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Sunday, December 27, 2020

Music Musings: BTS gives comfort and healing through "BE"

Sunday, December 27, 2020 0 Comments

 

"One day, the world stopped without any warning," sings Jung Kook on the first line of BTS' BE's title track "Life Goes On." 2020 has seen a tumultuous shift in how we deal with our everyday lives brought about by the COVID-19 crisis. And the world in a way indeed stopped. No different from us, BTS also experienced life in quarantine. The group was supposed to go on their stadium world tour last April, but plans got cancelled due to the pandemic. Given the circumstances, the boys had to make do of the time they have and decided to document their feelings during such difficult times and give fans a gift – “BE.”


"BE" is a documentation of their life during the pandemic released last 20 November 2020. As an ARMY, I highly anticipated this release. It is after all one wherein the boys participated most - from writing, composing, and producing to the concept photos, the album design, and the MV. It is something that the boys poured their hearts and souls into while sharing the whole process with ARMY through live videos.



"I'm at the office. So yeah, had to hold back the emotions. But gosh, this song. And the album. Blue and Grey now playing. Huhu. What have you done, BTS?" This was my exact tweet when I first listened to the album. The emotions this album gave us was something else.


"Life Goes On" perfectly encapsulates the feelings we have while time seemed frozen and the world seemed lifeless. It gives a melancholic mood while giving off positivity. With lyrics such as “There’s no end in sight. Is there a way out?” which perfectly summarizes what we all are feeling right at this moment. (Will this pandemic ever end?) “Like an echo in the forest the day will come back around as if nothing happened. Yeah, life goes on. Like an arrow in the blue sky, another day flying by. On my pillow, on my table Yeah, life goes on like this again” as its chorus plays, giving us a ray of positivity as we sing along. 


On the other hand, "Fly to My Room" (a subunit song from J-Hope, Jimin, Suga, and V) talks about how the concept of travel has changed since traveling has been restricted. As V sings, “This room is all I have. Well, then I'll just change this place to my world." The solace we have found in our little rooms during this pandemic that some may have not felt before was perfectly seen through this song. I loved how Jimin and V's voices meshed with their tones meeting halfway. I just wished there were more rap parts for J-Hope and Suga on this one. Nonetheless, this song gives off such a nice atmosphere.


"Blue & Grey" – the song that was supposed to be a part of V's mixtape – comes next. The emotion this song gives with those delicate vocals and rap parts was something else. This song is probably my favorite from the album. I felt all the feelings it is trying to portray without even reading the lyrics. It hit hard and got me teary-eyed the first listen. When V started the song with the lyrics "Where is my angel?... Someone come and save me, please." It's just... I can't. And when the chorus part that says: "Oh this ground feels so heavier. I am singing by myself. I just wanna be happier. Would this also be greed?" played, I was not able to hold back - I really cried. As V said (in his Weverse Magazine interview), "I wrote “Blue & Grey” when I was at my lowest point, when I was actually asking whether I could keep going with my work or not. Even the fun parts of work became a chore, and my whole life felt aimless." Somehow it was his way of getting over his problem and he is in a better place now.

After such an emotional ride comes "Skit" which is not a song, but a recording of their conversation after their first Hot 100 No. 1 with Dynamite. I have always wondered why they put a skit in an album, but now, as a fan, I appreciated it more. This is them sharing their emotions and feelings about the news to us – which makes it more special. This – smack in the middle – is like a transition to a more upbeat portion of the album, paving the way for "Telepathy."


"Telepathy" sets you into some sort of a party mood. You cannot help but vibe with this dancy tune. The autotune (which was not used to cover up bad vocals, but as a creative flavor) added a different color to the song’s overall ambiance. (Why did Suga keep in it the back all these years? Or maybe it is just waiting for the right moment to be finally released?) The song is perfectly fitting for this album. According to Jin (during the global press conference for "BE"), the lyrics describe the sad reality where BTS cannot meet fans due to the pandemic.  As Suga starts the song, "In the days that feel the same, I'm the happiest when I meet you." It is also telling that even though BTS and ARMY cannot be together physically, they are still together in heart and in mind.


