Music Post - FLAG Review

Nuts to waiting, I'm going to jump right back into this blogging business.

Now, just a note: There's a lot of butthurt around this album. If you're planning to comment about how it sucks, just go away. If you didn't like it, good for you, but honestly?

Especially if you're just going to whine. It's cool if you just aren't big on it. But no "rar rar blar it is emotionless!" bullshit, alright? Good. Onwards.

I like it. I know. Most people didn't. Mind, most EA fans are psycho and obsessive. Here's a short list of complaints I've gathered about this album.

-"It feels emotionless!"

-"She sings all the parts herself!"

-"It feels rushed!"

-"She lied about scraping her knee once and that makes her musical ability bad!"

-"She's kind of a bitch right now!"

-"She doesn't play the violin!"

-"Daddy never came to my ball games!"

I'm just going to tell you why most of these are bullshit: It's intended as a soundtrack to her book (which i will get my paws on soon!). It's intended to be a production. It feels "emotionless" to some because it has to be more or less a "blank canvas" for the performers to fill in with physical presence and their own acting. Shut up about this.

Why does she sing it all herself? If she got the Crumpets, or someone else, to sing other characters' parts, people would shit if they weren't the ones who played them in the production. Emilie Autumn fans are crazy. If Maggots, for example, sung a part on the album, they would all have a massive shit fit if she didn't play that character in the production. It makes sense, also, for a solo artist to sing all the parts. It's not that uncommon. Shut up about this.

Rushed? Hardly. Shut up.

She lied? Alright. Slow the fuck down. Firstly, Emilie is bipolar. You can argue and deny it if you like, but it's obvious that she's not faking it. She makes rash decisions. She changes moods quickly. She lies. That's sort of what it is. It's also not helped that she's made it quite public that she's changing meds a lot, especially while this was all coming together. Secondly, and I know this is hard for EA fans to grasp, Emilie Autumn Liddel is a character. Just like Lady GaGa. Just like David Bowie. Who they are in real life, and who they are when they perform are separate. All performers do this. ALL of them. Get over it and shut up.

She's bitchy? She's bipolar, and shit, if you apparently know so much about her private life right now, I'm glad you can say that she's just "being a bitch." Producing an album, with a legion of crazy fans at her throat, criticising her every move, I think she has a bit of permission to be "kind of a bitch." Shut up.

The violin. Seriously? She's a beautiful violinist - but this album is a soundtrack. Violins are there, she probably played them. But it makes sense for her to not play much. I imagine violins are in short supply in an asylum. Shut up.

And I know it hurts that your dad never loved you, but let's not take it out on musicians on the internet.

It's okay not to like an album. But it's just gone too far with this one. Calm your keyboard berserker rage. I know it makes these sorts of people cream themselves when they are overcritical and bitchy, but just...shut up. That all aside, let's move on to the actual review.

Overall, I think I would rate it somewhere around 8 out of 10. It's good. Really good. I like it. If you're not sure before you buy it, do what I did: Pirate, listen, and if you like it, buy it.

Let's break it down by song. I am going to be talking about it as a soundtrack album, and, remembering that I haven't read the book, I'm going to give my opinion on where I see them placed in the production.

1: Fight Like A Girl

The titular song for this album, dur. It's not my favourite of the album. But I still really like it. It has Emilie's usual vocal style, and the opening is similar to "Misery Loves Company," and has a few melody reprises, which I like. It sticks very well to the core themes of the album. I'm not sure where this would fit into the production - I would personally put it after "Goodnight, Sweet Ladies" as an end, full-cast number, post-story. I think it is a quite powerful song. I enjoy the melody and lyrics, particularly the line, "even if you're only a boy/You can fight like a girl." I think it helps dispell the "she's a misandrist" bullshit.

