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papermoonloveslucy · 1 year

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THE WILD BLUE YONDER!

Lucy & Aviation

Thanks to Orville and Wilbur Wright, the world became a smaller place and travel by air become as commonplace as train or car travel. Lucille Ball and her many characters had lots of reasons to take to the ‘friendly skies’ - here are just a few.

Orville and Wilbur Wright were inventors and pioneers of aviation. In 1903 the Wright brothers achieved the first powered, sustained and controlled airplane flight; they surpassed their own milestone two years later when they built and flew the first fully practical airplane. The Wrights were mentioned several times in the Lucyverse:

Olin Howland (Mr. Skinner in “First Stop” 1955) ~ As a young man he learned flying from the Wright Brothers.

“Speech for a Civic Organization” (1949) ~ Liz intends to speak about the Wright Brothers, despite her favorite husband’s objections.

“The Good Years” (1962) ~ Orville and Wilbur were mentioned in the special starring Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda.

“Swing Out Sweet Land” (1970) ~ Rowan and Martin played the Wright Brothers and Lucy voiced the Statue of Liberty in John Wayne’s TV special celebrating American history.

As a busy radio, film and television star, Lucille Ball was constantly photographed boarding and disembarking from aircraft.

1930′s ~ Young model Lucille Ball holds a model airplane for a photo shoot.

May 1938 ~ Publicists created fascinating and completely untrue backgrounds for Hollywood stars. In this article, Monroe Lathrop claims that Lucille Ball was a skilled aviatrix who shot crocodiles while flying over a jungle river.

“On a visit to Colombia, Lucille, avid for new adventure, went with friends Into the jungle, meeting a flood that had swollen the streams and overrun the banks with huge crocodiles. Instead of heeding the natives' warning, Lucille went to wireless station, ordered an airplane and rifles, and spent a day pumping lead into the big green saurians. Natives rewarded her with a generous helping of crocodile steak later.”

Five Came Back (1939) ~ Nine passengers from all walks of life and a crew of three take off from Los Angeles, bound for Panama City, but a sudden storm blows them off course and causes the plane to crash in the Amazon jungle. Lucille Ball played passenger Peggy Nolan. The B film helped Ball launch an A list career.

1940s ~ Lucille Ball posing in a biplane cockpit.

June 1943 - Newspapers reported that Jimmy Cagney had christened a B-17 bomber named The Lucille Ball. After it was scrapped due to battle damage, a second bomber was christened The Lucille Ball in 1944.

A Woman of Distinction (1950) ~ Lucille Ball appears in a cameo as herself, a jet-setting film star, in this Rosalind Russell / Ray Milland film.

“Return Home From Europe” (1956) ~ To get back to New York in time to play the Roxy, the Ricardos and Mertzes fly home from Europe, rather than go by ship. Unable to whittle down her luggage allowance, Lucy is intent on smuggling a cheese aboard, disguising it as a baby.

There are establishing shots of Pan American World Airways (PAA) President Clipper Service. The Clipper in the insert shot is named Bald Eagle. There are two insert shots of Pan Am aircraft: one taking off, and one in mid-flight. The DC-7C (nicknamed “seven seas”) first entered service for Pan Am in December 1955 and was dubbed “the zenith of piston-engine technology.” Pan Am had 27 DC-7Cs flying during 1956. By 1958, jet travel began to overtake propeller airplanes.

The interior of the aircraft was recreated on the Desilu soundstage. The PAA logo is visible on blankets and tote bags, items provided by Pan Am for the use of their name and images of their aircraft as well as possible other promotional consideration.

“The Ricardos Visit Cuba” (1956) ~ While in Miami, the gang flies to Havana to visit Ricky’s family.

The gang once again flies Pan American Airways, the same carrier they took home from Europe. The airline folded in 1991.

As with their previous flight, there is an establishing shot of the plane in the air and the interior was recreated on the Desilu soundstage. The set is basically the same one used in “Return Home from Europe”. It also features PAA branded promotional items.

“Lucy Goes To Alaska” (1959) ~ The Ricardos and Merztes fly to the brand new state of Alaska, where Ricky and Fred have bought some land and Ricky is doing a TV show with Red Skelton. Although the action is set in and around Nome, the second unit footage was filmed in Lake Arrowhead, California, about 100 miles from Hollywood. The exteriors were done with doubles and none of the regular cast left their newly-purchased Desilu (formerly RKO) Studio.

