March 23 & 24 - Defining Moments

[Extended Play]

I. The Flaming Lips released their latest and greatest album 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' in the latter half of 2002. Blending their pop sensibilities with more experimentally synthetic noise presents quite a stunning entry in their discography. This comes off as a more cohesive albm than their previous 'The Soft Bulletin', presenting linked themes and a more consistent feel throughout. To me, this feels like Beach Boys melodies with a modern edge like Radiohead. This one stands out of the pack.

The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (@ Allmusic.com)[list=1][*]Fight Test (Flaming Lips) - 4:14 [*]One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21 (Flaming Lips) - 4:59[*]Yoshimi Battle the Pink Robots, Pt. 1 (Flaming Lips) - 4:45 [*]Yoshimi Battle the Pink Robots, Pt. 2 (Flaming Lips) - 2:57 [*]In the Morning of the Magicians (Flaming Lips) - 6:18 [*]Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell (Flaming Lips) - 4:34 [*]Are You a Hypnotist?? (Flaming Lips) - 4:44[*]It's Summertime (Flaming Lips) - 4:20 [*]Do You Realize?? (Flaming Lips) - 3:32 [*]All We Have Is Now (Flaming Lips) - 3:53 [*]Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon... (Flaming Lips) - 3:09 [/list=1]
II. In the wake of Kevin Moore's departure, Dream Theater spent time searching for his replacement. Returning to the studio, they reworked an older concert pieve with new keys and laid out their defining sound in 'A Change Of Seasons'. Rather than let the album end there, Warner Brothers suggested that the band flesh out their recording from just an EP to a full album. So, Dream Theater recorded several tracks at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London that appear after A Change Of Seasons. These help showcase the band's influences, all the way from Elton John to Led Zeppelin and the Dixie Dreggs

Dream Theater - A Change Of Seasons (@ Allmusic.com)[list=1][*]A Change of Seasons (Dream Theater/Portnoy) - 23:06
a. The Crimson Sunrise (Instrumental)
b. Innocence
c. Carpe Diem
d. The Darkest of Winters (Instrumental)
e. Another World
f. The Inevitable Summer (Instrumental)
g. The Crimson Sunset[*]Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding (Elton John) - 10:49[*]Perfect Strangers (Deep Purple)- 5:33 [*]The Rover/Achilles Last Stand/The Song Remains The Same (Led Zeppelin) - 7:28 [*]The Big Medley - 10:34
a. In The Flesh? (Pink Floyd)
b. Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas)
c. Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
d. Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin (Journey)
e. Cruise Control (Dixie Dreggs)
f. Turn It On Again (Genesis)[/list=1]
III. Departing from his familiar session buddies, Steve Vai formed the band Vai. The resulting 'Sex & Religion' ('93) defied fans, the public, and even Steve Vai who underwent a spiritual cleansing after the album. Rather than write this off as a rather pedestrian entry in Steve Vai's catalogue of music, I think this is just the harder edge of Vai. It may be more predictable at times, but it still presents the raw emotion in music that he has slways drawn in fans and casual listeners with.

Vai - Sex & Religion (@ Allmusic.com)[list=1][*]An Earth Dweller's Return (Vai) - 1:03[*]Here and Now (Vai) - 4:47 [*]In My Dreams With You (Child/Greenawalt/Vai) - 5:00 [*]Still My Bleeding Heart (Vai) - 6:00 [*]Sex & Religion (Vai) - 4:24 [*]Dirty Black Hole (Vai) - 4:27[*]Touching Tongues (Vai) - 4:33 [*]State of Grace (Vai) - 1:41 [*]Survive (Vai) - 4:46 [*]Pig (Townsend/Vai) - 3:36 [*]The Road to MT. Calvary (Vai) - 2:35 [*]Down Deep into the Pain (Vai) - 8:01 [*]Rescue Me or Bury Me (Vai) - 8:25[/list=1]