Music Challenge 2.0

 One post I made a few years ago was my 30-Day Music Challenge! It didn't actually take 30 days to write, though; the challenge is supposed to be done by sharing a song that fits the description every day for 30 days. However, I prefer to do them all in one place. I did it in March 2018, and while some of my answers are still good, I regret some of them. I just feel like I didn't explain the choices very well, or the choices themselves were bad. I wanted to do something quick for this week, and I thought this would be a good post to do.

This graphic is from thinkingmoon.com and it has the questions. However, I will be copying down the questions if it's hard for you to see!

1. A song you like with a color in the title

I first heard “Black Swan” by BTS when my English teacher showed me the art film with the song. I love that video because the dancing is absolutely incredible. I also love the theme of the song about losing your passions.

2. A song you like with a number in the title

For this one, I chose “3005” by Childish Gambino. I only know a couple of his songs, but I would still consider Childish Gambino to be one of my favorite artists. The songs I know from him are all incredibly diverse- how can “Redbone,” “Sober,” “Bonfire,” “This Is America,” and “3005” all be by the same artist? “3005” was the first song I heard from him, and it’s going to be a song I’ll always love. It just feels comfortable, like that friend you can always go back to when you’re sad.
3. A song that reminds you of summertime

“Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles has been my summer anthem this year, even though it came out last November. It just feels like a lazy day at the beach. Harry Styles is another one of my favorite artists, as I have yet to hear a song from him I’m not unconditionally in love with.
4. A song that reminds you of someone you'd rather forget

When I originally did this back in 2018, I chose "I Don't Fuck With You" by Big Sean, saying "This song reminds me of everyone who’s ever pissed me off. I listen to it when I’m angry and once I’m done, I feel like I’m on top of the world." I feel like this answer was way too generalized and I don't like it. Honestly, a much better answer would be "FDT" by YG and Nipsey Hussle, which of course, stands for "Fuck Donald Trump." I wish I didn't have to spend all of my days in fear of what that orange man-child is going to do next. I wish I could have the luxury of forgetting about the irreparable damage Trump has caused to my country. I mean, we’ve lost 200,000 people all because he intentionally downplayed the dangers of COVID-19. But I can’t, because our president is so dedicated to being an undignified piece of human garbage. Fuck Donald Trump.

5. A song that needs to be played LOUD
I chose "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)" by My Chemical Romance for this one. I'm just now starting to get into My Chemical Romance after more or less ignoring them during my "emo phase" in exchange for Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco. They are great and I'm sorry I slept on them. 

6. A song that makes you want to dance

I physically cannot listen to “Fancy” by Twice without doing the iconic hand gesture. Sorry not sorry.

7. A song to drive to
“Miss Atomic Bomb” by The Killers is a really good song, I like it. I feel like it’s a “blazing down a Las Vegas highway on a summer night” kind of song. 

8. A song about drugs or alcohol
"SICKO MODE" by Travis Scott is mostly about how awesome Travis Scott and Drake are, but I chose it for this one because of the part where Drake says "I did half a Xan, thirteen hours till I land, had me out like a light." I don't listen to nearly as much hip hop as I did two years ago, but this song still gets me hyped. I just like how it has a bunch of different parts. 

9. A song that makes you happy
For this one, I'm choosing "You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates. That song is easily one of my favorites from the 80s because it's so happy and energetic. 

10. A song that makes you sad
I’m not sure why, but “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane makes me either cry or want to cry. That song captures the wistful sadness of nostalgia so beautifully. It's one of my favorite songs ever written, but good God, does it make me emotional. 

11. A song that you never get tired of
I’ve heard it countless times but “Shut Up & Dance” by Walk the Moon will always have a special place in my heart. That song was so overplayed in 2015 and yet I still enjoy it every time I hear it. 

12. A song from your preteen years
I was technically already a teenager at this point, but reading this question, I can't help but think of my aforementioned "emo phase" when I was fourteen. When you think of your preteen years, you typically think of doing embarrassing things and being overemotional, and that's definitely how I'd describe my emo phase. The song that kickstarted that phase of my life was "The Phoenix" by Fall Out Boy. 

13. One of your favorite 70s songs
I didn’t actually hear “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra until earlier this year, when I heard it in a TikTok. (I know!) That song is serotonin in audio form. 

14. A song that you would love played at your wedding
There are two songs I need to be played at my wedding. I want my first dance to be to “I See the Light” from Tangled, which I chose for my previous post, and then I want to walk down the aisle to “The Avatar’s Love” from Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'm choosing the latter because I already chose the former, but both need to be played at my wedding. 

15. A song that is a cover by another artist
Another song I’ve only just heard? The amazing cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Lorde did for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack. The original, by the band Tears for Fears, is also incredible. It sounds so freeing and uplifting, which is why Lorde's more sinister take on the 80s classic is so intriguing. Her version sounds like a villain song and I love it. Lorde is another artist I've also slept on for far too long. She's so talented. 