"Dis-ease" the sixth track on the album talks about the love-hate relationship with work as a disease. As J-hope shared (in his Weverse Magazine interview), "When I was working, I’d say, “Ugh, I need a break,” but then we took time off and the words, “Ugh, I want to work,” jumped out of my mouth!” That’s what made me think more closely: “Why is this bothering me? I have a chance to rest—just take it. Why do I feel like I need to work under these circumstances? Is this an occupational disease?” I felt like this was a part of me that I could express at this point in time." Although it talks about such a thing, the scratching and the beat of the song urges you to get over it and stay positive. As the lyrics tell us, "There's no eternal night. I've become stronger. Fireworks are bursting. I will never fade away."


The upbeat songs continue with "Stay." This subunit song by Jin, Jung Kook, and RM was originally meant for Jung Kook's mixtape. This EDM track   reminiscent of their song So What  makes you want to jump off your seat and dance. Just as Jungkook said (through a Weverse Magazine interview), "We imagined we were performing for the fans while we made it, jumping up and down with them." This song sends a message that even though we're far apart, we always stay together – "Wherever you are, I know you always stay." as the song goes.


Lastly, the song that was such a bop you never get tired of –  "Dynamite" –  their first all-English song. Although they were not sure if the song will be included in the album at first, it was a good way to end it. As its lyrics go: "I'm diamond, you know I glow up" and "Shining through the city with a little funk and soul. I'mma light it up like dynamite." The bright and positive atmosphere and message that this disco tune gives off was the perfect way to end "BE" which talks about going through tough times and life going on during this pandemic.


“BE” is a project album and is thus not part of the whole Bangtan Universe or the story they create with their releases. And although it does not give the bang that Map of the Soul:7 gave us last February, this album was a welcome gift. It is simple, but not quite, and full of emotions. It gives nothing short of what the boys wanted to convey  a message of healing and connecting with fans despite not seeing each other.


“BE” is like a warm hug. The comfort we never knew we needed. A reminder that despite everything life goes on  this too shall pass  and a better day will come. As J-Hope sings in “Life Goes On,” “Let us thread tomorrow with today. Stopped for now, but don't hide in the shadow. Once again daylight will glow.”





Sunday, August 2, 2020

Book Thoughts: The Silent Wife

Sunday, August 02, 2020 0 Comments



Summary:

Atlanta, Georgia. Present day. A young woman is brutally attacked and left for dead. The police investigate but the trail goes cold. Until a chance assignment takes GBI investigator Will Trent to the state penitentiary, and to a prisoner who says he recognizes the MO. The attack looks identical to the one he was accused of eight years earlier. The prisoner’s always insisted that he was innocent, and now he’s sure he has proof. The killer is still out there.

As Will digs into both crimes it becomes clear that he must solve the original case in order to reach the truth. Yet nearly a decade has passed—time for memories to fade, witnesses to vanish, evidence to disappear. And now he needs medical examiner Sara Linton to help him hunt down a ruthless murderer. But when the past and present collide, everything Will values is at stake…



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The history. Jeffrey. The Jeffrey Tolliver. The one who made me cry when he died. And now we got a glimpse of him – eight years ago in Grant County. Reading this somewhat made me want to re-read the Grant County series which I totally loved and what made me a Slaughter fan. This does not mean that I do not like Will because I do adore him too and I am deeply enjoying the Will Trent series.

 

Aside from that, let’s not forget that whenever there’s Jeffrey, we could sense that Lena will also be there. In this one, a light was shed as to Jeffrey and Lena’s relationship which I appreciated. However, I just have to say, I hate Lena. Period. The end. Sorry.

 

The different timelines. When the story changed perspective to Jeffrey, back to eight years ago, I had flashbacks of the previous novels. And yes, this had to be done to gain a better understanding of what had actually transpired those times.  It somehow felt surreal revisiting Grant County not just from memories but the story actually happening there this time.

