Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (Atlantic/Wea)
CD review by Malcolm Moore

English rock star Peter Gabriel has achieved many impressive levels of lyrical growth and depth of musical maturity on his own since his masterpiece with Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway,
in 1974. But the breadth and spirit of this work have left an indelible mark not only on his personal creative path, but to many others as well. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is one of those milestone masterworks that so many of us revisit time and time again, gaining new insight and revelation upon each listening. The story that Gabriel presents can be approached from a complex labyrinth of angles and entrances. Exploring how the words and music are integrated in this monumental epic tale is
the key to understanding and complete appreciation.

First of all, one cannot dismiss the fact that this album is not solely Gabriel’s vision; all members of Genesis were integral composers and arrangers of the rich musical tapestry. With a few exceptions, Tony Banks (keyboards), Mike Rutherford (bass, twelve string guitar, and bass pedals), Steve
Hackett (guitar), and Phil Collins (drums, vocals, and percussion) came up with the bulk of music
while Peter wrote the story, sang lead vocals and played flute. *Banks and Rutherford wrote the lyrics to The Light Dies Down-not Gabriel. (Finegan & McMahan, 1994)

Lyrically, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway draws from a plethora of sources. Steeped in mythology, history, poetry, religion, and current events (from 1974), Gabriel soaked up his surroundings as a visitor to N.Y.C. during three American tours with the band in the early seventies. He was also partly inspired at the time by a famous surreal movie reflecting back recently that he, “spent some time working with Alejandro Jodorowski who'd made El Topo, which was like a spiritual Western, very rough and violent. It made a huge impact on me. We devised a script together.” (Darke, 1998)
At one point Gabriel considered having him direct The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway into a movie,
but it was never realized. He also has mentioned that The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
was an inspiration as well (Finegan & McMahan, 1994)
 
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is the story of Rael, a young Puerto Rican street punk/gang member living in New York City during the early 70’s and undergoes a spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical transformation. Without a doubt, Rael suffers from dementia praecox or multiple personality disorder. Something cracks inside his mind and a combination of the aforementioned diagnosis ensues, sending him spiraling on a journey outside of space and time. Gabriel says that
the story takes place underneath New York City, obviously deep within Rael’s subconscious. His
sense of reality (Rael is an anagram for real) is obliterated and he shifts gears into survival mode. What we have to work with is the song lyrics and the liner notes inside, where Gabriel gives a
brief overview of the story in the character of Rael, as if he is reflecting back on it all, talking
to the listener, one to one.

An example of this monologue display’s Rael’s true duality;

“While I write I like to glance at the butterflies in glass that are all around the walls. The people in
memory are pinned to events I can't recall too well, but I'm putting one down to watch him break up, decompose and feed another sort of life. The one in question is all fully biodegradable material and categorized as 'Rael'. Rael hates me, I like Rael, - yes, even ostriches have feelings, but our relationship
is something both of us are learning to live with. Rael likes a good time, I like a good rhyme, but you
won't see me directly anymore - he hates my being around. So if his story doesn't stand, I might
lend a hand, you understand? (ie. the rhyme is planned, dummies).” (Gabriel, 1974)

We see here that Rael is clearly split into two distinct personalities and quite comfortable with
it in a satirical, whimsical fashion, evident by the use of fanciful wordplay and humor. Being comfortable with his mental condition is however another sure sign of being surely deranged.

The story can be broken down into seven basic sections:

The first three songs are the setting:

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway-
Rael appears in New York City and announces his arrival by spray painting his name.

Fly on a Windshield-
Next he notices a dark cloud descending over the city, getting closer. It eventually envelopes
and paralyzes him when the dust fallout solidifies on his body, sending him into some sort of
coma. Remarks have been made over the years as to whether Rael partakes in chemical
supplements or suffers death at this point, but the question is irrelevant. The point here in
the story is that the journey begins. The musical explosion from quiet to bombastic perfectly
paints the picture of the prevailing impact.

Broadway Melody of 1974-
Rael observes news events of the world at that time and various sound bites on noteworthy personalities of the early seventies. He is doing a reality check on his consciousness, but the
more he tries to focus, the more his thoughts start to become abstract as he leaves this world
and enters the next. He is seeing once familiar objects now appear not as they once were:

“Echoes of the Broadway Everglades, With her mythical Madonnas still walking in their shades.”