To get from Westport CT to Nome AK, the gang first flies United Airlines, then transfers to Alaska Airlines. There is establishing footage of both planes in mid-flight.

The set features a couple of travel posters for Alaska Airlines, enticing viewers to visit the 49th state for tourism. In the second half of the hour, a small propeller plane is introduced to rescue Red and Lucy from a blizzard.

RED: “What’s that blue stuff?” ESKIMO PILOT: “Sky.” LUCY (To Red): “You act as though you’ve never seen sky before.” RED: “I haven’t. I live in Los Angeles.”

The plane is buried in a snowbank. Lucy pays an eskimo pilot $100 to fly her and Red to safety.

While the plane in the snowbank was filmed in the Hollywood studio, the safe landing was done at Lake Arrowhead using actor doubles.

“The Ricardos Go To Japan” (1959) ~ The final time we see the gang airborne is on a trip to Japan. Although there is a poster for Japan Airlines (JAL) in the airport...

According to the establishing footage of the jet in mid-air, the foursome travels on United Airlines.

The Facts of Life (1960) ~ The film about two marrieds flirting with infidelity has Kitty Weaver (Lucille Ball) waiting at the airport where a United Airlines jet can be seen on the tarmac in the background.

“Mr. & Mrs.” aka “The Lucille Ball Comedy Hour” (1964) ~ A comedy special in which Lucille Ball plays the head of a studio trying to track down Bob Hope to star in a show about husband and wife television stars. The first half concerns Lucy's tracking the elusive Hope all around the world. In San Francisco, there is establishing footage of a jet landing which was supplied courtesy of TWA, a carrier that went out of business in 2001.

“The Victor Borge Comedy Theatre” (1962) & “Lucy Flies To London” (1966) ~ The unaired pilot for an unsold comedy anthology series hosted by Borge featured a sketch starring Gale Gordon and Lucille Ball as two strangers on a plan.

It was filmed before “The Lucy Show” paired the two as a comedy duo. In the pilot, the characters were strangers. Gordon played a businessman and Ball a neurotic first-time flyer.

When it came time for Lucy Carmichael to fly to London for the special “Lucy in London”, the writers realized they could recycle the script from the un-aired pilot for “The Lucy Show” episode. The dialogue is nearly identical, now with the added context that Mr. Mooney and Lucy are boss and secretary.

“Lucy in London” (1966) ~ An hour-long special set in England and filmed on location. The sequence involving Lucy de-planing from the Pan Am clipper jet had to be accomplished in between flights already on the tarmac at Heathrow. No planes were available to be grounded for a day of shooting. Coincidentally (or perhaps not) Pan Am was also the carrier when Lucy Ricardo flew home from Europe and from Miami to Havana on “I Love Lucy.”

“Viv Visits Lucy” (1967) ~ To greet her old friend, Lucy meets her at the airport, where a backdrop shows jets on the tarmac. Lucy looks up and sees Viv’s flight approaching.

LUCY: “Oh, look! Someone’s hanging out of the plane. It look like Viv!” PILOT: “That’s the landing gear.” LUCY: “Oh.”

“Little Old Lucy” (1967) ~ When the 90 year-old president of the bank (Dennis Day) is in town and needs an escort to the bank’s banquet, Lucy is volunteered. Lucy and Mr. Mooney meet him at the airport, where jets can be seen in the background.

“Lucy and Carol Burnett: Part 1 & 2″ (1967) ~ Lucy and Carol Tilford (Carol Burnett) sign up to be flight attendants, then put on a variety show celebrating aviation. They are employed by the fictional Globe World Airlines.

Instead of asking bachlor GWA VP Mr. Brenner if he would like coffee, tea or milk, Lucy says “coffee, tea or me”! Earlier in 1967, the book Coffee Tea or Me? was published. It was the alleged memoirs of two stewardess and their romantic and sexual escapades in the air. The popularity of this book may be the reason for this episode.

Frustrated by Lucy and Carol's bungling, Mr. Brenner (Rhodes Reason) says “Is this any way to run an airline?” The line gets a huge reaction from the studio audience. In 1963 a National Airlines TV commercial featured a flight attendant asking “Is this any way to run an airline? You bet it is!” In 1966, singer Tom Paxton wrote and recorded a song with the same title.

