Ole Brook / Atwood

Hey!

So I am totally about to self advertise so here we go: OLE BROOK FEST!!!

I’m playing a few songs there with my band, The Upside. I’m super excited so you guys come on and watch. There are some other great people playing too but ya know.

Ole Brook is going to be so fun, I’m just hoping it isn’t hot. I mean, it will be October, but hey, this is Mississippi.

Also, there is a thing in Monticello called Atwood and I am playing there literally the day after Ole Brook and it doesn’t start until nine, but I am playing for a whole hour and I am super nervous.

I really need to get some outfits together for the events. I have like zero cute outfits though so that makes a great excuse for my mom to take me shopping.

That’s all! Bye!

 

Nyan Neko Sugar Girls: An American Classic

Animation has evolved a lot over time. Studios now have the chance to hand draw frame by frame, or digitally animate. Animation softwares are easily accessible to anyone who wants to give it a try.

A young animator created the series “Nyan Neko Sugar Girls,” which was released in 2010. It was posted to YouTube, and became known as an American anime, despite the fact that a studio never published it, and that it was animated in Microsoft paint.

The story follows the adventures of Raku, who is a teen cat girl, or neko. It is a slice of life show with a magical girl twist. There is nothing that stands out story-wise, as it follows the generic anime episode list. Beach episode, holiday special, ect… the characters are also quite simplistic.

The thing that really sets this anime apart from the rest, is its art style.

The style in which it is drawn is one of its most recognizable characteristics. while the animation can be genuinely good at times, the art style is, in my opinion, absolutely horrible.

While I will try to keep this as unbiased as possible, here’s a judging and review for Nyan Neko Sugar Girls.

Characters

Raku- fan service. Shes the main character, and there’s way too much fan service. her voice is high pitched, and there’s parts of the show where she screams for a minute straight. always getting hurt. not very well rounded.

Koneko- Koneko is the basic supporting character. she keeps a soft voice, and doesn’t really get much character development. While she is kind and helpful by taking care of her friends, i cant help but question her actions. if my friend were dying, i would not bring them on a roller coaster. but hey, you do you, Konek0.

Hitoshi-  This character had a genuine plot twist. maybe the only plot twist in the show. though he was shown as Raku’s love interest, he ends up getting with the kidnapper. that’s not very sugoi, nya.

Kidnapper- I don’t even know what to say about this one. nearly every time he’s shown, backstreet boys music is playing.

Nurse- While the nurse is not shown for long, she is a consistent and reoccurring character. She is initially shown as fan service, but eventually becomes a real, interesting character. Her later shown outfits are the most well designed and complex in the series. However, her overwhelming voice can become difficult to listen to at times. it is extremely bass boosted, but with intention. when she talks without being bass-boosted, a fellow character would say “sorry, what did you say?” making her go back to talking in her original bass boosted voice.

Story:

The story is generic, yet somehow original. It’s one of those things that is so bad that it’s good. There’s somewhat of a plot, a subplot, and all kinds of things. However, it can get hard to keep up with by the last few episodes. every possible archetype that a show can have, this show has.

I have a vague idea of what the intentional plot was, though I cannot say I am 100% accurate. A super cute cat girl goes through a series of events trying to get the guy she likes to notice her. He doesn’t like her back and things go downhill.

Animation:

Little to no effort was put into the animation. The frames are wonky, and the art style can exaggerate things. The only animation where true effort was put in can be found in the very last episode when Raku has another dramatic death.

Voice Acting:

The voice actors themselves are, all things considered, decent. The voices are noticeably fake, as they struggle to keep a consistent voice for their character. The quality of the microphones is less than average. Koneko’s microphone is extremely quiet, but the Nurse’s microphone could be heard from your neighbors house even with the lowest volume setting on your watching device. This can cause issues when the two are in a scene together. However, I still think all the characters have the right voice, and I can’t see anyone else voicing them.