 

The hunch. Did Jeffrey really do something like that intentionally? Is the image we have built of Jeffrey going to collapse? Honestly, that bothered me as I did not want any of my thoughts to happen and I believed that it was not Jeffrey. I somehow got this feeling that it was instead someone from their side. I did not think that it was the criminal himself but there's someone doing something bad, or something wrong purposely. I don’t know if I actually anticipated who was behind it all, but I was no longer shocked when it was revealed. Everything that was done made sense.

 

The crime. Horrifying and chill-inducing. This is how I would describe this 10th installment. I could not imagine the terror all these victims faced. Honestly, the crime depicted here was just too much. And what gets me with Ms. Slaughter every time is the gruesome details. She describes it very vividly that I can always picture it myself – and that always gives me chills. 


Sometimes I think why some people are even capable of doing such stuff. But, in this world, you really never know. Certain people are extremes and have no sense of guilt or mercy.  And I applaud Ms. Slaughter for bringing such into her books and never once hesitates to show the evils of this world in a powerful way.


What I admired in this one is how Ms. Slaughter was able to show us how people, or women to be more specific, deal with such types of encounters in their life. The realization of the trauma and the suffering they would have to endure which will stay with them their whole life was something else. The depth and the effect of such crimes will forever stay with these victims and something that can never be erased – it is so heartbreakingly depicted in this one.


The relationship. I always enjoy reading the dynamics of the different characters in this series. The partnership of Faith and Will, the GBI team and Amanda's bossiness, and most especially that of Sara and Will. This brought back realizations from Sara and Will of their past. Their pasts, especially that of Sara, resulted to tensions to their relationship. We dove deeper into their relationship in this one. I was a bit heartbroken for Will but I’m glad they were able to work it out. I cannot wait to see what will happen to them next and how their relationship will grow more. As Ms. Slaughter said, there will be more Will and Sara stories. A love story weaved into terrifying crimes. 


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For new readers, do not hesitate, you can start on this one. However, if you want to dig deeper into this Slaughter world, go start reading the Grant County series first then dive into the Will Trent Series. I'm telling you, you will not be disappointed.


Thursday, July 9, 2020

Music and More: My ARMY Story and Why I Love BTS

Thursday, July 09, 2020 0 Comments


Black Swan at The Late Late Show with James Corden

I can hardly remember what it was, but from my faint memory, it was Fake Love that I first saw on YouTube. If I'm not mistaken, BTS was performing at an American show at that time. The guy who was always in the middle first grabbed my attention – Jungkook. Admit it, JK is one good-looking guy. I did not have the interest to look further into the group especially when I heard idol – super catchy but came out a little boastful at first few listens. Because, as you know, I did not understand the lyrics and did not even try to. I did not want to like them just because they were super famous and be part of the bandwagon. No, I am not that type.


My next encounter was probably Boy with Luv ‘cause I can clearly remember V's blue hair which caught my eye then. I know many fell in love with his blue hair. And this was probably the time my interest was piqued. Who would be able to resist singing along to that "Oh my, my, my… Oh my, my, my…" while watching them performing and having fun on stage? 


Boy With Luv era. That was when I started looking into the group more – watching performances, MVs, and other clips on YouTube. Slowly my interest in the group grew. Little did I know that I would become a full-pledged ARMY (this is what you call the BTS fans for those who don’t know). I started digging deep into the lyrics of each song and watching videos about them – explaining who they were, their history, the struggles they faced, and the successes they have achieved. A few weeks later I started downloading apps because of them, including an app with all English translations of their songs. I also downloaded Vlive, Weverse, and Superstar BTS.



A lot of people probably categorize them as just some K-pop stars or pop stars with catchy tunes and nice visuals. Choosing not to dig deeper may lead to misconceptions and typical stereotypes accorded to K-pop idols or singers. Many people easily assume that K-pop music is just for teens and call you as looking like a kid for listening to such music.


