Fair Shake Review: Free Nationals - Free Nationals

Free Nationals - Free Nationals

(Genre: Soul/R&B)

Feel Free to spread these links to the Nation:

Beauty and Essex (Music Video)
Time (Music Video)
On Sight (Audio)
Sway in the Morning Interview

After Theater Review: Don't Let Go

Fair Shake Review: Knives Out

Knives Out (2019, USA)

(Genre: Mystery)

A Meow-sical Miracle: Cats 2019

Cats is me, I am Cats

In the last 23 years, the Cats musical has played many roles for me. It’s raised me out of depression, led to my financial ruin, and is woven into the fibers of my very being. Let me tell you a tale — or a “tail,” if you will. From stage to movie musical, Cats has been with me a very long time.

Two years before the Broadway recording of Cats made it to the small screen, a pudgy-faced, child version of me begged her completely uninterested parents for tickets to a night at the national tour run of Broadway’s (at the time) longest running musical.

Several obstructed-view discount tickets later, I’d watched tiny dancing figures sing their way around a junkyard set, professing that the lives and personalities of cats are as varied as those of humans. They had professions and close-knit ties to society — in both the world of men and the secret world of cats.

The fact that all of the cats belonged to some strange resurrection cult aside, these cats had a pretty good thing going on. I wanted in.

Less terrifying than CG? You be the judge.

I went to the library and borrowed the vinyl record containing the original London cast’s performance. I bought T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and read it religiously. I begged my parents for voice lessons to perfect my rendition of “Memory.”

Cats is the reason I have an associate’s degree in music, assuring my twenties would be spent in a millennial tailspin of bad financial decisions. And I love it. I love it with every atom in my body!

Fair Shake Reaction: The Reve Festival Finale - Red Velvet

The Reve Festival Finale - Red Velvet

(Genre: Kpop)

BM5's 2019 Musical Favorites

BM5's Holiday Matsuri 2019 Vlog

I REALLY tried to edit a full-length vlog altogether, which would've been about an hour and a half long. Thing is, my computer disagreed with every iteration I tried to render. Hopefully the playlist will suffice! Threes!!!

Introducing: makz!

Hello there, all you music and movie lovers! My name’s makz, and I’m Miko’s osana najimi. (I mean, maybe middle school isn’t exactly “osanai koro,” but just roll with it.)

I’ve been studying Japanese since before there were any good books about it at Barnes and Nobles. Cassette tapes were involved.

In 2024 I’ll be celebrating 20 years of J-Rock fandom. I was involved in a short-lived but greatly fun J-Rock cover band in south Texas called “Rising Sun” about a decade ago, and currently I sing loudly in the shower in my tiny Los Angeles apartment.

With my move to the west coast, I thought I’d be getting more deeply into the music scene, but it turns out I’m mostly in the “barely paying the bills” scene instead. While I work and take night classes, I occasionally manage to read a book, watch a movie, or play a video game.

Now I’m gonna write some articles after doing those things! Right here! On this very blog!

(Are you excited? I’m excited. Did you eat crabs? I ate two.)

Anyway, douzo yoroshiku, and I’ll see you around!

Special New Year's Message from the Muddy Cult Leaders

From BlipMasta5:

2019 was a great experience. Like all of them, there are highs and lows, but I'm happy for those who chose to engage with the content when it was available. For 2020, I'm hoping to maintain the momentum I've got going. I really hope the combination of Fair Shake Reviews, Reactions, and Retrospectives have been entertaining, if not informative. I wish to finally start my Overdue K-Pop reactions as well. If you think reacting to videos and performances would be fun as well, please let me know and I'll consider it. I don't want anyone to be afraid to recommend or request any new music as well. I'm here to serve the audience, so here's to an amazing time with you all! Much love, peace! Threes!!!

From Miko:

2019 marked 10 years of writing on Muddy Cult and I'm so happy that I am able to continue to write and create content for its followers and Patrons. Despite being inconsistent and late with my own content, I am very grateful for my fellow Cult leaders who keep this place alive and our community thriving. I hope to continue this connection between those who support us. I have so many exciting things I have to share, whether it's new additions or old favorites. I would like to provide more giveaways from month to month throughout the year as well as more exclusive items and content for my Patrons. I want to get back into sharing exclusive written content from concerts and interviews that I have participated in with musical artists as well as give you, our Muddy Cult followers, more opportunities to ask them questions. Let's all continue to thrive and grow for another 10 years!

Love you all!

2019: The Highlights