In Part Two, their musical salute to aviation features Buddy Rogers and Richard Arlen, stars of the very first Academy-Award winning motion picture Wings (1929), a movie about flight. Coincidentally, on the same day this airline-themed episode premiered, the supersonic Concorde was unveiled in France. Also on this date, newspapers announced the crash of a twin-engine plane in Madison, Wisconsin that killed recording star Otis Redding and six others.

The revue ends with “The Army Air Corps Song” with flight attendants and college boys perched on the wings of a bi-plane.

“Lucy and the Great Airport Chase” (1969) ~ Filmed entirely on location at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Lucy and Harry get caught up in chasing down spies. Part of the chase takes them onto the tarmac with the jets.

A Douglas DC-8-52 of United Airlines is on the right and Douglas DC-8-54AF Jet Trader of United Airlines Jet Freighter is in the background.

“The Carol Burnett Show” (1969) ~ In a sketch, Lucy and Carol play flight attendnts and Harvey Korman plays a mysterious passenger with a Fidel Castro-like beard, cigars tucked in his breast pocket, and a Spanish accent. When this episode was aired, hijackings were in the news.

“Lucy, the Sky Diver” (1970) ~ Trying to show her kids how dangerous their hobbies are, Lucy jumps from a plane! Although there is second unit location footage of the plane and Lucy floating down on her parachute, Lucille Ball remained at the studio with a recreation of the aircraft and a simulated parachute.

“Lucy, the Part-Time Wife” (1970) ~ Lucy and Harry go to the airport to meet an old flame of his (Carole Cook). The airport background shows jets on the tarmac.

“Lucy Helps David Frost Go Night-Night” (1971) ~ Lucy takes an assignment accompanying David Frost on a transatlantic flight so that he can get some rest. Thanks to Lucy, his flight is anything but restful! The first class section of a 747 was recreated for the episode.

The jet seen in the stock footage of the airport is a Pan Am Boeing 747 with an upper deck first class lounge.

David Frost reckons that he has taken 346 air trips or traveled 1,853,000 miles!

Mame (1974) ~ At the end of the film, Auntie Mame waves goodbye to Patrick, has she flies off to her next adventure.

“Lucy Gets Lucky” (1975) ~ Although Lucy Collins took the bus to Las Vegas to see her favorite star Dean Martin, at the end of the special she flies off into the sunset with him on his private jet. Dreams come true!

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astrosky33 · 11 months

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𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐈 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐑

ABOUT ME

Hello! I’m Skylar if you’re new to my page and I got my diploma in astrology from Kepler College (the #1 best astrology school in the world)

I’ve been studying astrology for over a decade now as well and these are the books I recommend

☆ BEGINNER BOOKS ☆

The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need by Joanna Woolfolk

Goes over all the basic information for beginners and has interpretations written in as well. In the beginning of the book it focuses a lot on Sun Signs but gives more insight on other placements later in the book don’t worry

Astrology for the Soul by Jan Spiller

Another great book for beginners. I like the interpretations

The Inner Sky by Steven Forrest

Written by a very renowned astrologer. He goes over signs, aspects, etc and breaks them all down really well

You were born for this by Chani Nicholas

I love how this book goes over how to use astrology in your daily life and isn’t just cookie cutter definitions of placements like many other books. It’s also interactive and you can write in some pages which is always fun. It’s one of my favorite books for beginners

Aspects in astrology by Sue Tompkins

This is a great book for people curious about what each aspect means and how they can manifest into your life

☆ INTERMEDIATE BOOKS ☆

Predictive Astrology by Michele Adler

This book is definitely worth the price. It gives lots of information on techniques you can use to make predictions in astrology. It’s based on Western Astrology

The Art of Predictive Astrology by Carol Rushmam

Another great predictive astro book that talks about how to make predictions based on transits in your chart

Medical Astrology by Judith Hill

This is a great book with information on body part astrology and medical information. Although I do want to note when reading this do not be afraid if you share one of the transits that the public figures mentioned had during their health issues arising as astrology is a polarity. Meaning you can take on positive traits rather than the challenging ones often

☆ ADVANCED BOOKS ☆

Asteroid Goddesses by Demetra George

Goes over all the major asteroids in astrology. This can help you a lot if you’re interested in learning basic information on asteroids