 

Overall:

While I would rate this a 3 out of 10, I think its something everyone should watch at some point. Personally, I would watch it again. Not because its good, but rather because i’m in pure shock that it even exists.  Every meme loving teen would enjoy it. 

A Scroll Through Life

So many things are happening at once, and it is all leaving me with a whirlwind of emotions. I’m stressed, terrified, nervous, a little down, and very happy. It’s horribly extraordinary. It feels like I’m scrolling through Facebook, seeing a young man with down-syndrome graduate and then a young woman is missing. I see a child being bullied and then a dog with paralysis learn to walk. My heart is on a rollercoaster, and I’m not sure if I want to get off.

One part of my life is being drowned in chaos. I need to do this, and then I need to do that. This is coming up, but I need to prepare for that. School and home are beginning to bleed into each other and make this really ugly color. I have expectations to meet, deadline creeping up on me, and people depending on me. Do I get to breathe anytime soon?

Then comes that part of my life that wants to run and hide. I am a junior now. I go to a school where everyone is talented. I am intimidated. Next year is right around the corner. I need to start researching scholarships and reassuring myself on colleges and majors. My ACT score needs to shoot up ten points. I am wholeheartedly scared. Everyone keeps telling me not to worry about it right now, but I can’t help it. I’m too paranoid I’m going to wait too long and not be ready. I stress enough as it is, what if I get to college and have a heart attack? The whole idea is giving me anxiety.

Things are getting crazy back at home. Friends are turning against each other; my old school had a bomb threat. It’s unbelievable. Those who graduated last year are tearing themselves apart with pressure. My friends are hurting. It breaks my heart.

Don’t worry though, there is light in my little dungeon. My boyfriend is going back to school, trying to get a car and a license. He is getting a new job that will treat him better and benefit him wildly. He is a little freaked out, but I am so proud of him. He woke up one day and decided to get his life on track. It inspires me to see people who have reached their lowest point, stand up and try again.

I’m trying to not let everything get to me. I know that life isn’t easy, especially not here. I may cry from time to time; I may even get angry, but there is light. Somewhere on this page-of-life, you will find a story of a girl not giving up, and despite all the hardship you are facing, I want you to be inspired to keep going too.

More Than Just A Dream

Hello, welcome to another blog post from me. I wrote this fiction short story. Honest opinions, please….

Bryson dreamed of becoming a singer. He dreamt of one day starting a career that would branch into having the opportunity to perform in front of thousands of people. One day this dream miraculously came true.

Bryson was in his cousin’s recording studio singing Gravity by John Mayer, when the astounding Jermain Dupree walked in. The expression on Jermain’s face was a clear sign of amazement. He stopped Bryson and asked, “What’s your name and where you from?” “My name is Bryson and I am from Mississippi,” he answered. They began to converse about what it takes to make it in the game meaning performing music. The next morning, Bryson woke up in an exhilarating mood. He went straight to his cousin’s studio where he received a message from Jermain. The message read: “Wassup, it’s Jermain. After the conversation we had yesterday, I thought it would be good if you came to sing at my Christmas party. It’s going to be December 23rd at 7:00.” As soon as Bryson read the message, he responded: “I would love to. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”

At that moment, Bryson knew this was the opportunity he had been dreaming about. He took into consideration who would be there, what he was would be doing, and where it would be done. Bryson started planning the performance by choosing what he would sing. He felt he needed to pick a song that would showcase what his voice was capable of. So, he decided to sing “Silent Night”. Then, he had to find something to wear. He thought it was necessary to look his best, but also be comfortable. He decided to wear a black pant suit with a sparkling red necklace and handpiece. With the most important aspects of the show figured out, he practiced the song repeatedly until he had it down packed.

