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Embryonic
I’ve known of The Flaming Lips for a long time. I vaguely remember seeing them play in Oklahoma in the fall of 1986. Fast-forward twenty-something years and Last.fm is constantly telling me that I need to listen to them. So about 4 months ago I downloaded a few of their albums and totally fell in love. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is so fucking good it instantly became one of my all time favorites.
So here I am, all excited about The Flaming Lips and as luck would have it they were about ready to release a new album – Embryonic. They even had 3 of the tracks already on iTunes which I purchased right away. Then I listened to them. WTF? This didn’t even sound like the same band. On top of that, unlike the beautiful recordings with special headphone surprises of their last few albums, these tracks sounded like they were recorded badly, on a 4-track , in a garage.
Soon after, they started promoting the new album and had the whole thing streaming on the web in a few places. So I gave it a couple of listens but I was still disappointed. My friend Steve says that the first album you really like from a band will usually always be your favorite. I find that’s mostly true. Rarely does a band reinvent themselves and it makes you like them more – after all, you fell in love with the old version. That said, Radiohead certainly did it with Kid A.
So here’s the thing about Embryonic; in my opinion it’s not really a collection of songs. It’s more like one 70 minute epic. Right after it came out 3 weeks ago, I bought it, put it on my iPod and went out running with it. That’s where it finally made sense to me. Once I was able to focus on it and listen to the whole thing – none of the tracks out of context – it began to reveal itself. Now, something like 3 dozen complete listens later, I have to say it’s brilliant. I love it more each time I hear it. It’s without a doubt my favorite Flaming Lips album so far.
I shot this video on my phone yesterday as I drove over the favorite part of my usual running route. “See The Leaves†came on and it felt perfect. I thought I’d try to share it with you.Posted 2 years ago
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NaVloPoMo : Nov 02
Sunday PancakesThe Sprite is a magnificent chef. He loves to cook all the time. On a Sunday he likes to help me make pancakes for all the family. It makes him so happy he literally breaks out into song and theatrics. And funny faces.Published 2 years ago
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Monday night in the library
Day 3 of NaVloPoMo
A stroll from my office, to the reference desk, which is where you will find me working every Monday night in Ohio University's Alden Library.Published 2 years ago
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VloMo09 Day 01: How I Began November
comment & view show notes at hummingcrow.comPublished 2 years ago
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Day 30 - REM 30
Day 30 entry of 30 Days 30 People 30 Videos Project for Navlopomo 2009. This follows a video by Steve Garfield.vimeo.com/7871542videobloggers.mirocommunity.org/category/navlopomo09Published 2 years ago
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Day 28 - Seeing
This is my contribution to the 30 Days 30 People 30 Videos Project for Navlopomo 2009.
This follows a post by Brook Hinton and is followed by a post by Steve Garfield.
Music by: Delmo from ccmixter.com.Posted 2 years ago
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Combat Wombat live at spectrum
I actually made it out to a gig on a Friday night - this is one of my favourite Sydney bands Combat Wombat - they're on my fav Sydney label, elefant traks. they're partly a subversive, hip hop, outdoor party band, & have been running a traveling vege-oil & solar powered van & crew called the "Lab Rats Solar Sound System" which traveled the outback and brought music & mayhem to various outback & Indigenous Australian towns for many years - before the cars were talking about being converted. http://www.myspace.com/labratssolarpoweredsoundsystem Combat Wombat at the Curse ov Dialect album launch 27/11/2009 http://www.elefanttraks.com/chooser.cfm?view=artists&artistId;=81 http://blip.tv/file/2904562Published 2 years ago
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Day 27 - What I Didn't See
Here’s my decidedly lo-fi contribution to the 30 Days 30 People 30 Videos project for Navlopomo 2009. This video follows yesterdays collection of rituals rendered in animated gifs by Jennifer Proctor. Next up: Kerry Brogan.Posted 2 years ago
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Day 26 - Rituals - Animated GIFs
It’s NaVloPoMo ([Inter]National Vlog Posting Month), and this year, thanks to Rupert, a month-long video-chain has been created in lieu of the traditional post-a-video-a-day-all-month insanity. This year, vloggers were asked to sign up for a particular day during November and, based on the video that came before theirs, make and post something for that day. I chose American Thanksgiving, 26 days into the vlogging festivities.
After viewing Trine’s NaVloPoMo video, I started thinking about the rituals we perform to mark moments in time. This Thanksgiving, I didn’t get to see my extended family, and, to my surprise, I found myself particularly missing those traditions that happen year after year. So I decided to document a few little rituals that took place on my holiday: baking, opening the window to the unusually empty street, a long day watching TV specials (this year, a “Band of Brothers†marathon that I only occasionally partook in).
I’ve also been thinking quite a bit about loops lately, and of course the very notion of rituals or traditions implies a loop or cycle, a way of passing on heritage from one generation to the next. These little documents then became loops in the form of animated GIFs - a departure from conventional vlogging, I know, but it seemed the most appropriate form for these little moments to take.
It’s an idea I’d like to explore more - animated GIF as documentary.
Next up: Brook Hinton!Posted 2 years ago
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Day 25 - 3 Generations
Following from Frank's video exploration of Darwin and evolution yesterday, I was inspired to think about generations and families, how they change and evolve over time.
David made a recording of his dad years ago, talking about what life was like when he was young. Listening to it again this morning, I was struck by the fact that he made £2.10 pr week in his first job, less money than I spent on his grandson's birthday cake!
The third generation is a bit more subtle. I'll leave that for you to think about....Published 2 years ago
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#07/30 – 1710 Louis XIV Coin
Some French guy carried this around in his pocket 300 years ago. mind boggling.Posted 2 years ago