2: Time For Tea

Lol, I fucking love this song. SO MUCH. Just like the title song, I would place it after "The Key," and can imagine a lot of dramatic shit for the stage for this one. I like the references to "4 O'Clock" in this song, and it's why I'd place it as the climax song, right after "The Key." I can see it working amazingly in the production.

3: 4 O'Clock Reprise

I think this is a great opening song, either RIGHT at the start, as an overture, or just after the basic story beginning, say, when she is locked in her cell, or something. There's not much I can really say - it's instrumental. It's lovely. That's. That's about it. I could also see this working well if "4 O'Clock" were also in the musical.

It's over. Let it go.

4: What Will I Remember?

I admit, I haven't really listened to this one. Don't get me wrong. It's good. And it is very fitting in the production. It just. Slipped my mind, I guess. It is very Enchant-era-esque. If you were big on that era, you will likely enjoy that song. Maybe. Or you can just be butthurt that it isn't 2001 anymore and she changed as an artist. Just do it somewhere else, far away from me. It would fit in great, maybe on Emily's first day, or night. Some time where she can sit and angst a while.

5: Take The Pill

People need to take one about this album, honestly. I like this song. My version is not very good in quality because I pirated it (with intent to buy, calm your tits), so I have only listened to it a few times, but I really do like it. People have whinged, said that her complaint about having to go to sleep and wake up when told is not valid and it's a pissy complaint. It's not. It's all to do with bodily autonomy, which Emily-with-a-Y lost in the asylum. She doesn't choose when she wakes up, she doesn't choose when she sleeps. Furthermore, there are plenty of peole - Emilie, myself, and plenty of you, I bet - who find it not only impossible, but damaging to be told when you have to sleep. I've always been a nightowl, due to the assburgers, and going to school seriously messed with that. Shut up about this too, because you don't know. It would fit in nicely with Emily's first day, I think. Sinister. Great.

6: Girls! Girls! Girls!

Another of my favourites. Yes, she does all the different voices here. Yes, she puts on British accents. Let it go. It's a good song, jaunty, fun, historically accurate. Yes, they actually did this shit. It's messed up. It's all essentially my style. Also, they performed it on the Fox morning show in Detroit. This amuses me to no end. It's more fun live, but it's great fun to listen to. Having not read the book, I'm not sure when to place this, but it would definitely be in there. EDIT: I did remember one thing that annoyed me. "Conversate" isn't a word. "Too much serious conversating" should be "conversing."

7: I Don't Understand

This song, you guise. You guise. You guise. This song. I think it's a great song for a musical. It has the two characters talking to each other, interacting. That's how this shit works. I think it's fantastic. It is emotional, without being melodramatic. Good stuff. It's a moment of affection and tenderness in an otherwise quite horrible situation.

8: We Want Them Young

This is the one I don't have. I have to say, though: yeah, it'd work excellently. Given that I have only listened to it a few times, I can't say anything more in-depth. It sounds good and you will like it in your ears. First night song, I think.

9: If I Burn

Out of the songs I really like, I probably would place this at the bottom. I still like it. It's not my favourite, but I still like it. It's part of the story. I can imagine Emily singing this during torture. It's so threatening. It would give any psychotic psychiatrist pause, I think. I would possibly put this somewhere around halfway or just before intermission, and possibly tone the vocals up a bit, make them angrier.

10: Scavenger

This is the song I don't like. I think it's really just because I haven't read the book and don't have the context. I'll leave it at that and update it when I've read the book. That sounds fair.

11: Gaslight

This is my second favourite. I love this song. It is beautiful. It's not optimised on the album, I imagine because it's a song to be performed, not just sung - but even so, it is VERY easy to imagine this performed just before the climax, the part where she is "pushed over," or even just after "We Want Them Young," if placed when I suggested. It's lovely and reminds me a bit of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Mis. It's probably this production's version. I would also possibly put this as just before intermission, as well, depending on the placement of other songs, to make room for the instrumental reprise.