16. One of your favorite classical songs
When I was like, five, I’d listen to a lot of classical music, probably because of Little Einsteins, and I used to be really good at identifying composers. My tastes today are far less high-brow, and I’ve forgotten most of the names of the pieces, but my favorite classical work is The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. All the music from it just puts me in a happy Christmas mood. My favorite is probably "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". 
17. A song you would sing as a duet at karaoke

I feel like "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper would be really fun to do. Especially the "ah aaaah ah" part. I would sound absolutely terrible and it would be really fun. 

18. A song from the year you were born
I was born in 2002, so I chose “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton. The white girl anthem to end all white girl anthems.
19. A song that makes you think about life

I'm gonna choose "Love It If We Made It" by The 1975. The 1975 are one of my favorite bands and although this song came out in 2018, I'm just now getting into it because I'm slow. The lyrics to this song are a commentary on society, with Matty Healy throwing one zinger after another at you. It's one of those songs where I really need Lyrics Genius to truly appreciate everything that's going on because I'm an idiot. I like how, despite the lyrics being very pessimistic and talking about stuff like police brutality, the Syrian refugee crisis, and war, the tone of the song is ultimately optimistic and hopeful. The titular line of the song is also pretty optimistic- "Hey, we live in a shitty timeline, but wouldn't it be cool if we somehow survived?" Also, the song mentions that time Trump tweeted "Thank you Kanye, very cool!" I hate Trump and I know that every other one of his tweets is inane, but that was funny and I'm glad The 1975 forever immortalized it in their song. 

20. A song that has many meanings to you

This is gonna sound really odd, but I'm actually going to choose "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO for this one. Not because of anything in the lyrics, obviously. It's a dumb party song. But in addition to being a dumb party song, it reminds me of my time in the high school band. We played this song all four years of my high school band career, and it was one of my band's personal favorites. Whenever my band director would ask what song we wanted to play, this one kid would always scream "PARTY ROCK!" at the top of his lungs. We even had a choreographed dance break that we'd do during performances of this song, and the audience would get so excited. In conclusion, "Party Rock Anthem" is more than a stupid party song to me; it's emblematic of the best time of my life with some of the best people of my life. 

21. A favorite song with a person's name in the title
I wanted to pick "Drew Barrymore" by SZA for a few of the other options, but I chose other songs instead. I then realized that it also had a person's name in the title, so I was still able to include it. This song is still one of my all-time favorites for how sharp the lyrics are. SZA's lyrical style in this song is very blunt and straightforward, which makes it really easy for me to relate to. The song is called "Drew Barrymore" not because it mentions the actress by name, but because the feelings of insecurity SZA describes in this song are similar to 90s movies starring Drew Barrymore. I've never seen a 90s Drew Barrymore movie, but this song makes me want to watch them all. 

22. A song that moves you forward
“Youth” by Shawn Mendes and Khalid was written after the 2017 terrorist attack in Manchester. I never thought that Shawn Mendes would be capable of writing a Gen Z anthem, but I think the lyrics of this song are a fantastic mantra for my generation and what we stand for. This year, Gen Z has used social media sites like Twitter and TikTok to educate and peacefully protest for human rights and climate change. We are becoming old enough to realize our power, and we're going to use it. My favorite lyric in the song is "Pain, but I won't let it turn into hate/ no, I won't let it change me." That right there sums up the Gen Z mindset. We were born around 9/11 and we're reaching adulthood in the middle of a global pandemic and a racial uprising, but we will never stop fighting for what we believe in. "Youth" is a reminder that, no matter what hardships we go through, Gen Z will always have the power to change the world. I love my generation and I'm determined to fight the good fight. 

23. A song you think everyone should listen to
I’m gonna choose “Freedom” by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. I really can't describe that song in any other way except for "powerful." It's a powerful anthem to Black struggles, particularly those faced by Black women, and a reminder that they are strong and can overcome anything. The song came out in 2016, but it's only grown more relevant with time. 
24. A song by a band you wish were still together

I'm surprised I haven't brought up that many kpop songs here, but I'm gonna go with "I Feel You" by the Wonder Girls. The Wonder Girls were one of the most iconic girl groups in kpop, and they had a legendary career, but right around the time they broke up in 2017, they were doing this 80s band concept. They were even playing their own instruments and everything! If the Wonder Girls were to come back and do this "band" concept again, it would be absolutely amazing. At the very least, can we have another girl group do a band concept?
25. A song by an artist no longer living