New York City is now a living organism. Rael begins to speak in constant double entendre as
his mind begins to shatter: “Sirens on the rooftops wailing, but there’s no ship sailing.”He
perceives a warning sign but has no way to escape. A police siren is translated into a Greek mythological sea nymph warning Rael of his impending doom.


The next major section of this grand adventure is the entrance into the next world as
Rael is hurled into a mystical tourbillion:

Cukoo Coccoon-
Rael wakes up in the dark, seemingly in a cocoon-like sac, unable to move. He contemplates
if he has experienced death or not in his dream-like state.

In The Cage-
Rael become comfortable in his warm cocoon and falls asleep. When he wakes up he has
been set free. As he starts to feel ill, he notices a cage growing around him made of stalactites
and stalagmites. Fear sets in and he becomes hysterical. He looks outside the cage and sees his “brother john” (his other personality) in another cage. He cries for help, but John ignores him,
out of fear as well. This highly upsets Rael. John leaves, the cages open, but it is too late. Rael’s frustration causes him to start spinning madly in circles as he is caught up in a mental
whirlwind and then blacks out.

The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging-
Rael wakes up and is in a factory of personalities where he recognizes everyone from his life.
A sales woman helps him select personalities. This is where he truly splinters into many
psychological facets of himself related to his survival instinct. We see Rael trying his best
to rationalize with severe dementia.

The three song section that follows is a flashback in time, providing Rael’s backstory:

Back In N.Y.C.-
Rael early life is explained and how he was released from a juvenile detention center at age 17.
We learn of his aggression that stemmed from violence and gang life that he participated
in after release.  It is alluded to here of the possibility why he was incarcerated:

”No time for romantic escape,
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape. No!”

Hairless Heart-
Rael explains his loss of innocence by describing an allegorical heart that had it’s protective hair shaved off, exposing his soul.

Counting Out Time-
Rael remembers his first sexual encounter, but in doing so reveals his methodical, cold view
of events in his life, as if all emotion has been detached by The Hairless Heart. It is humorous
but at the same time dehumanizing.

Rael returns from nostalgia back to the present time in this section, reaching an impasse:

Carpet Crawlers-
Rael is amidst many people crawling around in the dark, looking for a way out. These are quite possibly all his shattered personality attributes. The strongest one has a profound realization,
stands up and boldly walks out of the room.

The Chamber of 32 Doors-
After climbing a spiral staircase, Rael finds himself in a circular corridor; there are 32 doors.
Many people are there arguing which door to choose and he cannot make a decision
because he doesn’t trust anyone.

The following section concerns Rael’s encounters with some dark creatures
and foreboding events:

Lilywhite Lilith-
Rael encounters a strange blind woman who offers to help him find the way out. He goes with her, but is suspicious that she has no trouble seeing where she is going, despite being blind and in the dark with him. She goes ahead and tells him to wait for her. Lilith is a female demon that takes advantage of and captures the lost and desperate-usually newborn or children. (Hefner, 1997)
Rael was in what was like a new world to him and feeling helpless, like a child.

The Waiting Room-
Rael cannot see due to a blinding light at the end of the room he is in. He throws a rock at the
light. The light goes out and two glowing orbs (mentioned entering at the end of the previous song) leave the room. As he regains his composure, a trap falls on him from above.

Anyway-
Rael now expects and ponders his imminent death, feeling guilt and failure,
but then hears a voice reassuring him that the mysterious Lilith is returning for him;

”Good morning Rael
So sorry you had to wait.
It won’t be long, yeh!
She’s very rarely late.”

Here Comes The Supernatural Anaesthetist-
Lilith finally returns to Rael accompanied by death; “he’s such a fine dancer.”


The Lamia-
Rael escapes his trap into a room lit brightly by a chandelier and he enters a pool. He is surrounded by three lamia (serpent women feast on human blood) that seduce him despite his overwhelming feeling of danger. (*Well-read Gabriel was very likely inspired by the writings of Keats and Faust about lamias.) The lamias try to devour Rael in a pseudo-sexual proceeding, but mysteriously die
from ingesting his blood. He tries unsuccessfully to resuscitate them. He communicates to them
that they died for a good cause;

"O Lamia, your flesh that remains I will take as my food."

The Lamia unsuccessfully attempted to steal Rael’s power.
He brings their bodies with him as he moves on.

Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats-
Rael finds a boat and escapes.
The music is beautiful and contemplative here; the calm before the storm.