I was once one of those (except for the K-pop is just for teens and looking like a kid part because I've been listening to K-pop for quite a while already). But, when I dug deeper, I saw what all the hype was about and was captivated.  That was when I realized that “Hey, these are not just some catchy tunes you hear out there.” Contrary to most of the songs coming out these days, with lyrics that sometimes do not quite make sense, theirs have some deep meanings.


Their music is much more than what you hear and what you see. In one of their interviews, J-hope stated that “Bangtan (Bangtan Sonyeondan is their name in Korean) means to be resistant to bullets, so it means to block out stereotypes, criticisms, and expectations that aim at adolescents like bullets, to preserve the values and ideals of today’s adolescents.”  You may say that what they tell us through their songs is anchored on this meaning in some ways. Beyond the bops and the catchy tunes are the poetry in their lyrics and their profound messages about society, struggles of the youth, self-love, finding one’s self, and many more. Past the captivating music videos and complex choreographies is their passion for music and the positive influence they want to make.


The boys are not in great pursuit of records after all. As Jin said at the conference held for their album Map of the Soul: 7, “Results and records are important, but if people draw happiness from our music, that would be the greatest result we can achieve...” Suga even said that “..purpose is more important than the goal…” This just shows how much these guys love music. As RM once said, "Music transcends language. BTS communicates with our fans by staying true to ourselves and believing in music every day." 



Aside from their deep love for music, what even fascinated me was their personalities. Beyond their intensity and drive when performing are their humble and fun selves. These boys are definitely goofballs and crackheads and they are unafraid to show their crazy and wacky sides. You simply will not be able to resist their charms. Watching their weekly variety show Run BTS! (if you’re looking for a good laugh, this is for you), their travel show Bon Voyage (they will definitely show you beautiful places), and snippets of behind the scenes with Bangtan bombs and BTS episodes on YouTube will give you a taste of who they really are as musicians and as regular people. Watching their movies and documentaries will also show you that beyond the success and the fame are the struggles and hardships they have to go through to become who they are today. Despite all that they have accomplished, their feet remain planted on the ground and they continue to be the humble boys they are.


And who would forget, above all, they love their fans more than anything, and it shows. In every award speech they make, they never fail to mention ARMY and how thankful they are. Not a day goes by without them reminding us that they wouldn’t have come this far if it weren’t for their fans. They always make us feel that we are a part of them, a part of their success, of who they are now. I haven’t been to a live concert, but watching clips and fan cams will tell you that they truly treasure us ARMYs – you can see it in their eyes when they look at the crowd, you can feel it through their smiles while having fun, you can hear it when they are making their ending messages. The admiration, the gratitude, the love, the care, the sincerity, the genuineness – it's all there.


All these and more are what got me and what will lead you, too (if you give them a chance), down the BTS rabbit hole, love the boys, and make you stay in this Bangtan Sonyeondan sh*t for life.

 


P.S.


Whether it is the banger "Did you see my bag? Did you see my bag?" which you might have thought to be cocky but realized it’s supposed to be 'coz it's a diss track or the "Can't stop me loving myself" with the colorful mv or maybe the super catchy and LSS inducing "Oh my, my, my. Oh my, my, my." – it doesn't matter what song or when you became a fan. As RM said, "There are many people who became our fans recently. No matter when you became our fans, we are always thankful for your love. It is your love that makes us glow.” 

The closest I got to them boys in Korea.

Happy ARMY day, fam! Borahae!

 



Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Bought Because...

Tuesday, April 07, 2020 4 Comments


Hosted by  That Artsy Reader Girl.
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A lot has been happening lately. And yes, I've been at home for quite a while now due to quarantine. I've been working from home and all that which was quite hard and sometimes stressful. So I thought since I've been trying to post in my blog lately, why not return to participating in Top Ten Tuesday? It's a fun activity and may relieve some of the stress I've been feeling.

These are the top ten (actually 12. haha.) books I bought because...

1. They have simple yet pretty covers  

I actually haven't read the first two which I bought on a book sale last year. Hoping to read soon.

2. I love music

Aside from reading, I do love music. So, when you combine the two? Perfect!