The morning of the performance, Bryson woke up determined to take care of his voice so that he could deliver to the best of his ability that evening. He fixed himself some hot chocolate to keep his vocal chords soothed. Then, the time came for him to prepare for the performance. He got dressed, warmed up, and was ready to take the stage. As Jermain introduced him, he started to become nervous. But, when he put the microphone to his mouth, and started to sing, all his nervousness went away. As Bryson finished the song, he felt great about what he had just done, and the audience incited his feeling about his performance. Bryson began exiting the stage, only to be met by Timberland at the end of the stairway. Timberland asked Bryson if he would be interested in signing for Mosley Music Group, Inc. There was no way Bryson could not turn down the opportunity, so he gladly accepted. In that moment, he realized that his dream was more than just a dream.

the lipstick.

My knight in shining armor left me.

I was no princess to him.

Just a washed up version,

of a girl locked in the tower of her spiraling mind.

 

I’ve turned this hotel bathroom into my new oasis.

The place where I presume to gather my thoughts,

but I’m doing nothing of that sort.

I’m just making it worse.

 

I looked up to see the reflection,

of a girl I once had overflowing love for.

I now see her dark makeup running down her blush cheeks,

and smeared lipstick creeping down her chin.

 

I started crying even harder because I knew I looked hideous.

I knew he left in his maroon colored getaway car.

Simply because I could never be good enough.

and I never would be.

 

I’ll never have silky blonde hair and ocean blue eyes,

like the girl he chose.

I’d trade my dull hair and basic eyes,

Anyday for a fraction of what she has.

 

“Look at you.

Your hair isn’t straight.

Your face is too round.

Too chubby.

 

You’ll never succeed at that prestigious school,

With thousands of academic driven people.

You’ll only be lonely,

because everyone who meets you, ends up leaving you.

 

I take my bright, red lipstick from my golden clutch.

It’s in a white, cylinder shaped tube,

marked with the name “To Be Beautiful.”

and god, did I believe it would.

 

I start to smear it on my large lips,

because with it,

i’m not as awful as I was without it.

I felt a little more approachable.

I felt less horrid.

 

After I rubbed it into my chapped lips,

I looked into the mirror once more.

I began to cry even harder,

smearing it all over my porcelain face.

 

Next thing I know,

My fist is smashing the dirty mirror,

Over and over again.

I let out a loud scream,

I’m not sure if it was out of physical or mental pain,

or both.

 

I slid down the wall with my knees in front of me,

my blush pink dress that my mother spent a fortune on,

was now covered in red lipstick,

and hurtful tears.

 

I sit there for a moment wondering what I’m doing.

Why I’m here.

What I should be doing.

What my true purpose is.

I get no answer in return.

 

Almost instantly, a majestic figure appears,

on the green sofa in the corner of the bathroom.

She was angelic and mystical.

Frightened, I move away from her.

She stopped me and told me to calm down.

She told me I was safe.

 

“Look at you, my beautiful one,

Your hair’s a mess, and your dress is rugged.

And what have you done with that red paint of yours?

Oh, and your hand, your delicate hand.

 

I looked down at my hand.

There was no scars.

No blood.

It looked perfectly normal.

 

“Who are you?” I ask in shock.

“I am Aphrodite, goddess of love.

I’m here to show you what you aren’t seeing.

Give you a new set of eyes for a minute.

 

Come with me and you will see.”

I hesitated, but carried on with her.

I walked into the pink portal that she came from.

Almost instantly, we were out of this world.

 

It’s green all around,

with white skies and dandelions.

There’s one tree in the distance.

I see a girl sitting on a swing made from rope and wood.

 

She is beautiful and devine.

She has long, dark locks of smooth hair.

And the whitest skin you’d ever see.

She had moviestar looks with sharp cheekbones.

 

I ran towards her, and realized that the girl was me.

She was wearing my prom dress,

And the diamond ring Daddy gave me.

She was gorgeous.

I was gorgeous.

 

“I’ve given you eyes of another.

I’ve let you see yourself away from your prospective,

to show you just how stunning you truly are,

Behind your eyes that have become scars.

 

Millie, you may not see it with your own,

but you are one of a kind.

No one can ever take that away from you, unless you let them,

But if you don’t, you will see this, too.

 

You will succeed in this short life of yours.

Even in the next and the next.