The Colony of Slipperman-

• The Arrival
Rael starts off quoting a line from William Woordsworth;
”I wandered lonely as a cloud”, and then adds, “until I came upon this dirty street.”
He comes upon numerous disgusting creatures known as the Slipperman. They all laugh and
point at him and explain how they have all been through the same process and experience he has just completed. Is it Sheol (underground and  beyond the good and bad), purgatory or some sort
of hellish limbo? They show him his reflection to convince him that he is now a Slipperman, too.
Rael spots his brother in this dilapidated state and runs to him. They realize that in order to
survive the damage that the lamia has done to them, they must visit Doktor Dyper to be
castrated to be permanently free from their senses and fragile emotional state.

• A Visit to the Doctor
Rael and John visit the doctor and have their genitals removed.

• The Raven
As soon adds the procedure is completed, a giant raven appears in the sky, descends upon
Rael and snatches his genitals. He flies away and drops them into a river. Rael pleads with
John for help, but John refuses, warning Rael to stay away from the raven and where he’s headed.

Spiritual Death:

Ravine-
Rael searches in the river for his missing appendage. He spots something strange in the distance.

The Light Dies Down on Broadway-
Rael sees a skylight portal leading back to his home life on Broadway. He is about to leave and sees his brother John struggling and drowning in the river, pleading for his life. Rael must decide between saving his brother and taking his only chance of escape back to safety.

Riding The Scree-
Rael carefully scrambles down the side of the slope toward the water to save his John who is losing strength and then jumps in the water.


In The Rapids-
Rael struggles in the rapids to save his brothers life, knocking him out to rescue him more quickly.
But, when he pulls him to safety on shore, he realizes that John’s face is his own!
He has saved himself.

Reflection:

It-
Through this dark night of the soul, Rael has survived his own mental breakdown. By exploring
the labyrinth of his mind, he has dealt with his own demons and come out victorious on the other side. This whole experience has been a blessing in disguise. Rael’s hardships have made him
stronger in the end and helped build character. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway can be seen
as his passage into manhood from adolescence. He had been through reform school, born
again into freedom, and was in essence a sacrificial lamb unto himself. He sacrificed his ego
for true compassion. Rael’s soul had reached a state of perfection.
(St. John of the Cross, 1959 Revised Edition)
Rael and John become one again, finding balance.
They become one with the universe. They become it.

”It is Real. It is Rael.”

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is both Apollonian and Dionysian by Friedrich Neitzche’s terminology. As Rael struggles for reality, his Appollonian side strives to analyze what is happening to him. But as he comes in contact with each obstacle in his path, his Dionysian or emotional side kicks in, setting him back a few paces each time. Neitzche wrote of this sort of balance that is sought in life. (Janaro/Altshuler, 2006) Perhaps that is the crux of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway; After rehabilitation, Rael searches to find his place in society. He is making amends for his former
violent self and putting things into perspective to what is acceptable morally in the world.

Over the years there has been speculation, actual attempts, and effort made to reunite the
original five members of Genesis in order to commit The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway to cinematic, theatrical, or live stage performance. When compiling tracks for the 1998 Genesis boxed set
Genesis Archive:1967-75, the band assembled to do some touch-up recording and even complete recording of the final song It and a new version of The Carpet Crawlers. Gabriel and Genesis have both commented on the possibility of doing a Lamb tour in 2008, but only time will tell. Gabriel says that several people have approached him over the years expressing the desire to make this
fantastic tale into a movie. (Darke, 1998) Certainly, someone like Dave McKean, Tim Burton,
David Lynch, or Terry Gilliam could handle the monumental task with great finesse and
appropriate depth. Whether or not it ever happens, until then we have the music and our imaginations as a conduit into the world of Rael.



Tony Levin Resonator  (Narada)
CD review by Malcolm Moore

Tony Levin’s 2006 solo Narada release, Resonator, is a true treasure. Even if you have followed his
Papabear and Narada recordings in the past several years, this one will definitely surprise you.

We all know he has been an astounding bass and Chapman stick player alongside some of the greatest artist
of our time: Paul Simon, Sarah McLachlan, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, etc…the list goes on and on.
He has also been known to play a little tuba and synth bass on occasion! Some of us know he’s been a great
back-up singer for many stellar acts as well. It has been said that he has been responsible for arranging complex barbershop harmonies for everyone from Peter Gabriel to King Crimson from time to time, too.