3. A lot of book bloggers recommended it

During those times when I was very much active in the book blogging community, a lot of fellow readers suggested these and kept popping on lists. And yes, I did not regret picking up these two. They are two of my all-time favorites.

4. I really loved the author's previous books

If I Stay and Where She Went are probably included in my all-time favorite list so I decided to read Just One Day (via e-book first) and I fell in love, so I had to buy the paperback copy. The book ended on a cliffhanger which made me anticipate the second installment. I pre-ordered from across the other side of the world complete with autograph from the author. I just had to.

5. I love me some mystery/thriller/crime fiction every once in a while

A Faint Cold Fear was my first Karin Slaughter book and what made me a fan. The Cop Town is the latest one I bought. If you are into the genre, don't miss out on this great author - she got "stories that get under your skin."

It was nice to be back. Stay Safe fellow readers!

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Book Thoughts: Karin Slaughter's The Kept Woman and The Last Widow

Wednesday, April 01, 2020 0 Comments
These books are the latest installments (Books 8 & 9) from Karin Slaughter's Will Trent Series.

As I have previously said, I've been a fan of her since reading "A Faint Cold Fear" way back in 2009. And like always, she never disappoints.

One of the things I love about Karin Slaughter's writing is how each character shines and develops. I also particularly like how she vividly describes things or events that are happening that you would see yourself imagining and seeing it. And sometimes it just gets to you - the graphic details may sometimes make you shudder. As her site says "Stories that get under your skin." And well, of course, the story is just... wow!

Below are some of my thoughts on these two books:

The Kept Woman

I started with this book sometime last year. And I honestly could not remember why I have to put it down. When I picked it back up this time, I was not able to stop reading.

The star of this book was definitely Angie, Will's ex-wife. I hated Angie so much, most especially in this book. Everything about her was just... it's honestly hard to explain. But, you cannot deny the fact that she is one well-written character and you wouldn't be able to keep your attention away from her. 

In this book, I felt Sara's pain and I hated Will for it.

The Last Widow

Right after finishing The Kept Woman, I immediately dived into this one.

The plot of the story was something new and on a bigger scale, not just within their towns. I am not from the US so I honestly don't know the basis of what was happening in the book but wow that is some freaking insane stuff going on there.

Now to Sara and Will, it was further shown here how their relationship is growing over time. There was this part where Will was saying stuff about Sara to her parents and that made me tear up. I was already way too invested with the characters and I really felt his emotions. This book further solidified the love between Sara and Will.

You wouldn't be able to put this down. I loved how the book kept changing perspectives. Most of the time similar scenes were repeated during which they were written from another's point of view. It may be repetitive to some but I definitely understood why it has to be done. It actually gave you a better picture of what was happening and made you feel the thoughts and emotions of each and every character.

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I don't know why it took me so long to read the last 2 books in the series. But wow! Classic Slaughter. Packed from start to finish. Next book, please.





Sunday, March 8, 2020

Music Musings: Diving into BTS' Map of the Soul: 7

Sunday, March 08, 2020 0 Comments

Taking the time off from work and school to somehow destress. And what better way to do it? Listen to some good music.

Hi fellow music lovers, and yes, ARMYs!

If you are a music lover (whether you like it or not), you have probably heard of BTS, a 7 member Korean boy group taking the world by storm (winning Billboard Music Awards, being number 1 at the Billboard Charts, performing at the Grammys – and these are just a few of what they have accomplished so far, internationally).

“Map of the Soul: 7” (MOTS 7) is the latest album from BTS. Being an ARMY for, I think, almost a year, (Not long, I know! Why did I take so long to notice them?) this was my first comeback. And just like any other ARMY around the world, I was full of anticipation for this release.

Then came the most awaited date for us fans: 21 February. And bam “MOTS 7” arrived with its 20-track list (digital version). These include 5 songs from their 2019 Mini Album “Map of the Soul: Persona,” 14 new songs, and 1 other version of the title track with Sia.

