Rockin' Mama's REVIEW: Fall Out Boy's Save Rock and Roll

Fall Out Boy came out of their hiatus and I'm freaking glad.

Not only did they re-emerge, but launched a new album--Save Rock and Roll.

I'd only seen them live at the Merriweather just before the lengthy absence, but not before I had fallen head over heels for this group. Then, I wasn't sure if I'd ever hear or see them again. I tapped my feet impatiently as each member pursued various solo projects. As a writer, I understand the need to stretch the wings, but....I was waiting for the return of Fall Out Boy.

So when the announcement came about the album, I was happy, but a little afraid of whether they'd retained their edge. They did more than retain it, they refined it with a maturity to the songs, sound and lyrics. Having Sir Elton John sing Save Rock and Roll with Patrick -- Bloody fucking epic!

The first video came out, but I held back.  Didn't pay attention until the second video, The Phoenix, was released. Oh my sweet googly moogly, when I heard Patrick's voice it was like a cool glass of water on a hot day. Just what I'd remembered. What a beautiful soulful rockstar voice he has.

Andy on the drums is fierce as usual. Watching him on the double bass is amazing. Can't wait to see him live with this.

Then I went back to that first video--My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up).  This song is fierce.  Not sure why I'm looking at this rapper dude in the video, though. But whatever, I absolutely love this song.

And another video recently released - The Young Volcanoes (explicit). Whoever came up with a continuing story concept for the album --thank you.

The album is on my playlist and is on frequent play. Kudos, guys, this rockin' mama is a happy Fall Out Boy fan.

Happiness is...Mahatma Gandhi

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." Mahatma Gandhi.

I walk by this quote most days every week. Finally this simple statement is seeping into my consciousness.

It makes sense. How many times have we thought the good thought or affirmation. We may even utter the words with forced conviction. Then it comes to the performance and it's a dud.

Or like the reality shows, they don't have good thoughts, utter the most fake sentiments, and end things in a hostile exchange.

All sorts of scenarios of self-defeating behavior come to fruition if any one of those factors are not in sync. Boy, does it take work and effort to follow through in each crucial component.

I included this video as an extreme example of disharmony of the mind, body and spirit:

A struggle though it might be on some days: Think good thoughts. Speak with kindness and respect. Be a person of good cheer.

Mahatma was one smart cookie!


Michelle

Celebrating Spring With A Bit of Carnival Temptress

In celebration of Spring Break, here's another excerpt from Carnival Temptress (The Revelers Series).

“Get up. Dance up. Who ready? She ready. J’Ouvert time!” Banging on the pot, Micha went to each room, chanting her chorus. She’d never heard so much cussing.

“Now you, b-yatches know how it feels.” She returned the pot and spoon to the kitchen.

“Payback.” Asha stumbled down the hall to the bathroom.

Micha knew she’d pay dearly for her wake-up assistance. Whatever. It felt good to get back at them. Most times, she was the last to get going. Their threats to leave her behind always fell on deaf ears.

“You’d better take off the jewelry.” Simone pointed at Micha’s earrings and necklace. “Didn’t you bring something old that you didn’t mind having to throw in the trash?”

“When you said old, I thought you meant like not fancy.”  She’d worn a blouse that she’d bought about two years ago. The horizontal stripes were cute, but with the inches expanded around her body and limbs, those horizontal stripes were not flattering. “This will have to do.”

“Okay,” Simone replied in a tone that suggested she might regret it. “Mud. Powder. Chocolate syrup. Coconut flakes. Your body will be covered.”

“Sounds like a damn good sundae to me. Are they feeding us?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have gotten a ticket that didn’t include food and amenities. By the way, we will be hanging with the Mudderation Crew.”

“Sounds fab…not.” Micha wondered how she was going to keep mud from getting on her hair. Once she saw Asha and the other tied scarves on their heads, she copied with hers.

Once again, 4 a.m., they headed out to the meeting point for their J’Ouvert band, Mudderation Crew. Their group quickly expanded as arrivals, still in pristine condition, added on to the ranks. Music underscored the semi-chaotic feel.

“What are those?” Micha pointed to trucks that lined the road.

“First truck is the music. The truck with the flat bed had the barrels of mud. This is a much smaller set up than the mas bands that you’ll see later today. The last truck has the bar cooler with the drinks and a cooling zone. The operator will spray and you can enjoy or not.”

“Time to get our mud on!” Simone yelled the charge, as if she was going into battle and they were her troops expected to follow.

Micha took the small bowls of mud and poured over her body, as if she was lathering up in a shower. She stayed clear of her face, especially with her contact lens as a potential issue.