In the 1990’s, he started his own website (www.tonylevin.com) and record label (Papa Bear) and put out some unpredictable, spontaneous, and adventurous albums with his friends. World Diary, From the Caves of the Iron Mountain, B.L.U.E., Waters of Eden, Pieces of the Sun, and Double Espresso showed us that he was an artist with many hidden tricks under his hat.

After such a prolific discography and decades of touring with top class musicians of every genre, what could Tony Levin possibly come up with that would surprise us? Resonator is the answer. He is singing and writing profound lyrics that have serious depth and humor!

The line up for the band this time is unmistakable: The Tony Levin Band (Jerry Marotta, Jesse Gress, Larry Fast,
and brother Peter Levin), and also he adds two monstrous guitar heroes to the mix: Steve Lukather (Toto)
and Adrian Belew (Frank Zappa, Talking Heads, NIN, King Crimson).

The CD starts off with Break It Down, delving into some fundamental funk, with beautiful harmonies by Jerry Marotta. This tune travels through the galaxy, spiraling and whirling around the planets. Tony’s voice is startling to hear at times, with glimpses of all the people he’s sang with echoing from time to time. Jerry and Tony’s voices blend
together so well that they sound like one person often. A fun song to sing along to! The subject matter demand’s
the listener’s attention here: “So it goes/when science keeps disproving things that everybody knows/got to find a
place to hide your face/build a fickle wall.” Obviously someone that has traveled the world would have many stories
to tell, but little did we expect to hear about it from Tony in this form of poetry, song, melody and passion!

Track 2 is titled Places To Go. This song is stark in arrangement, but totally works with just Tony singing a catchy,
slick blues melody, jamming on his bass, with Jerry laying down an earthly tribal/jangle beat like only he can.
Once again, the listener is drawn into the fun, sing-able music, and then Tony spews out some of the weirdest,
silliest lyrics I have ever heard. He juxtaposes visiting his hometown, being reunited with passed-on relatives in Heaven, and the scientific theory of Panspermia (!). He has progressed from World Diary to Space Diary.

Throw the God a Bone is up next. What else could one do to improve on a song about a dog worshipping
his master? Add Adrian Belew on guitar! This time we view life from Tony’s dog Lily, desperately seeking
affection to the point that she makes a barking cameo. This tune is just plain silly. A great guitar riff keeps
it charging along. I would never guess this was a Tony Levin song! A nice musical nod to Paul McCartney’s
Live and let Die with the bridge harmonies, too. Wow.

Utopia first existed as an instrumental from Pieces of The Sun if you have ever seen The Tony Levin Band live.
It was already an epic concert ending ballad. But now he has enlisted the one and only Steve Lukather to offer
a fierce guitar solo, and then a very strong vocal melody (by Tony) with full backing harmonies (by Jerry). This
song has really gone full circle and has poignant lyrics that only magnify the humble, kind, gentleman Tony
really is. He explains the words simply by stating that, “there's a special world right here on earth, to be
found in our relationships with each other.”

Beyond My Reach is my personal favorite on this album. It is a perfect match of brilliant, deep lyrics and
emotional backdrop of lush music. Peter Levin’s tear-tinged sparse jazz piano glues the words to the melody
here in a wondrous, sinking way. The form and composition of this piece work in a circular pattern, slightly
reminiscent of Bergman/Legrand standard Windmills of Your Mind. It is significant on many levels, most
importantly the lyrical theme of life and loss here. The images Tony conveys of letting go of letters from a
loved one as they, “fly like seagulls from the beach,” are offered here like a catharsis for all who listen in
and try to find inner meaning themselves. The music is like a tank of water slowly emptying or darkening.
Jerry’s drum pattern is cautious, even plodding. Larry Fast’s synth is like paint slowly drying.
At this point, I start to forget that it’s Tony Levin, the bass player. It’s an artist, a human,
laying his soul bare to look and learn.

Shadowlands is a texture-laden, dense, dissonant piece of epic proportions. It’s a journey
through the darkest swamps, with blinding bursts of light at unexpected musical moments in time.
Jerry’s toms seem suspended like a Calder mobile, flowing along in space, capturing snapshots of sound,
and making nuclear shadows. Larry Fast really knows how to build an audible landscape and this one is
like dark liquid slipping down the walls. Jesse Gress plays guitar like MechaGodzilla, screaming out with
shrieks of terror. Halfway through the song, the feel switches to a Zeppelin-like, bombastic groove. It all
takes place on Monster Island , where giants bend metal wires and beat on their chest, echoing through
the canyons, making noise that only a Geiger counter could even come close to measuring.