Planets in Composite by Robert Hand

There are not many books out there on Composite compatibility so out of all of them this is my favorite even though it’s very basic it’s still a good read if you’re learning about Composite charts

The Psychology of Astrocartography by Jim Lewis

This is the best book about astrocartography I’ve found so far and very informative. The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that the print is really small. It’s amazing other than that though

☆ OLD AGE ASTRO BOOKS ☆

Mastering Traditional Astrology by Mychal A. Brian

If you’re more interested in old age astrology then this is an amazing read. You can purchase it on Amazon

Astrology of the Tree by David Frawley

This is great for beginners in vedic astrology and goes over all the basics. Really anything by David Frolly is great if you want to learn about vedic

The Nakshatras; the Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology by Dennis Harness

It’s a short read and goes over all the meanings of all the nakshatras

Light on Relationships by Hart De

A very comprehensive read that goes over synastry in Indian astrology. It gives lots of interesting techniques that can give insight on future marriages as well

Mayan Calender Astrology by Kenneth Johnson

This is extremely hard to comprehend so don’t purchase if you’re new to astrology. Even I had to read it a few times to fully get it. It discusses the astrology that the egyptians wrote in their hieroglyphics

☆ BOOKS I STUDIED FOR MY DIPLOMA ☆ [these aren’t all of them just some of my faves]

Sky and Psyche; the relationship between cosmos and consciousness by Nicholas Campion and Patrick Curry

This is an extremely underrated book and one of my favorites by far. This book goes over not just meanings of the planets, houses, synastry aspects, etc but also why the planets manifest in certain ways

The planetarization of consciousness by Dane Rudhyar

This one isn’t a basic overview like the other books I’ve mentioned it’s more psychological type astrology which I found really interesting

History of western astrology volume 1 & 2 by Nicholas Campion

This goes over how astrology has been used throughout history and why it was used in the past

☆ OTHER ASTRO BOOKS ☆

Moonology by Yasmin Boland

This is a manifestation astrology book. It gives an amazing story about the authors life before using astrology and manifestation and how it impacted them. Great for learning how to manifest using the moon cycles and astrology

The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes by Theodora Lau and Laura Lau

My favorite Chinese astrology book. There isn’t many good ones out there

Birth Time Rectification by Paul Manley

There are some things I would’ve added to this book that weren’t mentioned but other than that it’s pretty good in helping find the right birth times using vedic astrology

<- 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧

#astrology books #astro books #astrology help #astro community #astrology #zodiac #astro placements #astrology tumblr #astro chart #birth chart #asteroid astrology #mars #mars astrology #planets in astrology #houses in astrology

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youremyheaven · 27 days

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I'm the mantra purusha anon 💫

To detail a little bit on the practice, it is recommended by David Frawley in his book Mantra yoga and the primal sound. Claire insists a lot in her course to implement the practice in a daily routine as it is supposed to bring awareness about yourself, your false limitations, etc.

So as it presents, mantra purusha consists in decorating your body with mantra sounds. For each part of your body, you recite a beej mantra associated with the mantra of a deity that you choose/Claire recommended for you. In her lesson, Claire says that doing mantra purusha is the best way to gain in magnetism and beauty as it generates an healthy astral body that improves your physical one (if that's make sense 🤔). I've been doing mantra purusha for several weeks now and tbh I've seen great results.

As an ashlesha girl, I struggle A LOT to feel abundant and secure when sharing my energy with others and sometimes it's dangerous mindset to have because I tend to be a bit vampiric and this tendency can turn a healthy relationship into a toxic one😬 Since Claire's course is focused on accumulating sexual energy to build a strong spiritual foundation, it has really helped me to feel more "grounded". I know you have your thoughts concerning her course 😭 but really, it depends on your goals (beauty, spirituality, or anything else).

From my experience, I would recommend it !

