Tag Archives: Texas

“Expected Closure” from Underwater Orchestra – Album Review

December 4th, 2012 | Robot, Space

Underwater Orchestra

“Expected Closure” is the 12-song debut album from synth pop band, Underwater Orchestra. I first heard the record a few weeks back on Eklektikos, a great radio show hosted by John Aielli on KUT Austin, and I’ve wanted to do a review ever since. Adrian Croom, an artist hailing from Austin, TX, is the force behind the group, which formed back in 2007.  I’ve been a fan of Adrian’s music since his debut album Sub Яosa was released last year and thankfully, “Expected Closure” didn’t disappoint. This time around, Adrian’s exploding synth melodies are backed by live guitar, drums, trumpet, and violin from a slew of talented artists including Jon McMahan (currently on tour with Caspian), Ira Henderson, Gonzalo Hernando, Roberto Riggio, and Isaac Pena.

“Expected Closure” is a journey, or rather a quest, into the world of alien soundscapes, video game synth, and tribal beats, woven together with the warmth of violin and trumpet.  Many vocal-less albums feel monotonic, but this album faces no such fate.  Songs like ‘Proteus’ with its crashing cymbals and uplifting horns could set the stage for even the most heroic cinematic sequences, while the machine-like march of ‘Intrusion’ might be played at The Singularity by our future robot overlords, and I’ve recently been listening to the acoustic guitar riffs of ‘Vacancy’ as a soft, wakeup jam.  I suppose what I’m trying to say is that this is the type of album you hope to find when sifting through the vastness of the electronic music genre – a wonderfully eclectic collection of songs, from start to finish.

I’m hoping to check these guys out in person sometime in the near future.  They play around the Austin area pretty regularly, and I’ve heard rumors they may have an international tour in the works, so stay tuned.

If you’re interested, you can pick up the album here or learn more about Adrian Croom and the rest of Underwater Orchestra here.

Adrian will also be doing an interview with KUT Austin on December 19th at 10AM, and there is a CD release party planned for Saturday, January 19th, at El Sol y La Luna in Austin, TX.

-RSB

Space Shuttle Endeavour in Austin, TX

September 20th, 2012 | Space

The Space Shuttle Endeavour is currently on its farewell tour from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to its permanent home in Los Angeles.  The shuttle is making historic fly-bys in several major U.
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S. cities, including Houston, Austin, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.  Make sure to head outside and take some photos like the ones above and impress the internet.
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 These are all shots of Endeavour in Austin, TX taken by amateur photographers.

If you happen to be in Los Angeles tomorrow morning, here’s a list of the best Shuttle watching spots:

  • Los Angeles City Hall
  • California Science Center
  • Getty Center
  • Griffith Observatory
  • Queen Mary
  • Long Beach Aquarium
  • Malibu, Venice and Huntington beaches
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Universal Studios

RSB

And here’s one last photo for good measure:

Lecture Ax by Mel Chin

September 12th, 2012 | Brain

Mel Chin is a conceptual artist from Houston, TX who created this incredible Ax from some wood, a book, wax, and pigment.  Here’s Mr. Chin describing his reason for making the Ax (it’s pretty entertaining):

“My very first lecture in New York City was in 1987 and I was nervous because it was at the New School for Social Research. I was paralyzed because I was asked to address graduate students of philosophy and psychology. I was so worried that the philosophers would know that I didn’t know what I was talking about and the psychologists would understand and dig out this buried secret of my early childhood trauma.

Being freaked, I decided to make something.
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I took a two-by-four and cut and ax handle. I took a book and cut out the ax head. I stuffed some notes in there and I sharpened it up and waxed it shut. I wrapped the whole thing in newspaper, went downstairs to the local store, bought a six-pack of Budweiser and went to the lecture. They had placed a U-shaped table in the room and everybody was smoking pipes—a bunch of guys smoking pipes. I sat down and put the newspaper down and I started drinking beer as fast as I could.

After the third beer the head of the school of philosophy said, “Mr. Chin, I think it is time to start” At that moment, being allergic to alcohol, I suddenly turned red. I had a headache and I was already edgy, so I just ripped off the newspaper, picked it up and said,” This an ax!” The head of the psychology department said, “What the fuck you gonna do, man?” I turned around and slammed the ax into the blackboard. It broke apart and the notes fluttered down. I read from the notes. I was still shaking but I was drunk; it didn’t matter.

When the guy from the school of philosophy said, “I’d like to talk a little bit about Plato’s shadows.”I said, “I don’t want to talk about no damn shadows.”He said,”That’s fine, cool, that’s cool.”

Actually, it was a very successful lecture, but the lesson it taught me is that objects are incredibly loaded. Words and human expression can do some of the work yet objects themselves are loaded with a wealth of information and power and possibilities. Even as noted in Homer, “the arrow that strikes Achilles is freighted with dark pain.
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” I call that piece Lecture Ax.”

I am amazed at how closely Chin’s Ax looks to the real thing.  I can understand why the head of the psychology department freaked out when he ripped it out.  And after reading that story,  I am officially a FAN of Mel Chin!
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For more of his work, check out his website: melchin.org

-RSB

“A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us.” – Franz Kafka

‘Lazuli’ by Beach House

June 12th, 2012 | Space

This is a new song titled ‘Lazuli’ from the band, Beach House.  The song was recorded down in Tornillo, Texas at the Sonic Ranch (which looks like a pretty awesome studio by the way).  Apparently, they chose to record in West Texas after being captivated by the area while resting there during a tour.
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Anyway, I hope you enjoy the 80’s space vibes.

-RSB

Texas Eclipse

May 23rd, 2012 | Space

Solar Eclipse in Texas

In case you’re like me and you missed last Sunday’s solar eclipse, here’s a great photo from down in West Texas.  This was shot by a friend of a friend, and I just happened to stumble across it on Facebook.
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Also, here’s a nice timelapse video that catches the whole eclipse in motion made by high school science teacher, Cory Poole:

-RSB