Crisis of Faith is hard to put into words, although it’s built upon words,…many words and worlds, twisting and
turning in a (60’s)beat-like fashion. Spontaneous generations of poetry and prose, smashing into one another.
The relationship of Tony’s harmonized vocals to Jerry’s syncopated rhythms is almost too much for the brain to
handle. It pushes at your mind’s limitations until it feels like your head will burst at the seams like a tight water
balloon. Then Tony adds in some cello! When asked about the subject matter of the lyrics, he says, “The lyrics
are unlike my others, a stream of consciousness pastiche about the challenges of this new century.” If you have
seen Terry Gilliam’s film, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, there is a bizarre scene where Robin Williams, playing The King of the Moon, is a detached head searching for his body. Everything is floating in
space above him, splitting and coming back together…this song would fit perfectly as a soundtrack.

What Would Jimmy Do? Tony imagines how Jimi Hendrix would react to the music today we hear on the radio.
There seems to be a longing for the freedom and improvisation, prominent in the composition and performance of back then. The band whips into a hip 60’s vamp, jamming into the stratosphere. Tony calls it, “a reminder to
myself to try to be as open to new musical ideas from within as Jimi was.” Jerry is spectacular here, playing
fills over the bar line and always coming out right on the one. Very slick guitar performance by Jesse, nice
organ by Peter , and Tony, of course, has an appropriate low-end swagger-groovy style.

Sabre Dance, is a movement in the final act of Aram Khachaturian's ballet.  However, this version is as if the
music was presented at an industrial theme park with a backdrop by H.R. Geiger. It has now sprouted angular tentacles that consist of spaghetti-western flavor, Egyptian strut, and perhaps possessed electric dust-bunnies running, on fire. Larry Fast is featured prominently here, with piercing lead melody that sounds like a strangled albatross being spasmodically pummeled on his metallic helmet. Jerry pushes a bit of swing into his tribal enunciations, creating tension and release. This was a real crowd-pleaser on last years Fall/Winter TLB tour.
A playful call and response banter between the band members is enjoyable on this track.

Fragile As a Song is a perfect ending note. Not only is it one more rewarding unexpected change of pace, but
just a beautifully warm, emotional song. It tells a unique story with thoughtful meaning. It’s a good companion
piece to Peter Gabriel’s Animal Nation. Both songs grew out of an experience Gabriel and Levin shared playing
music with a gorilla a few years ago in Atlanta , GA (!). It’s a song that stands on it’s own compositionally, and
would sound great even sung by someone like Joni Mitchell. But Tony holds his own here and performs it simply,
to get the message across. What gradually appears here is pure heart, imagination, & wonder. He is a true
pioneer and traveler, never satisfied with keeping comfortable-always pushing the envelope. This is where
the bassist, composer, and singer disappear into one emotive, transcendent voice.

So go online to www.papabear.com and buy Tony Levin Resonator today…just because its fun and
exciting-like albums are supposed to be! Did I forget to mention lots of totally fantastic bass and stick playing?
Not many CDs today can boast of such diversity, fearlessness, and honesty. I am seriously looking forward
to where this artist goes next!


Marotta Griesgraber Waking The Day
CD review by Malcolm Moore

Marotta Griesgraber is positive escapism from a lethargic world. This is one of those albums that you put on when you're driving and it really lifts your spirits to a new level. Great melodies, catchy hooks, and all kinds of surprises at every turn.

Ten diverse tracks that span the gamut of the far reaches in instrumental music. Marotta Griesgraber is
Jerry Marotta on drums and percussion, and Tom Griesgraber on Chapman Stick. This band is one truly
cohesive unit and a well oiled machine ready to rock.

There are some unexpected moments as well. Tony Levin shows up on bass on two tracks, adding icing
to the cake and Jerry's multi-layered vocals on Tom Gets Lucky in Constantinople is a real treat.

This is soundtrack music from outer space and from outside of time that is not incidental- it's monumental .
There are innumerable meter changes that never stumble. They are flawless, smooth, and exist below the
surface, not suffering from math rock, but succeeding due to joyous melodies and spectacular composition.

Every time you think you have these guys figured out they pull out a new set of steak knives to display.

77 Times fills your heart with happiness. Lowered Skies carries a sense of foreboding nature and tension
whilst revealing unknown realities. Tom Gets Lucky in Constantinople is a trip on a magic carpet through
vast lands and tumultuous topography. Ifs Jam is time suspended in the clouds of Jupiter before
smashing into the moons for some funky ping pong.