I'm going to choose another cover for this one. I first watched Glee around 2016, and since then, it's been one of my ultimate guilty pleasure shows; there are many flaws and straight-up awful things about it, but it has a few good qualities that make me want to watch it over and over again. One of those good qualities is the character of Santana Lopez, who started out as a bitchy cheerleader type but ended up having a really compelling arc dealing with her coming out as a lesbian. Santana was my favorite character, in large part due to Naya Rivera's sarcastic yet emotional portrayal of her. On July 8 of this year, Rivera drowned in a boating accident at the far too young age of 33. Many Glee fans, including myself, will forever remember her for helping countless LGBTQ+ people come to terms with their sexuality thanks to the character she played, as well as her immense talent. I had always considered the Glee cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" to be my absolute favorite Glee performance. Part of it was due to the arrangement featuring 2Cellos, but mostly, it was because of Naya's flawless vocal performance. She brought so much fire to that number and the intensity she shared with duet partner Grant Gustin was incredible. It breaks my heart knowing that the amazing voice behind that cover is no longer with us. May she Rest in Peace. 

26. A song that makes you want to fall in love

“Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol is the “song” for the couple in a story I was working on, and it’s probably my favorite love song of all time. I can’t think of a more romantic lyric than “If I lay here, if I just lay here, will you lie with me and just forget the world?”

27. A song that breaks your heart
I could have chosen numerous Ariana Grande songs for this post, but I limited it to one. “ghostin” from the thank u, next album absolutely breaks my heart. This song is about her coping with the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, and her relationship with Pete Davidson falling apart. It’s easily the most personal song she’s ever released, and as somebody who’s been a fan of Ariana’s for a decade, it breaks my heart to see her in a situation that would inspire her to write this song. I hadn’t really heard it when I made my Top 20 Favorite Ariana Songs list, but if I had, I absolutely would have put it on the list. It’s beautiful.

28. A song by an artist with a voice you love
I know I’ve said Ariana’s my favorite vocalist out there before, and she does have an unbelievable voice, but I don’t know if I’d say she’s my absolute favorite now. She is my favorite artist, yes, and I love how she uses her voice in her music, but there are a few singers whose voices I like more. I’d say that based solely on vocals, Kelly Clarkson is probably my favorite singer. She’s incredibly versatile and can sing literally anything (just look at her Kelly-okes on her show!), and she’s so emotive in her singing. I think my favorite song by her is “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” and her voice is truly incredible there. That high note on “anymore” in the bridge is extraordinary.

29. A song that reminds you of your childhood

I remember when I was really little, like around four or five, I would watch country music videos all the time on CMT/GAC/whatever. One song and video that I really remember enjoying was "Teardrops on My Guitar" by Taylor Swift. It's just crazy to me that I actually knew of Taylor before she got super famous. I wasn't a diehard fan, because, again, I was five and didn't know much about anything, but I liked her songs! 

30. A song that reminds you of yourself

For the last song, I'm going to choose "Paradise" by Coldplay. This song is about a girl who dreams of escaping her mundane life and seeing the world. I grew up in (and still live in) a small, boring town in the Midwestern United States. I know it sounds cliche, but I really do feel like an outsider in my hometown. For starters, there are a lot of houses with Trump signs and, well, you saw the fourth song I chose. I just want to see the world, find myself, meet new people, all that stuff. I've loved the song "Paradise" for years, and although I don't listen to it half as much as I used to, it will always have a place in my heart and be a personal theme song to me.

Stellar

REVIEW: Blackpink- The Album

 Since I came back to this blog in 2020, I've really liked writing about kpop. Earlier this year, I wrote a series called Kpop Crash Course where I listened to a bunch of famous kpop songs, and I've also watched a lot of kpop-related videos to discover new songs in the genre. However, before all of this, one of the first kpop groups I got into was the girl group Blackpink.

Debuting in 2016 under YG Entertainment, Blackpink can reasonably be called the biggest girl group in the world. YG Entertainment is one of the "Big 3" companies in kpop along with JYP Entertainment and SM Entertainment. YG already had legendary kpop groups like BIGBANG and 2NE1, as well as PSY when "Gangnam Style" was taking over the world, in their roster, so you can imagine that there would be a lot of hype for their next girl group. Prior to the release of any music, YG featured the four members of the group, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa, in advertisements and music videos for other YG acts. On August 8, 2016, Blackpink released their debut project, Square One, with the singles "Boombayah" and "Whistle." 

From there, the popularity of the group has skyrocketed. They are the highest charting Korean female act on both the Billboard Hot 100 (which counts singles) and the Billboard 200 (which counts albums). With 49.7 million subscribers, they are the second most-subscribed artist on YouTube, only behind Justin Bieber, and they were also the first kpop girl group to perform at Coachella. They've also collaborated with Western artists like Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa, as well as collaborating with Selena Gomez and Cardi B on this very album. 