You will become even more great than you already are,

and everyone will recognize this.

You possess the power to become more successful that you could ever imagined.

 

And you are lovely, child.

Don’t let your mind tell you otherwise,

The truth is, you are your own worst enemy.

The cause of all your lies and cries.”

 

“I am gorgeous, and I’ll never forget it.

I’ll treat myself the way she deserves,

Never letting myself see otherwise.

My name is Millie and I am beautiful.”

 

Next thing I know I’m in my room.

With string lights on the walls,

And Polaroids of me taken from a distance.

My dress is clean,

My hand is healed.

I feel at peace.

 

I get up and walk towards the tall mirror by my closet.

There’s a note in the corner.

“Millie, never forget, darling. Never forget.”

I put the note away.

 

I then flip the mirror over to where it’s facing the wall.

I cover my vanity and bathroom mirror,

with towels from our linen closet.

I wasn’t going to let myself forget.

 

I go across the room to get my blue Polaroid.

I put the film in and turn it towards me.

I snap a picture of myself.

This time my face is closer to the camera.

I hang it with the rest of the pictures,

Then lie my head down to rest.

 

Months go by like hours.

I’m now moving into my dorm,

about to embark on a journey that will shape my life.

An amazing adventure that will help me find myself.

 

I open up a box labeled “junk.”

Sitting on top of a silk, black scarf is the tube of red lipstick.

I look at it, observing the grooves in it.

The name I believed rang true.

I let out a sigh.

And toss it into the trash along with a pile of mirrors I once had.

 

Coffee Rush

Since being at MSA, I’ve started drinking a LOT more coffee. Like a substantial amount more. It’s kinda crazy. I was never ever a coffee drinker before. I loved the occasional frappuccino, and maybe an iced coffee here or there, but now I’m having at least one cup of hot coffee a day. I’m a person with an abundance of natural energy. Seriously, it’s wild how much energy I have without coffee. But with coffee? I don’t think the world is ready.

I’m writing this as I finish my first cup of coffee, and I don’t think my fingers have e v e r moved faster. My mind somehow is moving at light speed, but also I feel as if I don’t have a single thought in my head. My core body temperature has spiked, and I feel ready to go. I imagine this is what super heroes feel like when they fall into a vat of chemical waste or get bitten by a radioactive spider.

With most of my blog posts that I’ve written so far, they are cultivated during a span of a couple of days, because you know I have time, but for this purpose I need to write this all now. Otherwise, what’s the point? During any other day I might not be on the same coffee adrenaline that I am at this very moment.

We did something in class called a stream of consciousness. Most of you reading this are probably either a junior or senior literary, but just in case you aren’t, I’ll let you in on what a stream of consciousness is. It’s just whatever is in your brain. That’s all. I recommend you do this at home or wherever you are.

Right now, I can’t stop thinking about Christmas. I follow a page called “Christmas Countdown” and it indeed has started. 125 until Christmas. How insane is that? Currently, Mississippi is sweltering in the August heat, but in 125 we’ll all be hopefully under blankets during holiday break.

Marathon runners. Also insane. I can barely run a mile without feeling like I took off my space suit in outer space, but there are people that can run 26 miles and survive.  I know it takes insane practice, but how do you even get started? If you’re a marathon runner please let me know. I’m not about to run a marathon, but I am curious.

Next topic, Wikipedia. This has been on my mind because there is that random page generator, and I’ve been itching to see what pops up. Before that though, it makes me sad that Wikipedia is needing donations. I know teachers don’t approve of us using it for information, but it’s still really helpful, and the fact that it’s a non-profit it awesome. Seeing it shut down or having to be commercial is sad. Anyways, random page! I got the page for Wellington, Kentucky. OKAY! Now this makes my mind think. Imagine, there’s a person from Wellington, Kentucky and they do the exact same random article search as I did, and they get Oxford, MS or Brookhaven, MS. That would be cool. Or imagine if you got your own town. The odds of that happening must be so slim.