Anais stood just out of reach of taking the bowl of mud or getting splashed. “You know, I understand the Carnival tradition of Jour Ouvert. I researched, followed what you all told me, but this part is….” Her mouth curled up with a definite distaste. “And my hair is not going to stay under this small scarf.”

“First, stop calling it joy-vert. It’s jou-vay…think French. This is the official start of the Carnival—it’s day break. You can’t begin without this celebration. It’s like dressing up without washing your face and brushing your teeth.”

“Simone, you ‘ear dat.” Micha teased, trying her own version of the accent.

“Class in session. All yah, listen. We’re here to celebrate all our darker elements, devils, imps and spirits before the Lenten season.”

Asha grabbed Anais’s long hair with her muddy hands. “Where’s your latina, middle eastern inner spirit, my friend?” With that open question, Asha proceeded to scoop the mud and liberally apply to Anais’s body, face, and, as an added measure, emptied the remaining contents onto her hair.

Micha and Simone grabbed each other’s hands, waiting for the explosion.

Carnival Temptress (e-novella) available for Kindle and Nook; 99 cents.

Still Celebrating Launch of Carnival Temptress

Carnival Temptress is ready and available on Kindle and Nook. This e-novella was especially significant because it was my first story created from the start for my self-publishing arm--Stella Maris Publishing. By the way, Stella Maris was my Catholic elementary school in Guyana. A place that nurtured my love for reading and writing stories.

This Revelers series is a venture shared with Marcia King-Gamble is also writing carnival-themed stories. We will be publishing various stories, in tandem, throughout the year. Her book, Seducing Circe, will follow Carnival Temptress.

I also want to acknowledge a friend, Michelle "Trinibaby" Buckmire, for all her help with details about Carnival. It's one thing to research the event and watch the videos on YouTube to get an idea. However, having an avid, veteran Carnival reveler to provide the finer details was a wonderful bonus. Any deviations from actual goings-on was my intent as author.

I'll leave you with a wonderful video about Trinidad. Happy Spring!

Carnival Temptress Playlist...Destra-Call My Name

Ladies can rock at Soca too. Destra is one of the queens of Soca. Here she is with Call My Name.

Destra Garcia is known for her high energy live performances, as you'll see in the video.

Lyrics for Call My Name

If you looking for somebody to come and rock spine
Just call my phone , dial my number boy anytime
Doh worry bout getting none of them roamin charges
And if its good service yuh lookin for then its me you have it

Just dem to call meh (Its my pleasure!)
Just dem to call meh (Call me whenever)
Inside of the fete (Just call my name)
Yuh want to get wet (Just call my name)
All out on the road (Just call my name)
In case you forget nowww

dey call de the Party Animal, we jammin straight till mornin
Is only me dey callin
dey call me the Queen of Bacchanal, is only non-stop wukkin
Just hear the people shoutin

Just call my name(Destra!)Just call my name(Destra!)Just call my name(Destra!)
Just call my name(Meh lover)Just call my name(Destra)Just call my name (Destra)
Just call my name(Destra!) Just call my name name name name..

If yah lookin for somebody to get yah in De mood
Jus link me boy on my bb N I’ll be rude
Doh worry bout misbehaving dis is De season
We inside De fete whining low you don’t need a reason

Just tell them to call me (Its my pleasure!)
Just tell them to call mayyyyy (Call me whenever)
Inside of the fete (Just call my name)
You want to get wet (Just call my name)
All out on the road (Just call my name)
In case you forget nowww

They call me the Party Animal, Im jamming straight till mornin
Its only me them callin
They call me the Queen of Bacchanalll, its only non-stop walkin
Just hear the people shoutin

Just call my name(Destra!)Just call my name(Destra!)Just call my name(Destra!)
Just call my name(Me love her!)Just call my name(Destra)Just call my name (Destra)
Just call my name(Destra!) Just call my name name name name..

(Bridge)
If you feelin like yah cyah wait, Just call my name and be there
Ah yeah yeah yeah
Cause I need you like you need me , Don’t leave me
In case you forget meee

They call me the Party Animal, Im jamming straight till mornin
Its only me them callin
They call me the Queen of Bacchanal, its only non-stop walkin
Just hear the people shoutin


Just call my name(Destra!)Just call my name(Destra!)Just call my name(Destra!)
Just call my name(Me love her!)Just call my name(Destra)Just call my name (Destra)
Just call my name(Destra!) Just call my name name name name..