12: The Key

This song is also one of my favourites. Some think it wouldn't work well on stage, but I wholeheartedly disagree - yes, it narrates what's going on. Musicals do that. Anyone who thinks it wouldn't work needs to read opera lyrics, because this is what most of them are. Having her singing with the other characters acting around her would be very visually and stylistically consistent, and it's a great song. As stated, placing it just before "Time For Tea."

13: Hell Is Empty

Nooot really much to say about this, but I really would put this after "Time For Tea," with that song as the girls preparing for a fight, ending in the first death, and this one as death is sort of going on around the place.

14: Gaslight Reprise

Another instrumental. Where I would place this, I'm unsure. Possibly as overture music from the intermission. It would depend on the placement of the other songs, I suppose!

15: Goodnight, Sweet Ladies

This is my favourite. I think it's beautiful, and a perfect finale. People die in this story, dude, and it's a great song to gather the surviving girls and have them join in freedom or some hippie crap like that. It's perfect for the finale. That is all.

16: Start Another Story

Another one that I don't have a good version of. I will update this along with a purchase of the album.

17: One Foot In Front Of The Other

While I don't have a working version of this, either, I think this would be a great song to tack onto the end of "Goodnight, Sweet Ladies", and attach "Fight Like A Girl" too, and just make it a medley. I can't see it working any other way. Good song though. Tops.

And thus ends the album. It was smashing. Really. I loved it. I hope to be in the UK by 2014, so....hopefully I can go see the stage production!

I hope I can update the bits when I get my book and CD, and this review will be finished. In the meantime, I think I did a pretty good job! I really hope the production goes well for her and people will just shut the fuck up instead of trash talking her on the internet.

Much love,

-Kitty

 

Corsets-Au Proper For-Realsies Review With Pics

Ridcully decided to join me for my picture session.

After you guys twisting my arm (not really. Since this is the internet) I wore my corset out today to get a good feel of it and let you know how I liked it. I will actually give it a proper review now.

Firstly, I found it extremely comfortable. Any real discomfort was caused by my shirt being too short (seriously Gallery...what the hell?) and folds of clothing under the corset. While the modesty panel helped with the lower back digging into the strings it also made it hard to adjust my clothing. However I have a seamless singletty thing for that now, which i bought today. Anyway, the discomfort from the shirt underneath did not start until a few hours of walking around (and an hour and a half in Lush talking to Niamh. That's "Neev", by the way, she's irish). It was comfortable in both cabs I got in, including on the way home, where I answered my cab driver's questions about "what goth is". So that was fun.

Overall, I love this corset. It doesn't give the most corsetted shape ever (I prefer late Victorian, very sharp hourglass shape), leaning towards an early-to-mid Victorian elongated shape, which Shaun likes for some reason.

Their picture on the website (unfortunately it is no longer available - however this one is and it's essentially the same, although mine has a lace overlay) looked exactly the same as the corset I got, as well as looking the same on as it did in the picture. No taking in the waist with photoshop, at least not on that picture.

I inspected the lace overlay and honestly, it seems pretty good to me. Not million dollar, but not awful hallowe'en costume either, you know? Just perfectly acceptable for the price of $48.

Although I think if you are going to go with one of their corsets, one like mine would be good, since it doesn't really have a "fashion fabric", which is the part that is known to tear.

Getting the corset on was pretty easy. Shaun even managed to help me! It's really easy to tighten and honestly, I just really like this thing.

It's not too short, either, which is my biggest fear buying corsets - the point doesn't go down far enough, and so you have this roll of stomach underneath it. Not flattering!

DARK CLOTHES. Y U NO PHOTOGRAPH BETTER.

Anyway, here's the breakdown.

Comfort:10/10

Materials: 8/10

Price:10/10

Shipping: 10/10

Construction: 9/10

Total: 47/50

Would I buy again? Yes, yes, yes!

PS: here are a bunch of photos I couldn't otherwise work in.

Oh mister cully, you are lovely!

