Morningbell - Through the Belly of the Sea (Independently released CD, Progressive pop)
Smooth, melodic pop. The folks in Morningbell write and record dreamy progressive pop that sounds something like a cross between Alex Chilton and the softer side of Pink Floyd. The songs on Through the Belly of the Sea don’t fit in with general trends in twenty-first century music. The songs certainly don’t sound anything like commercial crap…but they also have very little in common with the vast majority of underground pop bands. We always admire bands and artists who follow their own instinctual tendencies rather than following the crowd…and this is most certainly the case with Morningbell. The band consists of Travis Atria, Eric Atria, and Stacie Thrushman. Using traditional instruments, these three individuals have managed to record twelve modern classics that will surely stand the test of time. Top picks: “The Speed of God,” “The Octopus Walks Across the Coral,” Utopian Fantasy at the Center of the Earth,” “Sittin’ On a Bubble.” Recommended. (Rating: 5++)

http://www.babysue.com/2007-May-LMNOP-Reviews.html#anchor3064

As with every college town, one expects an exodus every so often, you know every 4 years or so. However, our group of friends has pretty much stuck around after their graduations to pursue masters, doctorates, or fleeting careers as baristas. Hell, Gainesville is cheap to live in and a great time at that.

However, this year has marked the biggest Exodus that the Morningbell family has endured. In fact, I”d say that most of our friends are leaving this year. The whole Oh No crew is leaving or gone. Swayze is a footnote in the Gainesville music archive (which makes me really sad).

It’s really kinda scary. I don’t know how to feel about it. I feel that for now, the core 3 of us have found how to live in town and be satisfied, but now with everyone leaving, I don’t know what the next year will bring.

Jake is leaving in June too, by the way. We will miss him very much.

As long as the 3 of us are still together, you can count on Morningbell shows. But it’s really starting to get a little weird.

Currently listening : Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots By The Flaming Lips Release date: By 16 July, 2002

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/morningbell/through-the-belly-of-the-sea.htm

we got a D+! and the writer compared us to Phish at least twice, if not more.

Shows you how accurate her ear is. 

My punk rock inner child would most likely punch me in the face for liking this album, but I don’t care.  I can’t recall ever hearing or even seeing a ‘choose your own adventure’ album, so the prospect of receiving this CD was quite exciting to say the least.  Morningbell has never been a band that shies away from clever and original ways to get their music across; this album is a testament to that.  Reading through the cover sleeve will present the listener with vivid instructions and puzzling questions to navigate through 12 tracks dealing with a sub-nautical adventure.  While this is not conducive to a person listening alone while driving their car, it does present a new way to listen to an album at home, and as a fan of the ‘choose your own adventure’ genre of literature as a child, this was actually a lot fun for me.  Musically the album represents a slight departure from their previous releases but heavy Flaming Lips and Beatles influences remain ever present.  That said, this band is a fascinating collection of gifted musicians, and their latest offering creates a unique new way to experience a sound that deserves to be heard. - James Ferreira

http://www.reaxmusic.com/reviews/view/morningbell_-_through_the_belly_of_the_sea-125

That’s right, Orange is releasing “Faster Than Eagles…” as a 7 inch vinyl single with “Octopus” as the B Side.

They should hopefully be done by the May 5th show.

They’ll be uber cheap!

That’s right, Orange is releasing “Faster Than Eagles…” as a 7 inch vinyl single with “Octopus” as the B Side.

They should hopefully be done by the May 5th show.

They’ll be uber cheap!

www.myspace.com/flaminglips !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

also, the review is here http://www.smother.net/reviews/items/punk/1191/Morningbell-Through_the_Belly_of_the_Sea.php

Subtitled a “Choose Your Own Adventure Album”, Morningbell’s latest is just as damn cool as those awesome little books were back in the ’80’s. And they really mean it too. Just take a peek at the liner notes and follow suit, flipping tracks and each time through you’ll have a unique experience and a new take on this hip psych-pop and indie singer/songwriter ballads. As Darth Vader would say, “Impressive…Most Impressive!”
- J-Sin

Today was the last FLips FLorida show.  It was at UF’s Flavet Field.  The place was PACKED.  It was a fun show, but the crowd was too big and the field was flat (very hard to see over everyone in front of you’s heads).