Wellington, Kentucky though is a minuscule town. It has 561 as of the 2000 census. That’s heckin’ small.

Final topic. Dinosaurs.

As of now in my life, I don’t think I have a favorite. When I was little it was the Plesiosaur, because it was pretty and lived in water, duh, but I’m not sure about now. I’m going to do a little soul searching to find out my favorite dinosaur as of 2018.

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After much research and coming off of my coffee rush a little, I’ve come down to two contenders of my heart, the Minmi or the Stegosaurus. I don’t think I can choose. The Minmi is so cute and underrated that ah!! It just sounds so adorable. The Stegosaurus is a classic though, and there’s a lot more to know about it. I guess my research was overall, inconclusive. Oh well, at least I learned a little about dinosaurs.

Thanks for going through this coffee rush with me, it’s been quite the journey. I do however wanna know yall’s favorite dinosaurs and what random Wikipedia page generates. Has anyone else been drinking way more coffee since coming here, or just me?

Pastel

My fingertips graze down his arm leisurely, and I can feel the hairs on his arm stand to attention,almost as if a Sargent has called each of their individual names. His eyes remain closed, but I can see the movement beneath his eyelids. His breathing is smooth, and as I move my hand over his chest, I can feel the gentle current beneath my fingers. He is so beautiful, skin sprayed with milk chocolate freckles, the same color of his eyes, and that German split in the cartilage on the tip of his nose is so mesmerizing to me. I love his lips; those full, soft pink pillows lure me to him, and the voice that dribbles from them is so entrancing. He can calm the waves that are my feelings with just his universe-given sound. The strong nectarous words he whispers to me late at night over the phone are the endearments I need when I can no longer function.

His arms twitch unexpectedly before I realize that they are wrapped around me loosely. It that daze of his addictive warmth I feel my mind reaching serenity, and I exhale in length. He nuzzles his nose into my hair and does the opposite of me, breathing in the scent of pina-colada shampoo. “Beautiful,” he whispers in his half-asleep murmur. Now it is my hair’s turn to stand to attention. My heart almost vibrates with love for my inamorato as I lean up and press my lips to his slightly parted ones. I sense his attempt to smile amidst his sleep fog, but he is rendered unsuccessful and unconscious. I do not complain though. Observing his usually pinched features relaxed in a basic comatose from exhaustion is such a pure picture. His warm, shallow breaths fanning my face and his quiet snores are tranquilizing. Calloused fingers stroke the small of my back, and dark brown tendrils fall into his shut eyes.

He is my living piece of textured art, painted with delicate strokes and built to a rough sculpted design. Every pale color that encompasses his flesh, every angle that constructs the shape of him, and every dimension that makes him real is so deeply admired by me. We curl into each other, wrapped in the other’s arm. In our tangled-up true, innocent state. I find myself dozing away, melting into his warmth. My fair-skinned love. My pastel masterpiece.

relatable.

relatable.

Wow, it’s been feeling like a bad Monday for the past week, honestly. My mood has been swinging left and right, which ultimately causes me to have a headache that has yet to go away. I’m sleep deprived, HORRIBLY. I get about five hours of sleep at most, a night. This may not be critical to some people, but for me, I’m used to sleeping a total of seven or eight hours a night. It may be because we get out of school at five now instead of 3:30 pm. This causes fewer hours in the day, and more homework (my favorite combination). It’s not that I choose to stay up or anything, it’s really either homework, or my mind just won’t go to bed. I’ll lay there for hours just thinking about sweet nothings. I stress about the things I’ve yet to accomplish, the things that I was supposed to accomplish but have slipped my mind and upcoming dates that I can’t forget about. I’m out of sleeping pills, too (*reminder* get sleeping pills).

I really need to get my life together. I had it together until I didn’t. Everything was put in its place until last Tuesday when I stubbed my toe on the corner of my bed. From there, everything just went downhill. However, I’m the type to always rise up when I fall (or in my case, stub a toe). I just need to meditate or something.