However, despite their immense popularity, Blackpink is only just now releasing their debut album. That's one thing that's frustrated many of their fans, known as Blinks: their discography is surprisingly small. Compared to most other kpop artists, who release multiple comebacks a year, Blackpink typically only releases one a year. I have mixed opinions on this. On one hand, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa are people, not robots. I'd much rather see them have time to breathe rather than being overworked. Kpop is a stressful industry, and I'm glad YG isn't letting them become victims to it. But on the other hand, it just makes sense from a business perspective to release music more frequently. The kpop industry seems to be very fast-paced, and the best way to keep your name in the public consciousness is to release more music. You keep the fans happy that way. Plus, I've heard that the girls themselves have wished they were releasing more music. 

I first started getting into Blackpink in early 2019, around the same time I got into Twice. I first heard their song "Ddu-du Ddh-Du" on one of the Just Dance games and I thought it was really cool and catchy. I listened around to some of their other songs and I do like quite a few of them. Their 2019 song "Kill This Love" was super badass, "As If It's Your Last" has an amazing chorus, and "Playing With Fire" is easily one of my top 5 favorite kpop songs in existence. I'm not terribly invested in the girls as people, but they seem cool. Lisa, the group's main dancer, is my bias because her raps tend to be my favorite parts of the song and she's absolutely incredible at dancing. However, I've been underwhelmed by the lack of new music, and the new music, from what I've heard, has been disappointing. I've only really heard "How You Like That" and snippets of "Ice Cream" with Selena Gomez, and I'm not impressed by either. I've also been getting into other kpop groups, and some girl groups, namely Red Velvet and Mamamoo, just surpass Blackpink for me. But I want to like this group, so hopefully I'll find a few solid b-sides. Now let's cut the rambling and look at Blackpink's very creatively titled debut album...The Album. (Seriously YG, try harder.)

This album cover is really simple, but I dunno, I really like it. 

(Oh, one thing I have to mention: When I write album reviews, I listen to the album track-by-track and give my initial thoughts on each song, scoring each from 1 to 10. At the end, I give some final thoughts. Also one thing I absolutely cannot emphasize enough: this review is based on my opinion and absolutely nothing else. Respect my opinion and I'll respect yours.) 

1. "How You Like That"

Pretty early on in my first listen of this track, something was very apparent very early on: this is basically the exact same song as "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" and "Kill This Love." The structure is practically identical between the three songs: 

1. An introductory verse. To be fair, the first verse in "How You Like That" is sung, whereas it's rapped in both "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" and "Kill This Love." But with everything else, the structure is pretty much the same. 

2. A nice, melodic buildup featuring good vocals from Jisoo and Rosé. 

3. The members shout the name of the song, or something close to it, i.e. "Hit you with that ddu-du, ddu-du, du!" or "Let's kill this love!"

4. A mostly instrumental beat drop. The beat drop isn't entirely instrumental, as it's intercut with the same "Hit you with that ddu-du, ddu-du, du!," "Let's kill this love!" and "How you like that!" from before. We also get some interjections, usually "yeah" in some form. 

5. A more rap-leaning verse from Jennie and/or Lisa, 

6. Melodic buildup, title drop, and instrumental portion again. 

7. Short melodic bridge from Rosé. 

8. Final beat drop, which is different and more explosive than the previous two.

9. End the song.

There are some differences between the three songs, and to be fair, I didn't notice how similar "Kill This Love" was to "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" until recently. "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" was the song that got me into Blackpink, and "Kill This Love" was even better because the drop sounded like a marching band. But by the third time, it was just stale. "How You Like That" is, in all honesty, pretty obnoxious. I don't like the beat, and some of the vocal inflections are grating. I also don't like the "dumdumdumdumdumdum" parts in the final drop. As somebody who was getting into Blackpink and awaiting their next comeback, "How You Like That" just felt regurgitated, lazy, and ultimately disappointing. 3.5/10

2. "Ice Cream" ft. Selena Gomez

Fun fact, Ariana Grande helped with the composition of this track, and the song also features writing credits from her frequent collaborators Victoria Monét and Tommy Brown, the latter of whom also co-produced the track. I'd ask why Ariana didn't just sing on it herself, but honestly, I don't know if she'd do much to redeem this. I'm not gonna say this is the worst song I've ever heard period, but it's definitely the worst I've heard from Blackpink. The lyrics are just straight-up awful, mostly consisting of a bunch of bad ice cream-related puns. I'm never going to be a fan of songs that try to relate sex to food- remember all the (well-deserved) flak Justin Bieber got for "Yummy" earlier this year? The chorus is the worst kind of earworm, where it's infuriatingly catchy but so annoying. I'm also not sure why they keep giving Lisa all the rap parts when Jennie is supposed to be the main rapper of the group. Her raps are typically my favorite parts of Blackpink songs, but she's underwhelming here. Finally, why on Earth is Selena here other than star power? She's a weak singer who doesn't have a lot of presence on her own tracks, let alone this one. She adds nothing. All in all, I'd give "Ice Cream" a 2/10, and I'll stick to Twice when I want to listen to a kpop song called "Ice Cream." I know I've been harsh on these first two tracks, but it's mostly because I know that Blackpink is capable of so much more. I really hope the rest of these songs are better. 