Regardless, this weekend was easily one of the best weekends I’ve ever had. 

Here are some photo’s from Pompano’s show.

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/morning/article.aspx?storyid=52793

click on the links under the picture on the right

 

Travis and I (eric) drove to Orlando’s House of Blues last night to see the first Flaming Lips concert in Orlando since 1994.  We got there 2+ hours before the doors opened to ensure a good standing room spot. 

The HOB (corporate slang for “the most authentic corporate blues bar in the world”) has a “skip the line” policy.  In order to “skip the line” you have to either order an entree from the equally authentic restaurant or purchase $20 worth of merchandise per ticket holder in the HOB corporate gift shop.  The way I look at it is you’re paying 20 bucks for a better seat.  Totally worth it. 

So, Travis and I picked out two $20 shirts and rushed to the checkout counter. “I’m sorry, our shirts are $20 each, but we sell them 2 for $30, you’l have to buy something else,” said the corporate puppet sales person.  “Not if we purchase them separately,” replied the brave anti-corporate concert going hero Eric. 

So, onto the line.  We’re the 11th and 12th people in line.  Awesome!  The best part about flaming lips concerts is that the crowds are usually very laid back and friendly.  This is of course with the exception of the asshole standing a few people behind us who was clealy going to be an asshole all night (see later in the story, he ended up standing next to us). 

So, anyway, some people saw the Lips the previous night in Athens and still had the laser pointers that the Lips handed out at the show.  While the Orlando G staffed HOB security force was assembling, the people behind us were shining the laser pointer at them. 

The HOB security force leader comes up and shakes down the kids behind us. “We know you have a laser pointer, you need to give it to us or get out of here.”  Problem was, they were shaking down the wrong people, it was the group behind these guys.  5 minutes later, the security guy returns with ANOTHER head of security and gives the same shake down shpeel to the next group.  “We know you have a laser pointer, you need to give it to us or get out of here.”  The whole line starts yelling, “You just said the same exact thing to these other guys, what’s your problem.”  The security started yelling about how no one could have a laser pointer because it bothers the performers.  But we kept trying to explain that the BAND GAVE THEM OUT.

Long story short, HOB security is dumb.

So, we get inside and like i said, we’re the 11th and 12th people in the door.  We scope out a sweet spot on the rail overlooking the pit and plant ourselves.  Who wants to stand for 5 more hours?  We get bar stools and chill, enjoying what will be our perfect view of the stage.

Right before the Lips come on, Space Ghost and Spider Man come through the crowd with boxes full of laser pointers.  Travis grabs about 20 to hand out to the group around us.  Awesome.

Return to Mr. Asshole.  So, he ends up standing pretty close to us.  For some reason unbeknownst to sanity, Mr. Asshole and wife keep screaming “STELLLLAAAAAAAA!!!!”  every 30 seconds or so.  Usually, you can’t do anything in this situation, but I now have a laser pointer.  So, for the next 15 minutes or so, whenever he’d yell “STELLLLAAAAAAA,”  i’d shine the laser pointer in his eyes for about 40 seconds.  It was the perfect revenge.  There was no way to tell where the lasers were coming from.  As far as he knew, it was anybody.

Oh yeah, the concert goers kept ganging up laser style on the HOB security staff.  They kept covering them in about 4503452345 million lasers.  poor bastards.

The lips come out, Wayne has his giant hands on and they kick into Race for the Prize.  The band’s familiar projector and movie screen has been replaced by a massive LCD electronic screen that is just buring everyone’s retinas. 

CONFETTI is EVERYWHERE.  They now have confetti cannons that just shoot tons and tons of it into the crowd.  Also, there were so many giant balloons bouncing around that you could barely see the stage.

They then played some bizarre jam on the bridge of Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir and tore through the rest of the set. 