My hair - finally showing you all.

While blue, it helps show the shape.

One more thing: this guy is an asshole. Please report him to blogger. That is all!

Review - Illamasqua "Freak" Perfume

So, with an online order of Illamasqua I got, they sent me a sample of their perfume. Now, in store in Australia, "Freak" will set you back...$149. Online, It's £59.00, which is around $90 australian.


Expensive, I know. However, it does have a snail on the bottle. So...worth it!

Anyway, the bottle they sent me was maybe....5mL? It's basically worth its weight in gold, in any case. Here are some pictures.

This says:

"I am
Exquisitely rare
Mysterious midnight blooms
Unfurling only for Luna's light
Datura, Black Davana, Poison Hemlock
and Queen of the Night
A covert gathering of forbidden flowers
Brought together in love's darkest hour
I am magical, timeless
Utterly unforgettable
I am bottled midnight
I am
Freak"

 I like this little poem. n.n

So as you can see, it's small. But it's still generous, along with the vour 15% off coupons I received with my order! (that need to be used soon...)


The actual smell of the perfume is...well, I don't normally like perfume, but this smells great. Here's how the website describes it:

TOP NOTES
Black Davana, Opium Flower and Belladonna bewitch the senses into uncontrollable lust and passion.
HEART NOTES
Poison Hemlock, Datura and Queen of the Night blossom, caress and kiss.
BASE NOTES
Aromas of Frankincense, Oud and Myrrh, addictively mesmerises and captures the senses.

So, it smells like that, I guess? Being from Australia, I'm unsure. However, it smells FUCKING GREAT. At first, when I sampled it in store, it took me a few seconds to get used to it. After that, I realised it smells like...well, kind of a bit like an old lady perfume, in the best possible way. It's also very Victorian, as opium, belladonna, frankinscence, myrhh and all the rest were very popular fragrances.

I find it lasts pretty well, but after a couple of hours in the city, with people breathing smoke all over me (I swear to god, smoking on the street should be illegal - more on that later), it's vanished. Sad forever!

I think the branding of this perfume, from the scent, to the packaging, to the little poem, is very in line with Illamasqua's company marketing. I think they did a great job making something exquisite, unique and quite luxurious.

Either way, if you can afford a bottle of Freak, buy some! I love it, and want more! So expensive though.

<3

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream #13

Firstly, fat tilly. Fat fat fat. :3

FAT FAT FAT

 Anyway. Yes. I got my sample thingy of the Missha Perfect Cover BB cream in #13, which is the super-light shade.

What can I say?

aksleghladskjrghk;djrsgdk;arh

adjrghkadjlrgdarg >8c

kjdfghkadlrjgdagr 8D

TRY IT. SERIOUSLY. (also i don't know what is up with that random sparkle, and also why that last picture is a bit ?, since irl I look fucking brilliant.)

You can get it for cheap on ebay and also on amazon.

Also wearing: Shiro "Everything Is Bears!", Revlon liner, Manic Panic "spider liner" and Manic Panic "Blood Red".

I recommend all the products I have on my face right now. Seriously. <3

Tomorrow is my birthday! I should be receiving some green lipstick. ;3

Party on, Goths! :D

Grab A Brush, Put On A Little Makeup

Yep, SOAD kinda day! Here's a picture of tilly in a bag for some reason, before my actual "hair and makeup" post.

she crawled in so I picked her up and took a photo. XD

 Anyway, on with the post.

On Friday, I had to go into down with my dad to do a few things. Long story short, I bought two books - Wyrd Sisters and Soul Music. Shut up, it's an addiction. I didn't get a photo of my outfit but I will soon. Here's the hair and makeup!

This is the first time I've worn my hair back off my face in three years! Woo! The makeup was Shiro Cosmetics' "Gengar" shadow and "Sad Keanu" lipstain! I love them both so much!