3. "Pretty Savage"

Ughh, this song started out so strong! The piano line was really good. Then it turned to a synth and it is just...so bad. That synth tone legitimately gives me a headache. The song once again repeats the "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du"/"Kill This Love"/"How You Like That" structure, and honestly, it might be the worst take on the formula. The main drop is grating and the final drop at the end sounds way too much like Jason Derulo's awful "Wiggle" song for my liking. I'm also a little uncomfortable by the way they co-opt AAVE in this song and take a lot of hip hop slang. I know it's (unfortunately) quite common for kpop to steal elements from Black culture, but it still feels icky. There are elements to this that I like, namely the guitar parts in the melodic buildup and the short bridge, but everything else is just irritating. I am a little amused by the usage of the word "bitch" throughout the song. I've only heard a few kpop songs that feature English curse words, so it's always gonna catch me off guard when somebody swears. 3/10
4. "Bet You Wanna" ft. Cardi B

I just have to ask again: why is Cardi here? I don't hate Cardi. I think she can be really fun in a lot of cases and I've been laughing my ass off at the countless "WAP" mashups that have flooded my For You Page on TikTok for a month. But like...Blackpink already has two good rappers in Jennie and Lisa. Cardi really isn't needed here. That being said, this has been easily my favorite song here up to this point. It's not their best song ever or anything, but it's pretty solid. The prominent bass in the song is amazing, and the melodies and vocals are strong. I wasn't huge on the repetitions of "I bet you wanna" but the "Something 'bout ya's taking me higher" chorus is great. Rosé's vocals are also pretty impressive, especially at the end. I've always thought of her as a vocalist who stands out because of her unique tone, not because of any insane high notes or anything, but her higher notes in this song were pretty good. I also liked Jennie and Lisa's bridge, although I didn't care for the "higher higher higher" autotuned parts. As for Cardi, her verse is fine for what it is, and I'm sure it'll help the girls break through in America. I'd much rather have Jennie and/or Lisa rap a verse and give Jisoo the bridge instead. Jisoo seems to get the short end of the stick as far as line distribution goes, and that sucks. Her voice is really distinctive. Overall, I'd give this song a 7.5/10. 
5. "Lovesick Girls"

This song is set to be the next single on the album, and honestly, I liked it just from hearing snippets on the group's Instagram story. I'm not sure how to categorize the song as far as genre or style. I think it would be best described as an electronic dance song with some guitar thrown in there. Famous producer David Guetta worked on the composition of this song, but more interesting to me is the fact that Jennie and Jisoo had a hand in writing the lyrics. The members of Blackpink typically don't write on their tracks, so it's a delight to see that's changing. Another thing that surprised me was Jennie rapping. I don't know why that did, since she's supposed to be a rapper in the group. It's just surprising since a lot of the raps are typically given to Lisa instead of Jennie. Lisa also raps here, and they both do a great job. Jisoo and Rosé's vocals are on point, and I love the chorus. This may end up being one of my ultimate favorites from Blackpink upon repeated listens. 9.5/10
6. "Crazy Over You"

This album features multiple English-only tracks so far. "Bet You Wanna" was entirely in English, and this song, "Crazy Over You," was as well. Honestly, I really hate that I brought up how a bunch of Blackpink songs all have the same structure and formula, because once I pointed that out, it's impossible for me to notice. This song has that same structure so it ultimately feels generic within Blackpink's discography. It's not bad. In fact, I like it a lot more than "How You Like That" and "Pretty Savage." The drop of the song is fine and Jisoo and Rosé sound especially fantastic. But it does feel like more of the same. This song goes in one ear and out the other. Maybe it'll grow on me with repeated listens. Maybe it'll be a "Delicate" by Taylor Swift situation, where I initially thought it was just mediocre and now laugh at how I thought such a great song was so underwhelming. But for now, I'm going to give it a 6.5/10.

