Summertime edition
If you're new and just stumbled on this, welcome! The “Mood Bored” blog series summarizes everything I’ve gotten into for the past month. From media I’ve consumed, hobbies, travels, experiences, music, and everything else I’m currently geeking out on.
As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and nerd out with me in the comments on anything mentioned here or if you have any recommendations.
Listening to: Turnstile - “NEVER ENOUGH”
No theatres near me played the visual movie for this album, unfortunately, so I will have to judge based on music alone. Though I love the execution and idea of doing this, as it’s very similar to my point on my blog: What If We Treated New Albums Like How We See Movies in Theatres?
I can already tell this is going to be my album of the summer. It has all the dream pop elements of “Glow on”, without ditching the energy they are known for. The punk and hardcore are still there, but now it simmers between pillowy production and interludes. It doesn’t hinder but adds dynamics. My favourite songs are the very catchy “I care” and “Sunshower”. Total longboard cruising music.
Listening to: For Your Health - “This Bitter Garden”
So some cool life news if you don’t follow my notes. But I'm writing for New Noise Magazine! I get to cover band interviews along with album reviews and articles for print. Labels send albums to me in advance, which is wild. Being that this is more of a side hustle, I get to pick and choose the bands I want to cover. Here is my first review assignment.
I was happy to cover a band that I was already a fan of for their influence of classic 00’s post-hardcore/math era music. It’s a conceptual album about flowering your hate and grudges. Most of the details are in the review, but I will say writing it, felt like poetry. I get a lot more creative freedom, not to mention full honesty, compared to writing for marketing. And that’s a fun side endeavor for me.
Attended: Paranormal Circus
This was the first time I’ve attended an in ten” traditional circus show. And what better way to experience it than an 18+ all-adult horror-themed one!
Lots of blood, cussing, and the acrobatics scared me. Just because all I’ve ever seen before this was movies where something goes wrong. But fortunately, I don’t have a Final Destination-type accurate premonition, as the performers all died this! A spectacular, seductive, and hilarious show that I’ll definitely attend every year if they continue to refresh the acts.
Film: Bring Her Back
So I am a big fan of the movie “Talk to Me”, and this is the director’s follow-up work. Safe to say it did not disappoint! While it does have the same themes of Talk to Me from being more of a psychological, trauma-style horror, it felt much more sinister and diabolical. Cults are involved, and that’s a check always for me! Go see it in theaters if you can. The shots and acting are so impressive, I felt uncomfortable the entire time- in a good way.
Playing: Silent Hill 2 (remake)
First off, did anyone catch the reveal of the remake for the original Silent Hill? I am dying to play that!
2 is one of my favourites though, and probably one I played the most originally on my PS2. I was so skeptical when this remake was announced, as to how they’re gonna make it as scary as the original. With so many improvements in modern engines, it could ruin the aesthetics of the old games. But no, IT S SCARIER!
.. and I’m speaking as someone who’s played all the entries multiple times. They do this remake justice and change just enough so that it feels like a celebration of the original, while catching you off guard with what you are already familiar with. Now I am praying for a remake of 4: The Room.
Reading: Pet Shop of Horrors
I was a fan of the classic anime and thought it was way too short. It had a creepy, episodic structure about these mythical animals as pets. Similar to Hell Girl, each episode/chapter focuses on new characters and new pets, which becomes a psychological horror about how that specific pet they were drawn to punishes them for their wrongdoings.
The only way to continue to story was through the manga, however, the volumes are impossible to find. Not only that, they will cost an arm and a leg! So I was so stoked to hear it is being republished and I’m stoked to get started reading them.
Anime: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure - Stone Ocean
I’m rewatching this arc, and I’ve missed how over-the-top and flashy this anime can be. Jolyne in Stone Ocean is one of my favourite Joestar ( I love all of them!), and the characters on this one are as memorable and quirky as the Golden Wind. I dig the whole aesthetics of this one with the more Riot girl, punk rock theme in a prison. It’s refreshing to get an all female cast as the prior arcs have been super macho.
I’m looking forward to Steel Ball Run!
Sports: NBA Finals
I haven’t followed NBA all year as I’ve been more a wrestling fan, but I occasionally watched the highlights. This year though, might be one of the most competitive playoffs. Almost free of major injuries, and the finals are young n’ gunnin teams fresh in the title picture. Every game since the conference has been super competitive, and SGA and Haliburton are savages. As of writing, it’s game 5. So no matter who wins, I’m just happy we got a classic finals.
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Have you checked out, or planning to, any on this list? What are your thoughts? Similar recommendations? Let’s geek out in the comments!
Thanks for reading, Cheers.