia Newton-John concert. I grew up watching Grease on repeat and had always loved her. At the concert, me and another young girl were invited on stage to give her flowers and introduce ourselves. On stage, l asked to get her autograph and she told me she would after the show. Post-concert, I waited with my family to get an autograph and she invited me and my dad into her fitting room and no one else. Once back there, I was so starstruck and amazed that she remembered my name! She was so kind and took pictures with me and my dad, signed a photo, gave me the set list, and wrapped it up by giving me a hug and kiss on the cheek. She spent probably an hour with us just hanging out in her room and chatting. To this day, it's one of my most cherished memories."

Link to article

Over the last month Jagex invited a handful of talented content creators (as listed here) to come out to Jagex HQ to check out and play test the new Necromancy skill as a first look.
However, not really mentioned, but the OSRS side of Jagex also invited at least one, if not more OSRS creators to check out the new content recently for their version of the game as well. I can recall, but cannot find the clip of Purespam commenting on the rerelease of Bounty Hunter off the top of my head, however here is proof of him going to Jagex HQ to at least provide feedback as one of multiple playtesters on the upcoming Desert Treasure 2 content in a similar time frame.
Josh Strife Hayes is an established MMO reviewer that was also invited to Jagex during the same time frame, unannounced to the public, to give constructive criticism of the early game of RS3 ahead of the Necromancy release (even getting a selfie with our man Waydots.) He speaks openly in that video about how passionate and talented and phenomenal the content creators visiting Jagex were doing high level things. However he was the only one asking questions at the lower level that no one thinks about. He pretty much nailed the head on what makes RS3 combat suck to learn and why EoC pretty much failed us when it comes to a tutorial on the intricacies of how combat works.
Now keep in mind, I'm a 20 year old veteran, w/ 5.6b xp, so I'm no newb to this game, so I understand how difficult it would be to integrate tutorial island into the Burthrope pathing system into trying to explaining the EoC combat system into a tutorial might be. That's impossible. You want to try and explain the basic concept of skills into the game (ie woodcutting->fishing->firemaking->cooking), try and explain that it's a sandbox MMO, then explain how complex the combat can be (stuns, bleeds, adrenaline, thresholds, ults, etc), and I don't know how that's possible to streamline that all in one encompassing "tutorial".
So, the point of this post? I was hoping some of the community managers could fill us in of any progress made by meeting with people like Josh Strife Hayes and any if their meetings helped them gain insight on how to grow the game or if their input has made any sort of difference and if so, how.
If not, was there was anyone who could help with making combat easier to understand besides sticking us with a basic revo bar and saying "this is why the things are this way" and skipping over all the reasons to pay attentions to stuns/bleeds or when/why you should use defensive abilities. You're never really taught why you should use them or when. How could you incorporate these ideas into a tutorial of combat and when and why you should use them in a teaching/tutorial capacity? Prime example, I'm a Comp'd player who is 200m in all skills and I've still to this day never learned the timing or use of the Resonance ability. That should be an issue of concern.
In conclusion, pardon my ramblings. Jmods, if you see this, great. I hope to hear back from you. If not, I get it, please continue to be the rockstars you are.

HAVE U GOT ANY NAILS ? No.. He replies . WELL CAN I HAVE SOME [email protected] CORN ? ....