Bad Day At Coney Island is a journey to the center of the Earth,…a dream where shape-shifting is
common. Sorrow Smiles is a tribal banquet,… a cornucopia of consequences and correlation between
worlds and language. Third Estate is a side winder slithering side ways amongst the weeds with a
labyrinth of mosaic tiles adorning his elastic backside.

School Clothes Shopping Is a liquefied state of consciousness that exists in the temporal lobe and
perhaps other areas where one is open to conjecture. Waking The Day is a distant cousin of 77 Times
but from a parallel universe where the concrete jungle is obliterated by Komodo Snake Dragons and
manifest density with trap doors and swinging bookcases. Leaving Bread Alone leaves us wanting
more but settling for closure, hinting at future prospects, and yet throwing us a bone from the unknown
passing space cruiser known as Marotta Griesgraber.


Tom Griesgraber A Whisper in the Thunder (Spotted Peccary)
CD review by Malcolm Moore

Tom Griesgraber’s A Whisper in the Thunder is a aural pool of dense depth. He takes the listener on a wild ride through a thousand sunsets that drip every color in the sonic solarium that exists between the ears and the mind.
He flies across the fierce tundra as we hold on to his cape and scream in ecstasy.

The monumental motif that holds Whisper together is Tom, himself. He employs all the best musicians that
can be found on this vast planet to decorate his delightful decorum and they dance about his fluid stick playing
like an apocalyptic aneurism.

Ahab cries out like a newborn alien on a dry planet, seeking all moisture from any helpless organism.
The surface of the ground is drained as the multiple-headed beast devours the vegetation. This manifest
destiny of the ear canal is frightfully supplemented by the tremendous talents of Bill Munyan and Pat Mastelotto,
a lurking dynamic duo, acting as an underbelly ribcage, echoing the faint message coming in from a
distant source-which ends up being the ubiquitous team of Namdi and Mehmet Akatay.

El Prado is a reflection of what has taken place on the previous day. A pensive mood. A short soliloquy.
Pacing back and forth, slowing down, and pausing before a pounce. Moving in for the kill.

77 Times is a wave of enthusiasm. The spirit moves into a room like a cool cloud. An upside-down pool that
you can drag your hands in, standing up. Darren Debree lays down the netting here on metal and skin. His
drumming is interwoven like a thick sweater with Tom’s strings, happily flying in the face of danger like pure
joy-undaunted. Don Schiff appears here, starring as Tom’s doppelganger on stick, as well. It’s a topsy -
turvy tectonic tutelage that brings all peoples together tantamount.

Jungle (pt 1& 2) is the rug pulled out from underneath. We are in the junction of Tom’s splintered mind.
The unstoppable force of Jerry Marotta is a conflagration here burning all trees in sight. He splits into
many timbers of fire, as if he has 8 hands or hair of snakes. His drumsticks are like flames licking oxygen
and exploding on contact. Pat Mastelotto appears in many places at once like a percussive phantom. This
song is like a drink that makes your forehead sweat. And yet, somehow, Pat Manske claps his hands throughout
the whole ordeal like he is trying to awaken some sort of sinewy serpent sloth, hell-bent on druidic destruction.
My head is throbbing and I need a glass of water.

The Frozen Ocean creeps closer as we drift off to sleep. Like a mecha-godzilla with holy halitosis.
Is that someone breathing or did I leave the door open? Something is groaning outside my window.
It might be Jerry Marotta.

Victor’s Chase is a wounded giant dragging one leg. A strong pulse prevails. Darren Debree has something
to do with it. The California Guitar Trio is guilty of shattering the sky here. Jerry Marotta is stitching together a
quilt of shakers and maracas that will act as a security device, withstanding all incoming apparitions.
There is a blinding light as we look up from the bottom of the ocean.

A Tiny Whispering Sound comes from within.
It’s a 911 call-a secret place.

Waking The Day is the end of the dream-or the beginning. We do not know and we do not care. We are a
newly-formed multi-tasking, multi-personality with an agenda. We hit the pool at the end of the water slide and
the warm water rushes over us,…cleansing us anew. Jerry Marotta is the heartbeat here (reassuring) and Emily Weber speaks in tongues by way of a bansuri here like a messenger from beyond. It’s a language that only Tom
can interpret, but sounds sweet to our chest, so we agree before comprehending anything that is taking place.
All things fall into place. Begin again.