Album Review - Flaming Lips -: At War with the Mystics

The trouble with most reviews is that they make too many snap judgments on a work that they have likely listened to only once or twice. Albums that really matter to me are the ones i have ummed and ahhd over for weeks before i can be sure of my feelings. So what matters to me most is an album that i will still be plucking from the shelves in 2 years time. I have only listened to this album maybe 5 times and thankfully most of the songs are still fresh when i hear them again. Indeed with each listen i am discovering something new. Now here is where i must make a leap of faith - this album is a keeper. I can see myself now, my trembling hand outstretched, hovering over Mystics, Yoshimi and Soft Bulletin. Oh God which one? A furious game of eenee meenee ensues until, exhausted from the effort, i pluck the winner from its holding place and elatedly place it in the player and start doing my vocal warm ups. And this is another rousing sing along, you better believe it. Anybody can sing along with confidence to a Flaming Lips album, mostly because if you can keep a tune you are never really that far behind the faltered, strained vocals of the joyously uplifting Mr Coyne. Moronic reviewers keep mentioning Pink Floyd with these guys and im sorry but they are just surface scratchers. Listening to Mystics i am reminded of Original Soundtrack era 10CC or Sparks, ELO, Peter Frampton.. i could go on but i dont wish to rub it in, suffice to say I RULE. Now i will admit that this is not the Impressionist masterpiece that Yoshimi and Bulletin is. It does not flow anywhere near as effortlessly as that. Rather it lets the individual tracks stand on their own, there are really no segways nor links between the tracks. This does not mean it is inferior, however admittedly i do prefer an album that must be listened to as a whole rather than in parts. Perhaps it is my personal reaction to modern pop that makes me dislike the 'single' so much now. It implies an album fraught with filler. Either way i cant wait to put this album on at the moment and i cant ask for more than that. Whether it holds its own in years to come is up to the Gods..... or the pink robots. Whatever blows your skirt.

4 1/2 sparks

Lab Rat Dan - update full moon phase

Ok, so now i am starting to freak out.

Next full moon:
Wednesday, 12 April 2006........................... THATS TODAY!

For the past three or so days i once again experienced increased levels of depression (my kind of depression is not equal to diagnosed depression, it is subtle and only mildly irritating). This morning upon reflection i do not sense any of these feelings, the day will tell.

This morning i have discovered that the full moon is now in effect. I saw it last night actually nearly there and remembered my experiment. I think it is important to be as unaware of the cycles as possible. Thankfully my memory for dates is abysmal.

Findings - so far so good, there is a distinct pattern emerging. Just before a Moon phase i am experiencing a little strange. Secondly once the new moon phase occurs i feel improved.

For later - i will return to morning meditations for the same phases to see if there is improvement.

My new lab rat - Markus Browticus

Markus has been given a musical challenge.
He had asked me is there much difference between headphones and speakers. My belief is that certain albums there is a huge difference. I have provided the perfect album to test this theory out. Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon.




Task







1.To get his greedy little hands on said album by any means necessary.
2. To play said album through the best stereo speakers he has available. NOT MP3 format! LOUD!
3. To make notes on said album, particularly pointing out the subtle sounds he hears, the barely audible blips or voices etc. Take not of track and time.
4. To play said album again except through headphones.
5. Repeat step 3.
6. Compare notes and provide results on differences and also overall how different he found the listening experience. Which was better, how was it different.

Great restaurant ideas

Ethiopian - There are no menus. You are seated and have to wait 48 hours for you meal. Then when you least expect it and trapdoor opens in the roof above you and a box attached to a parachute comes floating down. Standard fare really - jerky, bottled water, uncooked rice and insulin.

New Zealand - raw, uncooked, unkilled lamb.

New Orleans - chefs special -: stir fried homeless on a bed of rancid dog , Nearest location to Melbourne - the Seaford wetlands

Lab Rat Dan - update new moon phase

Here is the current moon phase above as of today. First Quarter -

My current mood has definately changed since yesterday. Particularly Monday and Tuesday I was in a foul mood whereas on the Weekend i was more down/depressed. It was a consistent mood rather than something triggering it. Today on reflection neither of these moods is evident. Very clear headed.

Next phase is the full moon:
Wednesday, 12 April 2006

Beat the machine

William S. Burroughs -

To put the country simple, earth has a lot of things other folks mightwant...like the whole planet. And maybe these folks would like a few changesmade. Like more carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere, and room for their way oflife. We've seen this happen before, right in these United States.

Your way of life destroyed the Indian's way of life.

The Indian reservation is extinction.

But I offer this distinction. I'm with the invaders, no use trying to hidethat. And at the same, I disagree with some of the things they are doing.

Oh were not united anymore than you are
Oh we're not united anymore than you are.

Conservative factions is set on nuclear war as a solution to the Indianpersonality.

Others disagree
Others disagree

I don't claim that my methods are one hundred percent humane, but I do say,if we can't think of anything quieter, and tidier than that...

We are all not that much better than new earth aches.

There is no place else to goThe theater is closed

There is no place else to goThe theater is closed

Cut word lines
Cut music lines
Smash the control images
Smash the control machine

Lab rat Dan - first entry

Since the weekend i have suffered from the downs and also getting angry quite quickly (well angry for me is miffed for most). It is my intention to start plotting this to better understand the frequency and length of these occasions. Mostly i want to look at the phases of the moon and see if it is consistent with them.

Current Moon Phase - New Moon,
Wed Mar 29
20:17

Next Moon Phase -
Wed Apr 5
22:02

I have been reading about this film 'What the bleep'. http://www.whatthebleep.com/ In there is an article on experiments with photographing water - What has put Dr. Emoto at the forefront of the study of water is his proof that thoughts and feelings affect physical reality. By producing different focused intentions through written and spoken words and music and literally presenting it to the same water samples, the water appears to "change its expression". This first picture is 'You Make Me Sick", the second is 'Love and Gratitude'. This is going to take some thought, I mean if we are 3/4 water and these sorts of changes occur depending on the the conditions of our thoughts and actions, there is a whole religion in this. What i would like to do is try the same experiements that this guy has done, purposefully being negative for a week, listening to heavy metal music, then the next week do the opposite. You could keep a diary of everything that happens, food we eat, conversations we have, luck or no luck occuring, how often we need to go to the loo etc.

Also this has links with Yoga practices i have done and could explain why they work so well. When we assist a person by working on their chakras, perhaps it is a combination of our good thoughts, balanced emotions and hand movements doing their work on the water within that person that has consistently improved that persons physical and mental well being.

Oh Allen wherefore art thou?

Saw the clip to this on the weekend and reminded me i have to get Beat reading some more. I highly recommend you get to looking at his work on this great site - http://www.allenginsberg.org/




Keroacs 'On The Road' was a great read. Anyhoo, i love these lyrics-

http://www.hotlyrics.net/lyrics/A/Allen_Ginsberg/Ballad_Of_The_Skeletons.html