7. "Love to Hate Me"

This song is also all in English. This song is one of the best songs here, as it has a more developed chorus. It really bugs me how many of the songs on this project have mostly had instrumental choruses. This song has a little bit of a hip-hop flair to it, but it's primarily dance-pop. I know that hip-hop elements are a hallmark of Blackpink's style, but most of my favorite songs from the group are the more dance-pop ones. "Playing With Fire," for example, does have a rap verse from Lisa (a really good one, I might add), but the production style of the song is electropop. Lisa has a rap on "Love To Hate Me" as well. Although I'm still confused at how the girls' producers keep giving Lisa the raps instead of Jennie, I can't really complain with this song, as her rap verse here is solid. I also think I like Jennie's singing as much, if not more, than her rapping. The melody of this song feels sort of dark and mysterious, and I love the way it peaks on the line "no, no drama in my life." Finally, I love the main line in this song, "you ain't worth my love if you only love to hate me." I really liked this one. 9.5/10
8. "You Never Know"

After seven uptempo songs, it's definitely a good choice to end the album with a more emotional track. The lyrics for most of this album haven't been too noteworthy, but this song has a more personal message. It's about how you can never know what somebody is going through, and how the girls, despite their fame, are going through struggles with self-worth. At least, that's how I interpret it. The very first line in the song, sung by Jisoo, translates to "On the days I force myself to smile brightly." I think of this song as being similar to "fake smile" by Ariana Grande and "Girls Like Us" by Twice, both of which are songs with the same theme that I also really love. The girls' vocals are also really strong throughout this entire song. They didn't write it, but you can tell it is personal to them. Lastly, I really love the bridge of this song, especially with Rosé gradually ascending up the scale in the melody. This is a great song to end the project on. 9.5/10

~~~ 

So how was Blackpink's The Album as a whole? Well, it certainly ended a lot better than it started. There are some really solid songs here, but a lot of middle-of-the-road or terrible songs here. Most fans consider Blackpink, Twice, and Red Velvet to be the "Big Three girl groups" because they are from the three most prominent kpop labels (YG, JYP, and SM, respectively) and they're the three most successful. With Twice in particular (and probably Red Velvet too, but I have yet to listen to a full album from them), the b-sides are different from the title track, but still feel cohesive with it. Twice songs like "Get Loud" and "Love Foolish" fit with the title track, "Feel Special," but still feel unique enough. I wish Blackpink was more like that. I think the album would be a lot better if it had more variety, less songs that use the "How You Like That" formula. 

I'm happy that the girls are able to release an album that feels distinctive to them. The girls do a great job with what they're given, and they're the most consistently good thing about the project. I have problems with the music, but none of them are due to anything Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, or Lisa do. I also think that most diehard Blinks are going to love this album, and that's great! When I write reviews, I never want to make people feel bad for liking something. If you liked the album, I'm happy for you. However, as far as I'm concerned, it was a little disappointing. Like I said before, I prefer the dance-pop style on Blackpink, so this album doesn't appeal to me as much. I will return to some of the tracks, but overall, I'm gonna give it a 6/10 and hope that I like their next project more!

Favorites: "Lovesick Girls," "Love To Hate Me," "You Never Know"

Least Favorites: "Ice Cream," "Pretty Savage," "How You Like That"

Stellar

100 Things I Love About Tangled

I thought this was my 100th post. To be fair, in my Blogger drive, it is post #100. However, I have seven drafts, all with varying degrees of completion, that I don't know if I'll ever post. However, I had already written this post for this week with the mindset that it was going to be my 100th post, and I wasn't sure what to write instead. And since I still kind of had this "September is Movie Talk Month" idea, I thought it would be great to end this month with a post on my favorite movie ever made. 

I've already talked about Tangled numerous times in my two separate Favorite Movies lists, from 2017 and this past June, where it topped both lists. I also discussed it in my Part One of my essay on why 2010 was such a fascinating year for movies. So to end this Movie Talk Month and mark what I thought was an impressive milestone for my blog, it would only be fitting to list 100 things I love about Tangled. If I had to guess, I'd say I've seen this movie about fifty times. It's just endlessly rewatchable, and I notice new things to appreciate on every viewing. From funny one-liners to chilling deliveries to beautiful shots, this post is in honor of the little details I love so much about this movie. I guess there will be spoilers, which I just feel the need to mention if anyone reading this hasn't seen Tangled. And if you haven't, DROP WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING AND GO WATCH IT NOW. I'll wait. 