If you have other questions I'm happy to help 🩵

TYSM for replying!! <33 love u<33

i have worked with mantras but the concept of chanting a beej mantra for each part of the body is entirely new to me. i'm assuming deities are assigned on the basis of our moon nakshatra? but how does one pick several deities for different body parts?? could you elaborate? 🥺

wait, how do you accumulate sexual energy? through chanting or has she suggested other practices??

i mean the only thing that irks me is her appropriation of hinduism and the male centricity of her videos. i dont think a course that helps one cultivate beauty or magnetism is problematic tho<3

that's sooo great!!! im happy you're seeing changes<33 esp the Ashlesha nature of being energetically restrictive, you have fully sold me on the course by saying it helps you feel grounded bc ik how hard that can be as an Ashlesha native.

if you don't mind👀 what are other practices that claire recommends?? claire's beauty journey is sooo magical to me, im dying to know more 😩🥺

thank you so much for taking the time out to let me and the others know about mantra purusha<333 hope you have a good day<333

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father-of-the-void · 7 months

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The modern view of the development of human civilization is far removed from the evolution of man according to the system of Yoga. The modern idea of civilization developing gradually through the growth of technology and scientific thinking contradicts the yogic point of view which rather sees culture as having been originally formulated and passed down by sages ... If the essence of civilization is technology then the modern view may be right, but if it is the culture of spirit, it is quite wrong. By my interpretation civilization was founded by yogis, seers and sages.

— David Frawley

#seven sages #the seven sages #seven rishis #the seven rishis #yoga #yogic #hindu #hinduism #sanskrit #spiritual #civilization

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mapimariposa · 8 months

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how did you learn anything about spirituality and vedic astrology, as someone interested? where and how did you find your guru or school/course for it?

i learned Jyotish with a teacher that just came to me at the right time, i wasn't actively searching for it. if you want to learn about Jyotish i suggest Joni Patrys university or David Frawley's books on it if you live in the west. if you speak spanish i suggest la ciencia del karma by daru krishna das. if you live in the east i suggest Prash Trivedi but maybe he has an online course . as for spirituality, i suggest nish (the link is attached) . if you join his patreon you can join a discord community and have all your questions answered. it's always a good idea to search for a spiritual community wherever you live and outside of the internet, but it's not always realistic . you can find some through pujas happening around you . if you're more into western magick you can find some through your local esoteric shops if u live in a small town or through ritual events like full moon rituals eclipse rituals etc on eventbrite.. i don't have a guru nor am i "initiated" into any specific tradition . hope that helped xx

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rikastrology · 1 year

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Mediastrology - Joel Miller (The Last of Us)

Used the show birth date September 26 1987 (+ noon as his hypothetical birth time & Arlington TX as birth place from his bio)

Ardhra Moon

Whenever I picture Ardhra Nakshatra, I think of monsoon clouds. From the distance they look weightless, hovering miles above us, yet weigh tons and can bring havoc.

Ardra's lord Rudhra, described in texts as "frightening to behold", balances on this thin line between destruction and preservation. One is just as likely to drown from the summer rains as they are to be saved by them. Ardhra is, like the monsoon, inevitable. Like rains uncovering buried objects, they always end up getting to the root of the matter.

Rudhra natives tend to be courageous, with piercing gazes and a hefty dose of sarcasm. They tend to be more cynical than the people around them, often assuming the worst will happen as a coping mechanism. Their lives, like cloudbursts, often change drastically over short periods of time.

Uttara Phalguni Sun

According to David Frawley's writings, Uttara Phalguni placements tend to be noble in nature, at least to their allies. Ruled by Surya, they're headstrong and set in their ways.

At worst, they can be proud, arrogant, overly critical, and resentful. Additionally, this tendency towards hubris often ends up being their downfall. Uttara Phalguni suns especially have the karmic task to learn humility and to rely on others.

Chitra Mercury

Chitra's Lord Twashtar (the celestial architect) governs organized production, and tend to be better doers than talkers. These placements make great creators of any kind, such as artisans, mechanics, musicians, carpenters, etc.

Chitra placements (especially Mercury!) are known for speaking without thinking haha. Not very good at verbalizing their emotions, even to themselves.

Chitra's are also fighters, I like to call them the "David" placement relating to the David and Goliath story. They tend to be underdogs, and often have issues with authority figures (unless they are the authority figure in question).

Another important Chitra theme is their love for their children. Chitra's central desire is "To have wonderful children" and their lives often feel bleaker without them. This energy can of course present in many different ways irl, such as through pets, cared-for objects, vocations, students, or being a fantastic aunt/uncle/older sibling/mentor for another's children

Anuradha Rising

Anuradha is all about sacrifice - what we can do to serve the people around us. However, these individuals can sometimes develop a sense of resentment for their constant sacrifices. They might ask, "why is it always me taking care of them? why can't they meet me in the middle?