Highlights:

During “Vein of Stars,” the screen had a laser pointer countdown, during which we were instructed to all shine the lasers on Wayne.  5,4,3,2,1… hundreds (thousands?) of laser pointers are shining directly on Wayne.  He has a big mirror held up in front of his face and with that and all the smoke in the room, it’s pretty much a mind blowing effect.  I love how they took the most annoying feature of a large show (a guy with a laser pointer) and made it the most awesome effect ever.

Waiting for a Superman: the show was peppered with anti bushisms and this was probably the most poignant.  Wayne had a bugle that he was pretending to play.  But something was playing Taps, we figured it was the sequencer.  So, Wayne explained that someone invented a bugle prop that has a built in speaker which plays Taps.  The reason for this, he said, is because so many troops are dying and they don’t have enough bugle players to play taps.  So they invented this. 

Do you Realize: Closed the show.  More and more and more and more confetti.

awesome time.

Then we drove 3 hours from Orlando to Hollywood.  Seeing them again tonight. .

Currently listening : Shut Up, You Fucking Baby! By David Cross Release date: By 05 November, 2002

Wow!

So, we get to the venue early.  Not as early as Orlando, but over an hour early.  There are only 5 people waiting.  Awesome.  The much missed south florida breeze was blowing strong and things were looking good.  We determined that Travis was going to dance on stage tonight.  We got great seats (it was general admission, but there are seats there) and waited.

After a little while, we saw the Lips’ stage manager walking around the crowd. Travis was seeing if he could hook him up, but there is another person who is in charge of the costume dancers.  No one will tell you his name or where he is (but I know what he looks like from previous concerts).  So, we’re waiting.  I decide to go to the bathroom and on my way there, I see the guy standing by the railing at the back of the venue. 

“I know alot of people are probably asking you this, but my brother really wants to dance on stage.” 

(phone call made)

“Do we need any more dancers?” “Come see me in 15 minutes.”

15 long long long minutes elapse.  Finally, Travis and I go to find him.  I send T ahead to follow up and he gets a pass.  Then, the guy sees me, not realizing we’re together and gives me one too.  Two Dancing passes!

So, we go backstage and assemble in the dressing area.  Dudes are Santa’s, chicks are Sexy Aliens.  We get suited up and before you know it, we’re being led on stage by Space Ghost.  We get to watch the lips take the stage and once we get on, they kick into Race for the Prize.  Everyone is jumping up and down, confetti is being propelled over our heads into the crowd, and utter Lips craziness is ensuing.

Tonight’s highlight was a crafty young fellow who came to the show dressed in his own Santa outfit.  Halfway thru the set, he somehow crowd surfed from the back of the ampitheater onto the stage.  NO ONE STOPPED HIM!  he spent the rest of the show onstage with us.  GENIUS!  Afterward, he was ready to leave when I told him to come backstage wtih the rest of us.  Totally a christmas miracle for a bunch of santas.

So, now it’s time to get out of the costumes.  Wayne joins the dancers backstage to sign autographs and talk.  He literally talked to every single person for as long as they wanted.  It was great.

We invited him over to our house for dinner on Sunday and I he legitimately considered it. 

Great night.  It’s amazing that these shows keep topping themselves, but they do.  ONe more to go.

a set of rubber testicles.

i mean, seriously.

my truck would be so f’ing red-ro-sexual if it had a big set of blue rubber testes hanging from my trailer hitch.

I mean, come on, how else could I possibly tell the rest of the world that I am THE man around town?

One even hangs slightly lower than the other, just like mine. It’s fixin’ to be so prophetic.

Ladies, if you get in this F-150, you won’t only see my rubber scrotum, but you’ll probably see my dog tags hanging from the rear view mirror (i bought them at the county fair, never actually served active duty in the armed forces), my stetson perched atop the passenger headrest (never actually rode a horse, let alone roped a bronco), and my collection of Kenney Chesney 7-11 Nascar series plastic cups strewn about the cabin floor.

That’s right, my tin of Cope is sittin pretty up in the visor and my cup of spit is sittin in the cup holder.

I am American made.

Currently listening : Love By The Beatles Release date: By 21 November, 2006

The unfinished video

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