1. The first line of “This is the story of how I died.”

2. Rapunzel’s gorgeous, gorgeous hair. 

3. I’m pretty sure this was the first version of the Rapunzel story where the hair has supernatural powers, which is such a fun twist.

4. Mandy Moore’s performance as Rapunzel.

5. Especially her singing. Moore's vocal style is a lot more modern than your standard Disney Princess, which is fitting because she was a Britney Spears-esque teen pop star in the 90s. She's not a Broadway belter like Idina Menzel (Elsa from Frozen) or Jodi Benson (Ariel from The Little Mermaid), and she doesn't need to be. Rapunzel's character is very modern and fresh, so it makes sense that her singing style would reflect this. Plus, Moore's natural tone is just beautiful.

6. “When Will My Life Begin” is a fantastic opening number with a lot of quirky visuals.

7. “Guys, I want a castle.”

8. Pascal’s design.

   

   Cutie.

9. Pascal’s personality. How can a creature who doesn’t say a word be so expressive?

10. The first shot of Rapunzel pulling Gothel up the tower.

11. How Mother Gothel’s manner shifts from stern to affectionate at the drop of a hat. It’s so subtly unsettling.

12. How the instrumental for “Mother Knows Best” sounds very lightweight and whimsical, despite it being the film's villain song.

13. The way Donna Murphy delivers the line “Don’t ever ask to leave this tower again.”

14. “They just can’t get my nose right!”

15. Everything about Flynn Rider. My first fictional crush.
    

16. How Maximus seems to be more like a bloodhound than a horse.

17. It taught us that a frying pan can be a more intimidating weapon than any sword or knife.

18. The montage of Rapunzel trying and failing to shove Flynn in the closet.

19. The ways Mandy Moore delivers the line “I’ve got a person in my closet!”

20. The way the music cuts out after Gothel screams “YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER! EVER!”

21. Whenever Gothel kisses Rapunzel, it’s always on her hair because that’s all she cares about. It's one of the little things I never noticed until I saw somebody point it out on Tumblr.

    

22.  “The only thing I want from your hair is to get out of it! LITERALLY!”

23. Pascal beating his fists.

24. “A horrible decision, really.”

25. The legendary smolder!

    

26. The fear and excitement of the “When Will My Life Begin” reprise.

27. The satisfaction Rapunzel feels upon putting her feet in the grass.

28. How Rapunzel is, as Flynn puts it, “a little at war” with herself upon getting out of the tower.

29. How Flynn is absolutely no help in Rapunzel’s angst breakdown.

30. When Rapunzel gets into the tavern and sees the thugs, her first instinct is to hold her frying pan like a gun.

31. “Overall, it just smells like the color brown.”

32. Everything about the “I’ve Got A Dream” number.

33. How Gothel hears singing from a pub and just decides “Yup, Rapunzel is definitely here.”

34. Vladimir, the biggest thug of all who collects ceramic unicorns.

    

35. Pub Thug: “Go. Live your dream.” Flynn: “I will.” Pub Thug: “Your dream stinks. I was talking to her.”

36. Rapunzel excitedly saying “I know!” after Flynn compliments her, then repeating “I know” more nonchalantly.

37. “Frankly I’m too scared to ask about the frog.”

38. Rapunzel: “Who’s that?” Flynn: “Let’s just assume everyone in here doesn’t like me.”

39. “Oh mama, I have got to get me one of these!”

40. The fact that Disney put a sword fight between a horse and a man with a frying pan in a movie. Flynn puts it perfectly when he says “You should know this is the strangest thing I’ve ever done!”

41. The way Zachary Levi delivers that aforementioned line. He really was the perfect person to voice Flynn. 

42. The slow motion shot of Rapunzel jumping off the rock and swinging from her hair.

43. The shot of the dam breaking.

44. The emotion in both Moore and Levi’s voices when they’re trapped in the tunnel.

45. When Rapunzel's hair glows when they’re trapped underwater.

46. Flynn’s initial reaction to her hair glowing.

47. Rapunzel, calmly: “We made it.” Flynn, exasperated: “Her hair glows!”

48. Pascal’s smirk at Flynn after Rapunzel says “It doesn’t just glow.”

49. Just how coy and flirtatious Gothel is with the Stabbington Brothers.

50. The delicacy and serenity of the Healing Incantation.

51. Everything Pascal does during the Healing Incantation.

    

    He's so sassy!

52. The emotion on Rapunzel’s face when she tells Flynn about how she never left the tower.

53. How Flynn is immediately horrified by the abusive situation Rapunzel is in, being held captive against her will.

54. How, like many fictional boys I have developed crushes on (*cough cough* Prince Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender), Flynn (or rather, Eugene Fitzherbert) appears to be a bad boy but has a tragic backstory. 

55. The bonding between Rapunzel and Eugene in the campfire scene.

56. How the “Mother Knows Best” reprise completely shifts tone from the lighthearted-ish original. All the chills, all the time.

57. Every moment when Rapunzel acts defiantly towards Mother Gothel. 

58. How the film goes from lighthearted to serious quickly, but it doesn’t feel like whiplash.

59. How sweet Rapunzel is with Maximus.

60. The kingdom of Corona (please ignore that unfortunate name, this movie was made a decade before the virus) is gorgeous and bursting with life.

61. Rapunzel’s flower braid is so beautiful.

    