As what the official Bighit site states: ““MAP OF THE SOUL: 7” looks back on the past seven years of BTS since their debut as seven members of one team. The journey was not always smooth sailing and there were special travails that they had to endure in their rise as global superstars. Now, understanding that the scars left by those hardships are a part of their real selves, BTS accepts both “the self I want to show” and the “self I want to scorn” to at last tell their own story of finding their “real and complete selves.”

This album is based on Carl Jung’s Map of the Soul with concepts of shadow and ego. It begins with the five tracks from “Map of the Soul: Persona,” which is about BTS’ self in front of everyone, starting with RM’s “Intro: Persona”. 

Suga’s “Interlude: Shadow,” which kickoffs the new songs, talks about the fears one faces when one becomes successful and reaches a certain level of fame. It also acknowledges that your shadow is a part of yourself that you must embrace. (Yoongi killed it with this one.) On the other hand, “Outro: Ego” gives a joyful salsa vibe which has J-Hope singing about fate, and how he has come to what he is now – accepting all that he is. (This bop is so Hobi. He really is our sunshine.) These two tracks were released as comeback trailers before the full album.

“Black Swan,” which was also initially released prior is about the fear of losing passion for what you love (for BTS, when music no longer touches them) which is considered the first, and more painful death. 

“Louder than Bombs,” tells us that sadness and fear are something we all encounter and that BTS is here listening to our stories and will continue to sing no matter what happens. (I love this song. And Troye Sivan is one of the composers. What more can you ask for?) 

“00:00 (Zero O’Clock),” a vocal line song, assures us that even if you had a bad day, it would come to an end and reset at 00:00 and another day, a better day, will come. As they sing “And you’re gonna be happy.” (A ray of positivity is just what we need.)

The song “We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal” concludes We are Bulletproof Pt.1 and Pt.2 from their previous albums. On this track, BTS relieves how they have braved through the hard times to become what they are now – stronger. The lyrics “We were only seven, but we have you all now,” communicates to ARMYs who have been with them along the way. And how “We (BTS and ARMYs) are together bulletproof.” (I literally cried listening to this song. I picture this as the ending song for the tour while ARMYs are shedding tears. When will I have the chance to see them, boys? The Philippines as a tour stop, pretty please?)

The fun and playful “Friends” from Jimin and V recount their friendship over the years – talking about moments from the past and how they want to stay together and still be friends no matter what happens. (The “You are my alien” and “Just like your tiny pinky” lines are just so funny. This is so Vmin. The 95 liners, are indeed soulmates.)

The vocal line also each have their individual songs on the album. Jimin’s “Filter” talks about how he “[wants] to present [himself] to the world in many different ways" while Jungkooks “My Time” looks back on his journey to fame and how his life has changed since then. On V’s anthemic song, reminiscent of Coldplay, “Inner Child,” he reflects on his past self, who was going through a hard time. Lastly, Jin sings to the fans with “Moon” saying he is the moon orbiting and looking after the earth who are the ARMYs.

In “UGH!” the rap line conveys how they hate it when anger/rage which is a necessary part of someone’s life becomes destructive when used negatively. As explained by a Korean, it also says that they are angry that the rage needed for positive change is dying out. “Respect,” a song from RM and Suga had them contemplating over the real meaning of the word. 

Lastly, the title track "ON" packs a lot of kick  talking about accepting who you are (positives and negatives included), acknowledging your shadow, and being ready to face whatever comes your way (Bring the pain, oh yeah!). “Can’t hold me down ’cause you know I’m a fighter” as its refrain says. No matter what they might encounter, including their fears, they will continue on their fated path. (Fighting BTS! Fighting ARMYs!)

This album is just sooo good. I loved each and every song. Although there are a lot of different styles within the album, I still believe it worked. And that is just BTS, they never settle for one genre – going beyond what is expected of them. As what V, Jungkook, and J-Hope said in an interview “The genre is BTS.”


Listen to the album on Spotify:


P.S. I hope you enjoy listening to this album. And as BTS sings "Yeah we are not seven, with you."  (Awww!) Borahae!