I decided to put together a Pinterest wall to help me get my life together. Feel free to visit it if you can relate to whatever mess this is. It’s called “self-help,” and it’s got some really good tips in it.

I think I may just have a spa day. FYI: a spa day is a great way to just chill out and relieve stress. Just putting that out there. I could organize all of my stuff. I have a planner, but I’ve been neglecting her lately (my bad). Coffee could help you focus. I know it helps me focus.

I just need to take a chill pill (not literally). I don’t know. I just need to get used to it and find a schedule that works for me. That’s what my mom said. I just need to lock myself in my room for the next few days and get stuff done. Maybe relax a little, play some good music, and get the stack of Algebra 2 packets I have yet to complete done (the people in my class will know what I mean). I just need to get my life together.

I’ll start tomorrow.

Hypochondriac by The Frights

Alright this is a review on The Fright’s new album Hypochondriac. (it’s great, just saying) you could read my overviews and opinions, or you could go listen to it or you could ignore this completely, up to you  

  1. Tell Me Why I’m Okay: this song honestly may be triggering to some people. There is a lot of background sounds in this song that will bring images in your head. This song is very much about depression and paranoia. It is a good song though, if you can handle it.
  2. CRUTCH: I love this song. It actually came out as a single before the album ever came out. Warning, it does have some screams and heavy guitar in it. This song is about the things he depends on to keep going, and he communicates that he wishes he didn’t have this crutch to lean on so that he could just be an independent person
  3. Broken Brain:  The message of this song is about either a significant other or a friend who is saving him from himself. He says that he will be alright as long as he stays with this person, but it will take time to save him. This is about him being so weak then being able to come out and say all these things he wasn’t brave enough to do before. One line in the song says “I got tired of saying that I am fine.” which indicates that he did reach a point where he was honest. Great song.
  4. Whatever: This is one of my top three on this album. It’s honestly so relatable. It is basically about his ex girlfriend and how he misses her, but he knows she isn’t what he needs because she hurts him. It is called ‘Whatever’ because he is giving up on trying with her. This song also references songs from their previous album that were about her. It even outright says her name in this song: Sara. Which, I am nearly 100 percent sure most of these songs are about her. This song has a lot of details in it as well, like how he is still messed up from when she said she didn’t love him thirty minutes before he had to go on stage and sing songs dedicated to her.
  5. Over It: another one of my favorites for sure. This is another song about his ex, but in this she is trying to come back to him after she broke his heart. my favorite line in this is, “I don’t need to say what I said before, you never listen to me anyway, my voice is sore.” He also says he is still hurting even though he doesn’t want to, and he can’t take her back because she destroyed him and he can’t go through that again.
  6. Me and We and I : this song is about self love. When it begins, he is telling a story about how he shaved his head because he was scared he was losing his hair and he didn’t want anyone to know. He talks about how he shouldn’t be so scared of what everyone will say, as long as he has got himself and the people who love him, he doesn’t need anyone else.
  7. Goodbyes : Another in my top three because it is so ridiculously catchy and so sweet. This song is about how he finds another girl after he thought he had given up on love. (I’m guessing this song was written AFTER all the songs about his ex)He talks about how afraid he is to lose her because she has made him so happy. In the chorus he talks about how pathetic he is and how perfect she is. I love this song, someone please write a song like this for me lol.
  8. Pills:  The sound starts off asking questions that are actually meant for himself. In the chorus, he comes out and says that he knows he is a lot to handle. He says “call me crazy, call me selfish, but I will carry these pills till the day I die. I will lose you, I might lose my mind, but I will carry these pills until the day I die.” so yeah, this song is about addiction and filling the voids in his life with these pills. He talks about how the need for it gets stronger at night. It is a good song, but you have to really listen to it to get the message.
  9. No Place Like (Not Being) Home:  This song is actually really funny. I kind of see the beginning of this as him coming home from being on the road, and he feels like he never left, but then he gets to the chorus. He is counting road signs he doesn’t want to pass and he starts drinking because he is getting closer to home. He is saying he needs space and to be left alone. The message here is pretty clear, because well, it’s in the title. This song is about how he prefers traveling on the road with hardly any money than being home. This song has a really beachy tone to it and it really puts me in a great mood. Give it a listen.
  10. Hold Me Down:  This song seems very personal and raw and I absolutely love that about it. It talks about how he has tried everything there is for him to try, and nothing is working so he has to stop because he is “tired of making out and never making up.” It’s about more than just this break up though, it is about all the things he went through with her, and he seems to be sort of thankful for it because he talks about how we have to make mistakes to live. He talks about how she always answers his calls, is there for him, and how with her he never felt so dumb and so cool. Despite all of the bad, he still sees her as his favorite part of himself. He says that he has lost so many friends, but he would do it all over again if it meant she would be with him again.
  11. Alone:  This song is about how a girl is leaving him and he wishes he could leave too. He talks about how he thought he would scare her away but he didn’t. He says nowt that he is alone again,  now he is drunk and cold again. This song mentions a different name: ‘Kaylie’. But, neither one of the names mentioned could actually be the name of either of the girls this album is ,for the most part, centered around. Writers code names all the time. He says he never thought he would lose that friend, but he did. I really hope this song isn’t about the same girl “Goodbyes” is about because I love that song and it gave me hope so… Anyways, it goes on to talk about being in her apartment, seeing a gift that was his, and he realizes it never did belong to him, just as his heart had never belonged to him, and she has taken it all away. They share their last kiss before he leaves, but he says it didn’t feel the same. Then, surprisingly, she says “don’t change the words to this.” which was her saying she knew he was going to write a song about this and she didn’t want her words to be changed in the song, so he put her actual words in the song. I found that funny, but yeah this is a pretty great song, super personal.