The perfect second-in-command, they're better at taking orders than giving them. Even when Anuradha risings end up taking supreme leadership, they often secretly defer to others for guidance, and most cool-voiced, charismatic Anuradha placements often have imposter syndrome behind closed doors.

Anuradha's power is worship, and worshiping something placed high above necessitates belief in something far below. Anuradhas fear shadows behind every corner. Anuradha placements are often their own worst critics, and are known to be "wrathful in defeat".

#will be analysing ellie next!#astrology #astro #vedic #nakshatras #the last of us #tlou #tlou2 #joel #pedro pascal #joel miler #ardhra #up #chitra #anuradha #astro community #astro notes #mediastrology

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zerogate · 2 years

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But the space within the heart is the most marvelous of all things. The space within the heart contains everything. The entire universe is there, all time and space, and all creation. Past, present and future are there. All our memories, the memories of all things, and all that we could become rest in perfect harmony within it. The fulfillment of all wishes is there. There to see is to be and to be everything and always. All worlds and all creatures dwell in that inner space, woven into a lotus, from the infinitesimal to the infinite. The key to the fulfillment of all wishes is not to pursue them externally but to look for their essence in that space within.

That inner space is full of light like a thousand rising suns. It contains the inner Sun of pure consciousness, of which the outer sun is but a reflection. It holds the inextinguishable flame of our own being, the soul’s awareness that persists throughout all our incarnations. In our souls we all dwell around that inner fire like children around their mother, the flame providing nourishment to all. There the original life-force abides that gives vitality and hope to all creatures.

Life dwells in the space within the heart, not merely our personal life, but all life throbbing, pulsating and vibrating everywhere. Our true Self dwells in the space within the heart, ever at peace, far removed from all the worries of the mind and all the strife of the ego. The space within the heart is our true home, in which we can let everything go, including our body and our identity, and become completely free.

-- David Frawley, Vedantic Meditation

#quotes

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placeoftheclearlight · 7 months

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We should no longer seek to overcome our pain but to cultivate our joy.

- Dr. David Frawley

#Dr. David Frawley #Ayurveda and the Mind #Ayurveda

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goodbysunball · 10 months

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Four du jour

Flailing wildly to keep up with music and the embarrassing stacks of sealed records piling up. Here’s an effort to slow down and pay more attention to what’s in house - some really great stuff within. Dig if you will:

Famous Mammals, Instant Pop Expressionism Now! LP (Siltbreeze)

The Bay Area's Famous Mammals follow-up their self-released cassette with an LP on Siltbreeze, a fine pairing if there ever was one. Much like that cassette, the band channels some of the greats - Swell Maps, the Fall, the first two Pere Ubu records - and wraps it up in the warmth of late '80s/early '90s home recorded cassettes. At 18 tracks, this is a bit of a strain on the ol' attention span, but the band seemingly can't stop writing good-to-great tracks, so why not? My favorites are when they get a little stormy and aggressive ("Comets for Poets," "Empty London" and "Quips In Print") and the experimental tracks littered throughout, some instrumental ("Metal Forest") and some not, like Amber Sermeno's great performance over the nimble guitar line on "Charmed Effects" or the absurd and quotable "Crayon World." There is definitely a sense that the Mammals are repeating themselves over 18 tracks, also like the cassette: "Let the Light In," "Soul Without Sound," "Like a Shadow" and "Parachute Traction Excites!" have a lot of overlap, the distorted jangle on each reminding me of the next, even after many runs through. All of these tracks are pleasant enough, with "Like a Shadow" likely emerging as the most pop moment on the record, but they can also sound like filler when placed next to more adventurous tracks. On a record full of questionable sequencing, only one moment stands out as egregious: the steely deadpan of "Thou Art Abstract" falling face first into "Cotton Boy Tuesday" and its goofy nursery rhyme vocal melody, bringing the record to a dead stop only four tracks in. Its two minutes pass and the record regains momentum a few minutes later with "Empty London" and never looks back. I'm unsure if I've listened to Instant Pop Expressionism Now! so much in an attempt to grasp at some hidden thread or because of the record's magnetism; but, I can say that the best tracks, isolated or within the LP's context, are some of the year’s best.

