The Asteroid No.4
"These Flowers Of Ours - A Treasury Of Witchcraft And Devilry"
2008, The Committee To Keep Music Evil
Beyond the Allmusic comments about the liner notes, which are amusing (something about a shrine to shoegaze, and rolling joints on a Teenage Fanclub record?), this record is, in the words of my grandmother, pretty fuckin' good. One of the few "Psychedelphia" (...) scene bands, the Asteroid No.4 is actually very close to the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Not just because they share the same label, which was created by Anton Newcombe, BJM's sad sad leader (go see DIG! right now) but also because they do share the 60's revivalist aspect. However, when the BJM looses itself in drug induced laments (some of which quite nice), the Asteroid fittingly decides to stick with the Hawkwind and looses itself in the outer parts of extraterrestrial vacuum. They're still fueled by drugs though.
"Let It Go" starts with a jangly Rickenbacker playing a song reminiscent of the good old Byrds. Echoed drums kick in, that's when you start taking off. And you're not stopping eight miles high. The guitars send you to infinity and beyond, paying attention to the lyrics is probably an interesting thing to do. I didn't, and I'm perfectly fine with it. Perfect song to stick your cheek to a cold window while riding shotgun in a car driving through a forest. A sunset, thermos of tea and headphones would be nice. Close your eyes for the finish, then remember that you are probably just going to your nice but boring Aunt's country house someplace you never remember the name of. Yeah, too bad...
I'm not going to do that with every song, I'm sure you get the gist (what the hell is this word? According to Merriam Webster, it ironically is a word of Anglo-French origin) of things that are happening on this record. So pick an hour of the next sunny day, choose your most hipster-esque pair of sunglasses (if you're a normal person and have one pair, those'll do fine), headphones, your favorite music playing device and lie down on the ground. Listen to this while looking at clouds move, with the wind tingling your nose. You'll probably enjoy it.
Allmusic Review
Asteroid No.4 Myspace
The Flaming Lips, With Stardeath & The White Dwarfs
2010, Warner Bros "Covered" Compilation
"Borderline"
2009 Flaming Lips & Stardeath and White Dwarfs - Borderline from George Salisbury on Vimeo.
George Salisbury, I love you. Figuratively. Fucking Bastard.
"Wayne and I knocked this one out fast. 1 day of prepping the animations in After Effects, 1 day of shooting and a 1 day edit/finish."
Well, Wayne & George, let me tell you something, from the bottom of my heart: Woody and I think you two are pretentious geniuses.
1) a Madonna cover? Really?
2) "knocked this one out fast": do you have to rub in our faces that this video was easy to make? Also, do my ears look like a boxing ring?
I guess they do. Because that song did knock me out (pardon the horrible transition), and the clip's not half bad either. No matter how wrong covering Madonna is, when you make it that good, you deserve the momentary genius appellation of non-controlled origin. The pretentious part has three reasons: the two mentioned above, and the fact that it will hopefully attract people who like using this word directly to this blog.
Back to the music?
Yes: This song, of which I've never heard the original version by that other blond girl, starts out smoothly. The 6 or 7 buddies playing on this song are the Flaming Lips, and Stardeath & The White Dwarfs, which basically are their roadies-turned-musicians friends. The happy gang progressively reunite with the 3 guys starting the song, like it's something they do all the time...
"Hi,
-silent nod-
Do you mind if I join on
-silent nod-
I just happen to walk by, opened the door of your garage and thought your weird UFO looking instrument sounded pretty chill..."
-silent "I totally agree slight smug smile" that quickly turns back to an emotionless stare and nod-
Wokay."
Wayne, sporting quite the jacket, serenades some smooth slightly echoed lyrics that sound like they were written by some 90's pop singer. Then its all uphill from there. Remember how Godspeed You! Black Emperor build up then continuously explode for 25 minutes? Well, here it is done in 6. With a Madonna song. It makes your ears
Ah, Flaming Lips. If only all your songs could be as good as your Madonna covers.
Flower Travellin' Band
"Satori"
1971, Japan: Atlantic Records; US: GRT Records, Reedited by Pheonix Records and Warner Music
When I started writing about this CD, I ended up having about 3 pages worth of ranting. Honestly, its not worth that much. So let's keep this short and sweet.
-Sure, Julian Cope mentions them in Japrocksampler.
-Sure, they were doing what Eternal Elysium, Boris and Acid Mother Temple have done for the past few years (i.e. taking what sounds innovative in the US and putting them to the nth power) 39 years ago.
-Sure, they're better than Blue Cheer. At least as good as Black Sabbath on their good moments, and like a groovier, thicker, instrumental Amon Duul II.
But when some band named Foals kicks in after that CD and sounds better then them, I can't stick with the "this is a lost masterpiece that deserves to be rediscovered" act. Worth a listen, even worth having if you're willing to get the CD or risk illegally downloading it (more ranting about legally downloading later). But in the "seventies
...
JNCT