62. The scene where they explore the kingdom really does a great job of showing who Rapunzel is as a person. She's a literal ray of sunshine who brings joy and happiness wherever she goes. She also stands out from the other Disney Princesses because of her love of painting and making art. After Mulan, Rapunzel is easily my favorite Disney heroine.

63. The blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of Rapunzel and Eugene mischievously hiding with cupcakes.

64. How Rapunzel and Flynn end up together in the jig number.

65. Goddamn everything about “I See The Light.” This is my definite favorite scene in film history.

    

    If you don't mind, I'm gonna make this picture bigger because it's just so beautiful. 

66. The sweet little heart-to-heart Rapunzel and Eugene have before the lanterns start.

67. The utter sorrow on the king and queen’s faces before they release the first lantern.

68. The aesthetics of the lantern festival.

69. I just want to emphasize again that “I See The Light” makes me cry. Perfect combination of a gorgeous song and gorgeous visuals.

70. How Eugene and Rapunzel’s lanterns follow each other.

71. How you can tell Eugene is overcome with love upon seeing Rapunzel so happy.

    

72. How Flynn pushes Rapunzel’s hair out of her face because he doesn’t care about her magic hair and loves her for her. An amazing parallel to #21.

73. The way Moore and Levi’s voices harmonize in the final chorus, and especially the way she sings “and it’s like the sky is new.”

74. The shock and heartbreak on Rapunzel’s face when the Stabbington Brothers tell her Eugene betrayed her.

75. Rapunzel’s realization that she is the lost princess.

76. The delivery of “You want me to be the bad guy? Fine, I’m the bad guy.”

77. “Frying pans! Who knew, right?”

78. The random mime.

79. How Max comes to save Eugene.

80. That one little girl’s face upon seeing Maximus jump off the roof.

81. The heartbreak in Eugene’s voice and Pascal’s eyes upon seeing Rapunzel turn herself over to Gothel.

82. How Eugene doesn’t want Rapunzel to save him because he’d rather die than have her live a life of abuse.

83. The way Rapunzel’s haircut is framed and shot.

84. How absolutely monstrous Gothel becomes when she reverts to her true age.

85. How ultimately, Pascal commits the murder. Aw, you cute little murderous chameleon, you!

86. “You were my new dream.” 

87. “And you were mine.”

88. Rapunzel and Eugene save each other.

89. The gorgeous glow when Eugene is saved.

90. In that scene when he is saved, it’s followed by a musical motif from “I See The Light.” Alan Menken is a genius.

91. When Eugene awakens, his first words are “Did I ever tell you I had a thing for brunettes?”

92. The final shot of Rapunzel's tower.

93. How, despite Rapunzel’s parents not having any dialogue, they still manage to be incredibly expressive.

94. Rapunzel’s reunion with her parents.

95. How, during the reunion, they pull Eugene into the hug. He's never had a family...until now.

96. The epilogue shows what happened to the thugs as well as our heroes.

97. “The crime disappeared overnight. As did most of the apples.”

98. “She was a princess worth waiting for.”

99. How Rapunzel proposes to Eugene instead of it being the other way around.

100. The final shot of the castle, complete with the Cupid thug.

And you wanna know the amazing thing? There are a bunch of other little details I love that I didn't even get to mention, so here are ten more reasons why I love Tangled!

1. Rapunzel’s development throughout the movie is incredible. 

2. So is Eugene’s.

3. They’re one of my favorite fictional couples in existence because they make each other better.

4. I love the motif of the sun throughout the film. 

5. It hits many of the same beats as classic Disney Princess movies, but is still distinctly modern.

6. This movie is the entire reason why, if I ever have a son, I am naming him Flynn.

7. Rapunzel is a “girly girl” who wears pink and purple dresses and likes flowers, but she is still a strong female character. 

8. Mother Gothel is one of my personal favorite Disney villains. Her motivations are genuinely twisted and complex, and she’s a startlingly accurate portrayal of an emotional abuser. A ton of the credit for Gothel’s greatness has to go to her voice actress, two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy, who is absolutely bone-chilling in her performance.

9. The music was composed by Alan Menken, who also did the score for legendary Disney films like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. The score is brilliant as a whole, and I already talked about some of the little moments I love, like how “Mother Knows Best” has such a cheery instrumental.

10. The animation is phenomenal. It’s the most expensive animated movie in history, and not a dollar of that budget was wasted, especially when it comes to Rapunzel’s hair. And of course, “I See The Light” is just a goddamn masterpiece of animation.

In my head, I've toyed with the idea of giving out 11/10s to my absolute favorite pieces of media. Shows, movies, books, and songs that go beyond a 10/10 and resonate with me more than any other. So it shouldn't be a surprise that Tangled will be the first thing I've ever covered to get an elite 11/10. I will listen to arguments that it isn't perfect, and I will understand if somebody doesn't utterly adore it like I do. But for me, it is always going to have a special place in my heart that very few movies can compare to.

Stellar