Martin Frawley, The Wannabe LP (Trouble In Mind)

Been back and forth on whether or not to write about Martin Frawley's second LP, The Wannabe, but it's been played much too often in my house to brush aside anymore. Frawley was once a member of Twerps, went through a pretty bad breakup and some self-destructive tendencies were unleashed, released Undone at 31 in 2019 on Merge, and now he's landed on Trouble In Mind for the follow-up. There was an intriguing long-form interview with Frawley on LNWY around the time of the first album's release (link's dead now) that piqued my interest, but I'd never checked him out until now. Where he's at on The Wannabe is a much better place than the interview from a few years ago, but the writing is still biting and sardonic, leveled mostly at himself, though the sparkling title track takes on "the industry" at large. There's definitely that surface-level classic rock feel to The Wannabe, the hits spaced out with bared-soul singer-songwriter schlock and some others that don't take the luster off the hits. At his best, Frawley sounds like Warren Zevon on his Asylum albums, or a David Berman stripped of metaphors, funneling frustration, depression and a sharp sense of humor into his lyrics. That earnestness is something that works to Frawley's advantage for the majority of the album, painfully replaying a chance encounter with an ex on "This Is Gonna Change Your Mind" and admitting to wanting his deceased father's approval on "5th of the 5th." At worst, he's creating objectively beautiful but a bit too literal songs like "Lola" and "I Wish Everyone Would Love Me" that, while certain in their intention, could benefit greatly from a bit of clever obfuscation. For the majority of the album, the band he's assembled works hard to keep Frawley grounded and steady: "Slip Away" churns like Boxer-era National, and "5th of the 5th" chugs and sears like the Velvets on Loaded. But the band never steals the spotlight from Frawley's lyrics, for better or worse. The contradiction at the center of Frawley's lyrics - that he's down on himself but still believes in himself, that he's a mess but worthy of your love and attention - is a hard place to invite listeners, but he makes it pretty comfortable throughout The Wannabe. Parsing out that contradiction, however heart-on-sleeve, is at the core of what makes the record stick. There's probably not a lot of room in the underground for a record as openly emotional as this, but for the most part it feels refreshingly messy and human, a shot in the arm I didn't know I needed. Maybe you could use a boost, too.

Index For Working Musik, Dragging the Needlework for the Kids at Uphole (Tough Love)

Strange brew, this one: Index For Working Musik manage to make a record that's refreshing in its precision, hard to pin down, and slippery enough to evade my feeble memory even after several months of familiarization. The band plays a style of rock that's patient and unflappable, with vocals delivered just above a whisper, and emerge with a sound as lush as it is stark black and white like its cover. There's a Come On Die Young vibe to the opener "Wagner," maybe just in the brittle guitar line and tone, but wholly lacking in tension until feedback wrests control over the final seconds. The closing track "Habanita," maybe my favorite here, rides a slowly picked guitar line to open up new paths, hushed group vocals and phaser guitar (or keyboard?) inflating the proceedings to spectacular heights. In between, I've been stuck playing spot the influence to try and attach a mnemonic device to the meekly presented spread. At points, I hear: Honey Radar's tape hiss-happy and economical approach to classic rock, especially on "ISIS Beatles" and "1871," the latter probably the closest IFWM comes to rocking; Air's "Cherry Blossom Girl" on "Palangana"; Grandaddy, perhaps due to a similarly laid-back presentation, on "Railroad Bulls" and “Athletes of Exile”; and so on. My favorites, "Wagner," "ISIS Beatles” and "Habanita," stretch the ideas out a bit longer, and maybe that's part of my problem: most songs seem too clean, or even risk-averse, choosing to stay within a tidy and neat set of parameters. While I think “1871” is an exception, the tense strumming of “Ambiguous Fauna” is cut short, and it feels like “Athletes of Exile” has just shaken off the rust when it ends. Despite all of the enticing details in the label’s writeup (endless experimental recording sessions, the inclusion of found samples and field recordings, a mysterious text that jump-starts the creative process), I still struggle to connect with the bulk of the record, however much the actual sounds satisfy. It sort of feels like the equivalent of a really elaborate window display for a boutique shop: there’s a high level of skill behind it, and everything is placed just so, but you’re kept at arm’s length by thick glass. Whatever the case, Dragging the Needlework for the Kids at Uphole remains enigmatic - the lyrics, that title - despite being crisply presented and never outstaying its welcome.

