The folks at the Thunderbolts Project have posted Thunderbolts of the Gods at Google Video, so the entire 64-minute DVD is now available for you to view online. It'll be there through the month of May, so go and have a look. It's a fascinating perspective on our universe.

Labels: Think Tank

22 May, 2007

Ian Hunter's newest CD is out, and it's definitely a welcome respite from the usual soundalike "alternative music" we're subjected to from the major record companies. This isn't music you're likely to stumble across using those "sounds like" searches on music download sites, nor is it something you'll probably hear blasting from your local classic rock station (unless said station in your area has a more varied playlist than the one here which seems sadly locked into some godawful repeat-loop of Boston's greatest hits). But don't let that discourage the more timid of you from checking it out; Shrunken Heads is one of Hunter's most accessible pieces of work to date and gets better with each listening.

One might expect a 70s legend like Hunter to have settled comfortably into a routine of rehashing old licks and lyrical motifs that worked before, but nothing could be further from the truth. Since going solo after Mott the Hoople, Hunter has not only kept current both musically and ideologically, but has continued to stretch his wings and experiment with new styles and sounds. There are subtle musical allusions to the old days--the glam-chunky opening riff of "How's Your House," for instance--but the effect is one of cheeky nostalgia, and it blends easily with the subtle techno-groove of "When the World Was Round."

As we've come to expect from Hunter, the lyrics cover a spectrum of topics from love and loss to scathing Dylanesque commentary on the current state of affairs with the scales tipped significantly toward the latter on this outing (and with good reason if you've been paying any sort of attention to the unfolding of world events since Hunter's last album). I should note that we're fortunate to have a lyric sheet included in the CD; deciphering the words on some of the older Hunter material was a challenge I always relished, and it kept the music fresh to have some new nugget of poetry emerge on each listen, but with lines as loaded with gleeful sarcasm as the ones on "Fuss About Nothin'," it's great to have the words right there in front of you to make sure he really said what you thought you heard.

Personal favorites from the disc: "Brainwashed" for its playful breaks and eclectic instrumentation, the title track for Hunter's wonderful raspy vocal, "I Am What I Hated When I Was Young" for its hilarious hoedown feel and lyrics about aging ungracefully, and "Stretch" because it's a good, solid, bottom-heavy rocker. I could've done without "Soul of America"--a little too much heartland-style Americana for my taste--but it will undoubtedly appeal to other listeners.

You can hear tracks and order the new CD at the Yep Roc Records site, and find tour dates and more info at the www.ianhunter.com.

Labels: Music

16 May, 2007

Kudos to our hosting service for going green by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits and Carbon Credits to offset the environmental impact of their energy usage. (That's what the little button's all about; you may have seen it on our front page or on other sites.) You can read all about it at this page on the DreamHost site.

Labels: Site Updates, Subversive Ideas

09 May, 2007

"The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way."

--Scottish mountain-climber W.H. Murray in his book Evidence of Things Not Seen: a Mountaineer's Tale

Joe Dispenza made a similar comment in the film What the Bleep Do We Know?!, indicating that when you set your intentions and commit to creating your own reality (even for just one day, or for a few minutes of the day), interesting things begin to happen: small coincidences abound, information you can use is drawn to you, and people who can help are seemingly placed in your path.

Too often we're afraid to announce our intentions to the universe (or even ourselves). We don't want to commit ourselves to the possibility that what we want could actually happen--maybe we've heard too often the cautionary warning, "Be careful what you wish for." We're creatures of uncertainty and vacillation. We want to reserve the right to back out or change our minds.

But committing yourself to something you want or need to happen doesn't mean you aren't allowed to renegotiate later. The universe is flexible. Go ahead and tell it what you want (religions have been doing this for years--they call it prayer, magicians call it casting a spell, but it's the same principle--shh). You can fine-tune your ideas and hammer out the details as you go along.

Think of it as beginning a conversation with the universe. Clarify your intentions, and then watch and listen to see what happens as you go about your day; it could be in the form of a chance encounter, an enlightening dream, a interesting message in your voicemail--but something will happen. The universe is not a silent partner; it will communicate freely with you once you open a dialogue. What will you choose to discuss with it?

Labels: Think Tank

06 May, 2007

Do I need to add that cautionary disclaimer about how you shouldn't try this at home?

How to Build a Flying Saucer (And Other Proposals in Speculative Engineering)

It's now free online, so go ahead and have a look.

Labels: Subversive Ideas, Think Tank

04 May, 2007

We've made a couple of changes to the hub pages on the site which should allow them to load faster for you. Less waiting-around time means more time you can spend looking at what you came here to see, right? Enjoy!

Also, if you're looking for the old "Consciousness Expansion" section, it's been renamed to the "Think Tank." (We had to do something. Someone's consciousness expanded so much, it got too big for their brain.)

Labels: Site Updates

03 May, 2007