They call me the Party Animal, Im jamming straight till mornin
Its only me them callin
They call me the Queen of Bacchanal, its only non-stop walkin
Just hear the people shoutin

Just call my name(Destra!)Just call my name(Destra!)Just call my name(Destra!)
Just call my name(Me love her!)Just call my name(Destra)Just call my name (Destra)
Just call my name(Destra!) Just call my name name name name..

Dsstra, Destra, Destra, Me love her, justcall my name destra destra destra just call my name

Carnival Temptress Playlist...Kes-Thief A Wine

A song that I played, while writing, to help set the mood of what to expect for Carnival.

Here's KES, a Trinidadian soca band, formed in 2005 by three brothers and a friend. Their song is Thief A Wine.

Lyrics for Thief A Wine:

Ah cya let you get away
So I coming over dey
And thief a wine on you.

Baby come right here
Push it up on me
Before this party done
We’ll start a love affair
Baby you done know
Make dat bumper roll
I does lose control
Cya let you wine alone

So give me dat something
You know ah want something
Come leh we do something
I really want one thing
Come give me dat something
Cus girl I have something
So leh we do something
You know all ah want is one thing

Hey gyal it don’t matter what you do
I go be right up on you
I going to come and thief a wine on you
Watch the way you getting on
Wining rude gyal
It’s time to make da move gyal
I come to thief a wine on you

When she jamming on the road
I’ll thief a wine on you
Watch your bumper overload
I’ll thief a wine on you
Gyal before a go me way
I’ll thief a wine on you
And I sure to come again
I’ll thief a wine on you

I tell you don’t hold back on me
Whole day and whole night I hunting
And what you have I want it
I coming to rock that body
Just back-back and push that on me
Don’t do me that, no teasing
Cus what you got gyal I want it
Gyal don’t mek me beg you for it

So give me dat something
You know ah want something
Come leh we do something
I really want one thing
Come give me dat something
Cus girl I have something
So leh we do something
You know all ah want is one thing

Hey gyal it don’t matter what you do
I go be right up on you
I going to come and thief a wine on you
Watch the way you getting on
Wining rude gyal
It’s time to make da move gyal
I come to thief a wine on you

When she jamming on the road
I’ll thief a wine on you
Watch your bumper overload
I’ll thief a wine on you
Gyal before a go me way
I’ll thief a wine on you
And I sure to come again
I’ll thief a wine on you

I tell you don’t hold back on me
Whole day and whole night I hunting
And what you have I want it
I coming to rock that body
Just back-back and push that on me
Don’t do me that, no teasing
Cus what you got gyal I want it
Gyal don’t mek me beg you for it

So give me dat something
You know ah want something
Come leh we do something
I really want one thing
Come give me dat something
Cus girl I have something
So leh we do something
You know all ah want is one thing

Hey gyal it don’t matter what you do
I go be right up on you
I going to come and thief a wine on you
Watch the way you getting on
Wining rude gyal
It’s time to make da move gyal
I come to thief a wine on you

When she jamming on the road
I’ll thief a wine on you
Watch your bumper overload
I’ll thief a wine on you
Gyal before a go me way
I’ll thief a wine on you
And I sure to come again
I’ll thief a wine on you

 

Carnival Temptress Playlist...Indian Gyal by Machel and Drupatee

I'll be posting songs that inspired the story writing process and motivated the characters on their journey.

The first song is by Machel Montano and Drupatee Ramgoonai called Indian Gyal. Machel Montano is a long time Trinidadian soca singer, record producer, and songwriter. Drupatee is also Trinidadian and is known for her chutney soca and chutney songs, which blends Hindi and English in the uptempo Calypso-soca beat.

The ladies in my Carnival Temptress are dancing and listening to this song, as they try to persuade out-of-work Maya Lindsey to join them at Trinidad Carnival. The bandleader of these ladies, Asha Jaikaran, an indo Trinidadian, considers this song her personal anthem.

For those who can't follow the accent--LOL--Here's Indian Gyal

Well this indian gyal cyah come
and wok she waist
Take over the street
Make ah bacchanal in the place

Drop to the gound and
Shake all around
Push up on a speaker
Break it like ah indian drum

Calling it Mr Lotala
This gyal she popular
She known from all over
She come from India
But she is my sister
My one only sister
If you coming over come
and meet me by the bar

So you can
Wok up the Larki
Wok up the LArki
Wok up the LArki
Yuh want meh
Wok up the Larki
Wok up the LArki
Wok up the LArki
All come and
Wok up the Larki
Wok up the LArki
Wok up the LArki
Yuh wah me
Wok up the Larki
Wok up the LArki
Wok up the LArki

Calling it Mr Lotala
This gyal she popular
She known from all over
She come from India
But she is my sister
My one only sister
If you coming over come
and meet me by the bar