Optic Nerve, Angel Numbers LP (Urge)

New-to-me outfit from Sydney, and one with a sound and approach that, as the record's press sheet indicates, sets them apart from their many peers in the city. It's hard for me to hear Optic Nerve, and especially Jackie De Lacy's rough, barked vocals, and not think of the short-lived Rat King, whose sole LP Godsend remains a steady favorite of mine ten-plus years on. Optic Nerve isn't as bleak as Rat King, nor do they have much low end presence on this recording, though Optic Nerve's just about as intense, cold-working punk into new forms through force of will. "Tonic" always drives this point home for me, the song careening toward the finish with few changing parts, a bit of distortion and De Lacy's vocals the engine supplying the power. "Trap Door" initially charges forward in the same manner, but eventually splits open to reveal a bright and rowdy guitar line ripped outta Mikey Young's Eddy Current Suppression Ring playbook. Much like ECSR on their string of singles in the '00s, the band finds a lane and sticks with it throughout most of Angel Numbers. It's a blast to hear them hit the same highs over and over, fists pumping from two minutes into the opener through one minute into the closing track before it's inevitable deterioration. Some detours, like the moody instrumental "Interlude" and the crawling "Basket," as well as the choice to weaponize the shrill notes of the flute on several tracks, point to a broader horizon for Optic Nerve. Though not really similar in sound, there is a palpable energy on Angel Numbers that's present on Unwound's The Future of What and Repetition, all seething records dissatisfied with the present and hungry for something more. Definitely feels like Angel Numbers has flown undeservingly under the radar, but with only 300 copies to go around, I wouldn't take a chance on that being the case for very long. Tops of this batch o' reviews, for those keeping score.

#famous mammals #siltbreeze #Martin Frawley #trouble in mind #index for working musik #optic nerve #urge records #tough love records

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dustedmagazine · 11 months

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Martin Frawley — The Wannabe (Trouble in Mind)

Photo by Ryan Kelly

The Wannabe by Martin Frawley

Martin Frawley is still sorting things out. Four years ago, he made his first solo album post-the jangle-slacking Twerps, a wry and rocking outing full of hurt and humor, commemorating the end of his first band and his first love and the onset of 30-plus adulthood. Now, well into his 30s, he’s less tentative but still at odds with a world that pushes him in every direction but possibly offers happiness, too.

Frawley alternates between an offhand spoke-sung drawl and full-on romantic hookery. His opening salvo “This Is Gonna Change” wraps its vulnerability in a sunglasses-so-dark-you-can’t-see-my-eyes cool; he sounds a good deal like David Kilgour here, as damaged bravado meets the splintering radiance of guitar. He spots a former love at a party, observes her happiness from a distance and tries to shrug it off, but anybody can hear the woundedness.

The title track moves the action from personal to professional struggle, getting some digs in at the marketing types who want Frawley to man up. “Americans won’t bite, they don’t understand a man with self-doubt, so cut it out, do your best to act tough and shout out loud,” they advise, but Frawley isn’t buying. And good for him, the self-doubt and diffidence is one of the best things about this album. It’s the acid undercurrent that makes even the swoon-i-est choruses, the most forthright boogies cut deep.

Frawley’s jaundiced view of the music industry comes from long history. His dad, Maurice, who passed away in 2009, made a name in Aussie folk pop with a number of bands, most notably supporting Paul Kelly. Here the son pays warm and unworshipful tribute to his dad, with eerie harmonics and a bit more blues than usual; “I want you to be proud,” sings Martin in one of the disc’s best shout-along choruses, “of the man I’ve become.”

The prettiest song, though, is “Lola,” a rueful beauty in which the narrator realizes that not ending up where he expected might turn out okay. It’s a simple song, with a grandeur to it, and it reminds me more than anything of Spiritualized. “Never thought I’d be happy, never thought I’d be rising, never I thought I’d be feeling this way again my love,” croons Frawley and a falsetto thread of wonder over how things turned out winds through the melody; against expectations and odds, he is happy after all.

If anything, The Wannabe is even better than Undone at 31, an album I called, “a charmingly bare, personal album that transmutes personal upheaval into unaffected art.” A bit less bare, a bit less upended, a bit more satisfied with things, it takes the bittersweet compromises of adulthood and makes them sing.

Jennifer Kelly

#martin frawley #the wannabe #trouble in mind #jennifer kelly #albumreview #dusted magazine #indie pop #jangle #twerps #australia

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