BONUS SONGS FROM PREVIOUS ALBUMS: ‘She Makes Me’, ‘Tungs’, ‘You Are Going To Hate This’ and ‘Of Age’  (also great songs by The Frights)


 

Something Rotten! A musical about musicals

I love musicals. Absolutely adore them all. Hamilton, Be More Chill, Heathers, Les Miserables- that’s just some of the many that I love.

Recently, while browsing my social media, I came across a video of a song that was about writing. The song was called “Hard to Be the Bard,” and let me tell you, the song spoke to my soul. It was about a writer struggling to write, and I identified strongly with it.

After doing a little more research, I found out that the song was from a musical called “Something Rotten!” The musical was set in the Renaissance and focused around a character named Nick Bottom, who is a struggling playwright. He has an immense hatred for Shakespeare’s success, and wishes he could be as successful as him. He goes to a soothesayer, and the man tells him that the biggest hits in the future are musicals. So, Nick goes out to write the first ever musical.

The songs in this musical have a certain… vibe to them. I don’t exactly know how to describe it. All the songs contain clever wit and metaphors that are easy to understand but will make you laugh out loud every time. My favorite song is still the first one I listened to, “Hard to be the Bard.” The song is sung by the man himself, William Shakespeare, where he complains and bemoans the struggles of being a famous writer. Honestly, I think this song is a whole literary mood. 

“So you write a new word, but it’s not the right word, so you try a new word, but you hate the new word, and you need a new word, but you can’t find the word, oh where is it what is it what is it where is it whatisitwhakdkjdk-” (the last bit indicates a mental breakdown).

I find that the more I listen to it, the more references to other musicals I can find within the songs. The most referenced musical seems to be “The Music Man,” which I am very happy about since it doesn’t seem like TMM is very popular within the musical scene. I can also hear references to “Les Miserables,” “Annie,” and a slight nod to “Dear Evan Hanson.” I enjoy the little nods the play gives to its predecessors. I also enjoy the part where Nick and William have a tap dancing fight while they argue between each other on who is the better writer. 

If you would like to find a new musical to listen to, I highly recommend this one, especially if you want one that breaks from the norm in the best way possible- by poking fun at other plays that take themselves way too seriously.