I couldn't decide which picture I liked more. :D Also featured: my 60" pearl necklace! And pile o crap in the bathroom! 8D

Verdict on Shiro: love love love! The lip colour was not what I expected, it wasn't flavoured like it should be but I might have just gotten a bad batch or something? It was also a bit grainy but it could be a result of it sitting in the mail so long. I'm not sure. But the colour is just BEAUTIFUL and so buildable, and super-duper moisturising. 

The eyeshadow is amazing quality, so finely milled and gorgeous to wear - and it fucking lasts forever! I swear my life to those shadows and plan to buy more in the future. Possibly now since I have money. >> their website is here. Go and change your eyeshadow life! I will be posting more photos once I can be fucked getting the camera to work and have perfected my technique. <3 Will also post a PROPER GODDAMN HAUL REVIEW once I stop feeling so fat and lazy - but I can say now that the free samples I got are gorgeous and just <3, so a full "omg everything" post is coming up.

Oh yeah, and here's my new glasses and my new fringe (i got fed up and hacked it).

Apparently a good photo was too much to ask
 for, so I gave up. Have this derp one instead.

 

I just thought I'd reiterate, SHIRO EYESHADOWS. ALSDKGHSD. The blushes have just become available too! GO GO GO.

Party on, goths! :D

Product Review - Manic Panic Dreamtone Liquid and Goth White Cream Foundation

Hoorah! A substance post!

Anyway, I got my new foundation that I ordered the other day. I can only partly review so far, since foundation takes a while, but it'll get its run down during my weekend vacation in queensland!

Here's my idea so far:

I've been using the Dreamtone base liquid for nearly two years now. I love the stuff - although when it's brand new (i now recall) it's really liquid-y and a bit hard to apply. I have this weird thing where it just won't apply in some spots, ie my nose. I don't know why, but it's like, "apply to nose. step back. applying it seems to have wiped it all off. attempt again. same result." I don't know what the issue is here, but it totally stops happening once the liquid gets thicker with time (i think it's my skin; my nose is very picky with makeup). I fixed that problem today with my cream foundation and a LOT of setting powder.

The cream foundation? It's fantastic. A little goes a long way with this stuff, and it gives a wonderful gothy-white look without crossing into mallgoth corpse pallor. It also makes a good primer. HOWEVER, I have enormous pores, and if I'm not dilligent with my witch hazel toner (wonderful stuff, get your hands on it. smells like ass, works like magic, but make sure it's pure distilled witch hazel!) and my spreading, it can get caught in them. A lot of rubbing it about seemed to fix this and, once set with powder, it didn't happen again.

I only wore it for two-ish hours today while I ran to the post office and had a hot chocolate. And bought my downton abbey poster. ( 8> ) It's not thorough, but I'm going out tomorrow and possibly wednesday too, so I'll be able to test more thoroughly.

It lasted beautifully. Once applied properly, it felt gorgeous and silky to wear. It held my eyeliner very well (i had not primed the area other than with a tiny bit of goth white, because i couldn't find my primer anywhere, but let's just say it was to test the cream), and didn't settle on my blemishes very much - less than usual, anyway. Both are very blendable and feel lovely on.

PICTURES, ANYWAY.

I couldn't get any front-on shots because they made my nose vanish and i thought that a bad idea to post, so here you can see how it's easier to blend them both than I thought. I was wearing a scarf, though, so all that blending further down my neck was all for nothing.

ALSO THESE ARRIVED TODAY.

My sister bought them for me from Beserk. :D

That's all for now. I will post another review after my seaside holiday (by the sea mister todd we'll be nice and cosy by the sea mister todd where there's no one nosey).

Party on goths!

PS: Speaking of the holiday, Mr. Growlithe now has a blag - The Noisy Growlithe. Swords, games and geekery. Only his herro post up so far, but stay tuned - he's sure to post pictures of me and his sword collection, if you're into goths with rapiers, I suppose. ;3