Headphone Trippin'

The new of Montreal album is out! Well, it technically hasnt been released yet, but I am lucky enough to have optimized my "BitTorrenting" at the perfect time. It was recently leaked to the net before its official release date of October 21st. To combat the inevitable leakage, Polyvinyl Records and Kevin Barnes have come up with a really smart marketing scheme. They are releasing 7 different packages that all include a code for an MP3 download. Fans can choose from a T-shirt, Paper Lantern, vinyl, or tote-bag, among other things. It gives people an incentive to buy a copy, rather than just DL it for free. I still think the best thing you can do to support a band is to go see them in concert. Maybe buy a shirt while you're there to show some real love.

Anyway, the album is called "Skeletal Lamping" and it is RIDICULOUS!!! It really is a psychedelic masterpiece. A deeply layered collage of sound. Kevin Barnes is a genius. His super-crispy production, upbeat, catchy pop tunes and humorously poignant lyrics set this album apart from anything else. I wouldn't hesitate to put him up there with the original mad genius of pop music, Mr. Brian Wilson. They both have an innate understanding of what makes up that beautiful and deep pop sound.

After doing some research and reading recent interviews and blogs, i've found some interesting information that allow for a deeper appreciation of the album. First off, lamping is type of hunting where a hunter puts up a really bright spotlight. Then, said hunter turns it on and when the animals freeze and begin to runaway, they shoot to kill. So the albums is called Skeletal Lamping, Barnes said he basically wanted to write and record all the crazy ass thoughts in his head and "lamp" his skeletons. "This record is my attempt to bring all of my puzzling, contradicting, disturbing, humorous fantasies, ruminations and observations to the surface, so that I can better dissect and understand their reason for being in my head." He definitely has some deep seeded stuff going on. But dont we all.

About two years ago, Barnes gave Outback Steakhouse permission to use a version of one of his songs (Wraith Pinned to Mist...) for an ad campaign, thinking it would be funny to hear how they changed it to sell terrible steaks and bloomin' onions. He said he was kinda hurt by the all the people who called him a sell out and he made a conscious effort to make this album as crazy and off the wall as he could. A way to say, "See, im no sellout". He definitely succeeded.

Barnes also said the album is kinda pieced together like a collage, taking different songs and putting them together to make one single song that really doesnt go together, but kinda does. A way to keep listener on their toes, unable to know where the song will go next. He considers most of todays music to be far too predictable and wanted Lamping to be as surprising as possible. Honestly, my jaw dropped a few times during my first time through.

If you could see sound, Skeletal Lamping would look like the artwork of Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol combined. Totally surreal and unapologetically pop. I really cant say enough about it. It sounds amazing, its unbelievably original, avante-garde, and over the top. Highlights include the opening track 'Non-Pareil of Favor'. It starts off as a sunny love song, suddenly plunging into distorted, guitar pounding noise-rock, and then seamlessly moves into a beautiful, harmonious melody. 'Wicked Wisdom" again starts relatively normal, eventually stepping into a nasty breakbeat with sick harmonies, then into a very Lennon-esque Magical Mystery moment. By far, the best track of the album is 'St. Esquisite's Confession'. It begins very 'Freedom of 76' but shifts into some of the dirtiest, stankiest, evilest funk ever. With some psychedelic lyrics like "Seduced a dream back to the surface. Clarified my empty elephant thoughts, some beautiful deaths." At least, thats what i think he says.

Some might say of Montreal's music is corny or cheesy, but one mans gross corny cheese is another's delicious cheesy corn. i can see why some people might not like it, its total wierdo pop. But thats why i friggin love it. I recommend you kick back, put one some headphones and enjoy the trip.

Serious Political Discourse

That is all.

This is your Captain Speaking

The other night i was at home, fairly tired after a long day, watching a late night comedic television program. Suddenly realizing i had to pee, i stood up, went into the bathroom and began to evacuate my bulging bladder. Not thinking anything. Simply enjoying urination. The next thing i know, im face to face with my mirror self brushing his teeth. What the? I had no thought or plan to do so. I wasn't even going to bed just yet. It was as if my brain was on autopilot, hinting that it wanted to go to bed. Bed before our Moment of Zen? What an idiot. 

Fascinated by my brains ability to control my body without my expressed written consent, i googled "brain autopilot" with one super interesting result. In 2004, Science Daily published an article about a literal Brain Autopilot experiment. This idea immediately made me imagine an oversized brain wearing a pilot's cap, standing in front of the cockpit, thanking the departing passengers for flying JetBlue next to a cute stewardess curtly saying "BuhBye". But thats neither here nor there. 

The article describes an experiment held by scientist Thomas DeMarse at the University of Florida. He created a "brain" comprised of a living network of rat brain neurons to help study the brain at the cellular level. "If we can extract the rules of how these neural networks are doing computations like pattern recognition, we can apply that to creating novel computing systems." Basically, he wanted to learn why and how the brain is able to be so fast and flexible, easily processing tasks that a computer is incapable of doing. 

He put these neurons in a petri dish, connected them to electrodes, and they eventually form a living network. He then connected this "brain" to a flight simulator. The simulator reacts to the brain the same way our bodies would, by receiving and interpreting signals. The neurons were given info about proper flight conditions. When they connected the brain to the simulator, it obviously didnt know what to do at first. But as the plane flies off kilter the data is read by the brain and it sends different signals out, processing the feedback. Over time it slowly corrects the flight pattern and gradually learns to fly. 

All of this is on a very basic level, and any serious thought of using this technology is years away. But the article was written in 2004, so they may have already made some more progress. Either way, this is all very interesting dont you think?