Musing on Starset

 I haven't posted in here in forever. With my kids older, only one still calling me Mommy, writing SFF novels full time, and having transitioned to a nonbinary man... there just aren't as many parenting topics to hit, and well, I don't think anyone still reads here anyway, lol.

That doesn't mean I'm not still around, so why not share a band I love?

All I can say about Transmissions is that it is the music I've been waiting for my whole life. Cinematic rock with a sci-fi theme that hits my synesthesia in all the best ways. AND I love the lyrics. It's perfect.

Vessels: Starset did it again. I can listen to this whole album from start to finish--and I do, regularly. Everglow took a long time to grow on me, landing as the weakest song at the end (mostly due to the intro), but I even love that now. I bought this right after it was released from the band's website, and I was in love with it the moment I started listening. My favorites are definitely Monster, Unbecoming, and Bringing it Down, but the focus on space travel in most of this album just speaks to me deeply. I love it. The sound paints pictures of galaxies being birthed and dying, of love and loss, of monsters inside and the sense of never giving up.



Divisions: 

Bought it and promptly launched it in GrooVR. What was beautifully apropos for Vessels is disturbingly ironic for Divisions. An album about a society trapped in VR, played in VR. Experiencing some cognitive dissonance here.

That said, with the exception of just one song (Faultline is, hands down, the worst song lyrically and sound-wise, that they have produced--it sounds like it was written by an abuser gaslighting their victim), everything that wasn't working for me before with the album became wonderful when the album is played through beginning to end.

There were style choices that deviated from the core sound enough to not work for me (and even trigger my misophonia at first), and given their record, I expect they can do better dubstep (it was good, but it wasn't exceptional, which I think they're totally capable of--and dubstep is not a mistake in style choices for them or this album).

Definitely not my new fave, but still worth 5 stars because there are some amazing songs on this, and I still love it overall. I updated to say that after time with this album, it has grown on me quite a bit. Echo is my favorite song, not only on the album, but of all songs I listen to right now.

Horizons: Well, as usual, the music is phenomenal. I can turn on Transmissions and Vessels, just let them play, and float away. Divisions had one song I cut out. Out of three albums, ONE song. Starset is my favorite band. They still are, but the lyrics aren't here this time. I always loved the SFF story and the relatable side feels. There are still some songs staying true to that mission: The Breach, Leaving this World Behind, Dreamcatcher, Infected. There were some that mostly made it: Otherworldly, Earthrise, This Endless Endeavor (still in competition for the best song on the album regardless--damn, it hits). But the middle of the album was a miss for me. Too... weak for the power of the music behind it. I like GOOD breakup songs. Starset has had some amazing ones that made me feel with them. Not these. (With one exception...) But that ending. Something Wicked. I couldn't breathe. I'm not 100% with the lyrics, but I legit don't f**kin care. That song. That was what I wanted from this album. That feeling. So many Starset songs give it to me, and so few on this album, but that song just... Well. So, musically, great album. Lyrically, the worst Starset has ever done (for me, anyway, I know it's probably perfect for plenty of people). But saying "the worst" a band like this has done isn't an insult. I won't be adding the full album to my Communications playlist, which is a disappointment, but the songs I do add (most, but the fewest of any prior album) are still wonderful.

There you have it. My full musings on my current favorite band.

Musing on the Rock-It 3.0

So, I randomly do product reviews for the fun of it. This is one of those.

I love music. Do you? Do you have a laptop with such crappy speakers that you can't hear a frelling thing? I do. I also like to listen to music while I cook, but find my headphone cord gets caught on everything (or I'm not wearing something with pockets, and keep dropping my phone). 

My friend was telling me about a new toy he got a week or so ago. It was this little thing that sticks to objects to turn them into speakers. Looks like your typical infomercial junk on the surface.

They work.

He sent me the infomercial first; then he made a video so I could hear it in action. I tried to do that, but screwed up recording and there's no chance my kids will be quiet for 30 seconds again to show you how much my door rocks.

I wanted them right away, but my husband asked a smart question when I was looking for the best price: "Do any retail stores carry it in the area?"

I went to check. I found it at Bed, Bath and Beyond, of all places, for only $9.99 on clearance. Score! Only white. Bleh! Oh, well, that was $5 cheaper than the cheapest amazon price. I could deal with it.

But then came the problem that we couldn't get up to the store to do the site-to-store thing. I figured I'd end up buying them on amazon eventually once they ran out at BB&B. Nope. I got to go up there today!

That's right, they were marked down to $4.99. So I bought two, because one of their features is the ability to 'daisy chain' them to make more sound (or play through more surfaces to get a more full sound). I was planning to spend $9.99, so $9.98 for two was an even better deal.

I figured that at worse, they'd be a fun novelty toy for the kids. At best, I could fix my laptop issue and have music for cooking. I got the best case scenario. My husband plugged one in in the car to charge a bit and then I tested it on the box it came with (good, but a little high on treble for what I like), the van windows (awesome), the van roof (also awesome), my forehead (don't judge me, you know you want to do that now -- it sounded like the music was coming from inside my nose, it was weird), etc.

When I got home, I plugged them in to charge (they start out green and turn red when fully charged, which seems weird). Once they were all charged, it was a free for all through the house. We tried everything from the TARDIS cookie jar to the refrigerator, toaster, oven, bathtub, every door I could find... you get the picture.

The kids brought me every box they had, toy bins, random toys, etc. and we had a sound experiment. No, barbies don't make good speakers. Yes, the orange crate does. Thick objects don't work well, thin, hollow objects work best. Different materials make different tones.

And the sticky pad can be wiped off with a wet finger, allowed to dry (takes 10 seconds at most) and voila. Sticky as new. That was cool to the kids, too, who thought I ruined it when I got it wet.

In the end, I found that my oven vent makes a really good speaker, and the cabinet above it makes an awesome subwoofer. Combined, they are a great stereo system, so cooking will be even more fun from now on.

The infomercial was accurate as far as I've tested it. I'm going to enjoy being a music wizard for a long time to come, I hope!

(something else I just realized after testing it on my guitar is that if I can find my audio jack adapter, I can use my acoustic-electric guitar as its own amp -- I'm so doing this as soon as I find it.)