Today was my first time going to my home park with a friend since August of last year. I went with a high school friend who I hadn't seen since Memorial Day Weekend last year (also a trip to SFOT), and I let him use the first of my Platinum Pass discounted tickets (and of course now passholders get a $20 bring-a-friend ticket for the month of June). Our plan was to start with Titan and New Texas Giant and do a circle around the park, eventually winding up back where we started and marathoning our number ones (mine is NTG and his is Titan). Things started off incredibly smooth as we hit five rides in the first hour, but things would slow down after lunch as not everything would go according to plan afterward.
Titan - Even though my friend is not an enthusiast, he still ranks some of the coasters at the park, and Titan is his number one. We got the back row on the first train of the day and this thing was already hauling. I have fallen in love with the floater bliss that is the speed hill which will immediately be ruined next year by my first B&M hyper, and I grayed out in the second helix for the first time. This somehow keeps climbing my rankings, and is now competing with Mr. Freeze for my #2.
New Texas Giant - My number one until my upcoming reunion with Iron Rattler and my friend's number two prior to riding Mr. Freeze. We took the ninth row in order to get a walk-on, intent on getting a back row ride later in the day. The first half is great regardless of what row you're in, but riding in the middle versus the back can make the difference between floater and ejector airtime.
Chaparral Antique Cars - We did this as a meme but it turned out to be a nice, relaxing and surprisingly fun early day change of pace, but the best part was seeing some rare angles of Shockwave and New Texas Giant.
Shockwave - I was surprised to see this running single train ops as maintenance was working on the second train. Even so, it was still a walk-on, but we had to take the second-to-last row, again intent on returning for that back row ride.
Superman: Tower of Power - Amazingly, we only had to wait two cycles, and it turns out we timed our ride perfectly, as it started to get a line after we got off.
Newman's Cafe - I first tried these a week and a half ago on a solo trip because of Airtime Thrills, and knew right away I had to get my friend to try them. They're decent for theme park food, but the nuggets and fries could be crispier. Even so, my friend absolutely loved them.
Texas SkyScreamer - Is it just me, or did this get new seats since I last rode it last summer? Regardless, this was still a lot of fun to get back on again. Not very forceful, but the views are absolutely breathtaking, even if I couldn't clearly see the Dallas and Fort Worth skylines today.
Judge Roy Scream - This might actually be worse than some SLCs, though I wouldn't know since it's been 10+ years since I last rode one. We got a back row ride on this classic woodie, and this was the first time a coaster made me question my life choices. My friend and I both agreed that this thing was unbearably rough, and I audibly said that Six Flags should call up GCI.
Mr. Freeze - This was my friend's first time ever riding Mr. Freeze. Lesson learned: Ride this first on less crowded days. We waited anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, and after waiting that long, we decided we were going to get the front row no matter what. Of course, the only people in front of us when they let us into the station also wanted the front row, and struggled with the restraints after returning to the station. The ride ops ended up reopening the air gates so my friend could get on the same train as me (in hindsight, we should've just gone through the air gates while the people in front of us were struggling and helped them out). So if you saw the ride ops reopen the air gates for one train today at around 2 PM after locking the restraints, now you know why (I'm actually surprised they did). I got stapled, which killed the airtime coming in and out of the inverted top hat, but it was kind of my fault, plus those lap bars are heavy as a brick. After getting off, my friend said that the wait was well worth it and that it very nearly overtook Titan as his number one.
Batman: The Ride - A single train wait for the back row when we got on. I don't know if we got the other train or what it was today since this thing was glass smooth when I rode it a week and a half ago, but Batman was ROUGH today. The B&M rattle was very noticeable and was accompanied with some occasional headbanging.
Catwoman Whip - I used to adore this thing as late as last summer (GP moment), but now that I'm a full-fledged enthusiast, I have come to realize how mediocre this ride truly is. You can definitely feel when you're upside down, but I wouldn't call it hangtime, and the positives when you're upright aren't that strong.
Pandemonium - Another I rode for the first time since last summer, and I was very disappointed by how little we spun. Operations were also iffy, as after we hit the final brake run, the ride ops took forever to start dispatching trains again and there was nothing wrong with the ride.
Runaway Mountain - This definitely deserves more attention. We were assigned to the front car and ended up taking the second row, but even so, it was still a great ride with decent airtime and swooping drops and helices that feel much faster than they actually are. This might actually be better than Batman.
New Texas Giant - Back for our back row ride, only for the ride to break down while we were in the station. We decided to wait it out, as I had seen the ride go down enough times to know that it's usually back up within ten to fifteen minutes. The people in front of us waiting for the back row decided to take another row for a shorter wait, so we got on one train sooner when it started running again.
Shockwave - After our back row ride on NTG, my friend was getting tired as his caffeine had worn off, so we decided to end the day early with a back row ride on Shockwave. As we approached the ride, we noticed that they were now running two train ops, and we walked on to the back row. I was left with plenty of leg room, but the lap bar came down one click on its own during the vertical loops, so I didn't get as much airtime in the second half as I would have liked.
JB's Smokehouse Barbeque - My friend wasn't yet hungry for dinner, but since I have an all season dining plan, I decided to grab a BBQ Brisket Sandwich on the way out. It was smaller than I remember, but was still good (I mean, come on. You can't go wrong with Texas barbeque). And the fries were actually crispy (looking at you, Newman's Cafe).
Overall, today was rather successful despite some setbacks and not getting to do our marathons. We rode everything we wanted to except El Diablo (I probably would have bashed it afterward), and I managed to get my friend on Mr. Freeze for the first time and it very nearly became his new number one.