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Zaireeka!

  
 
TeN
19:59 / 06.11.04
If you don't know about Zaireeka, the incredible album by the Flaming Lips, well then listen closely, because I'm about to tell you about what is quite possibly the single most original and inovative recording, in terms of format, ever made. Zaireeka is not an album that you will listen to in a long carride. It's not an album you will do your homework to. You probably will never even listen to it alone. Zaireeka is explicably social. It is a key part of the album itself. You see, Zaireeka is not your standard recording. When you buy Zaireeka, what you will find in that case is four compact discs. And yet if you were to pop one of those discs into your walkman and listen to it, you'd be quick to realize that you were missing something. The music sounds unstructured, more like free-jazz than rock; there are long periods of silence, up to 30 seconds or more; the lyrics listed in the liner notes are missing from some tracks, present on others, and only part there on some; and every disc contains what seem to be different versions of the same song.

This is because the four discs that make up Zaireeka are not meant to be played individually. They are meant to be played simultaneously. On four seperate players and four seperate sets of speakers. Now do you understand why I told you that you would likely never listen to Zaireeka alone? Why it is often refered to as an inherently "social album," or even a "party album?" In order to play Zaireeka properly, it is neccessary to have at least two people manning the stereo equipement, prefereably four if you wish to have it synched "properly." (I place that word in quotes because according to Wayne Coyne, front man of the Flaming Lips, Zaireeka cannot ever be completely synched, due to both discrepencies in how CD players work, and Wayne's own admission that ""Some of the songs are designed to go in and out of sync - we changed them on purpose.") And the social aspect is one of the reasons that the Lips created the album in the first place. In a world where most music is listened to alone, Zaireeka tells us, "Get together. Listen to music. Experience something great together."

My 17th birthday was last monday, and among the gifts from my parents was a copy of Zaireeka. I listened to the album for the first time on wednessday, using a walkman connected to a pair of computer speakers, a boombox, a dvd player hooked up to an old television (only mono, unfortunetly), and my brother's Play Station 1 (the really small one), with my mom manning half of the controls. Granted, the quality of the equipment i was using wan't exactly top notch, and with only two people, the synching of all four players was far from perfect, but regardless, it was an amazing experience. That first track was mind blowing - sound coming from every direction, the several tracks of vocals wobbling in and out of synch... I had never heard anything like it.

But I stopped halfway through the album, because I wanted to keep some surprises for tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'm inviting some people over to my house for a Zaireeka "listening party." They'll be chips, they'll be dip, and they'll be 8 speakers blaring into our ears the strangest, most amazing music any of us have ever heard from all directions. BYOCDP&S - Bring Your Own CD Player & Speakers.

I need some ideas: speaker placement, specific CDs in types of players/speakers (Drew Hird, the Lips' web designer, recomends that you "try playing all the CDs except number three... but put CD one in a real trashy stereo and the other two in good machines - spacious sound will ensue"), environment/setting? (should I ask my friend to bring his strobe light? should I cover the floor with pillows so everyone can lie down?), time of day (I was thinking 2, but it might be better in darkness), etc. I was thinking about warming up with the first CD (or at least some of it) of Ryoji Ikeda's Matrix, another interactive album (read the AMG review here).

After tomorrow, I'll post how the party went. After that, I hope discussion in this thread will continue. Anyone who's experienced the album, talk about it here. Anyone who has any questions, ask them here. Anyone who's planning a Zaireeka party of their own, discuss it here.

Below are some links to information on the album:

The Zaireeka section of the band's official website

Info on The Boombox Experiments, the Flaming Lips concert that laid the seeds for Zaireeka; Also from the Lip's official site

Before Zaireeka, there was the Boombox Experiments; And before the Boombox experiments, there were the Parking Lot Experiments. Once again, from the official website.

Pitchfork Media's negative, and in my opinion, enormously unfair review

A response to that review... also, um, on Pitchfork

AMG's review

Amazon.com's Zaireeka product page (with 46 customer reviews, and 30 second samples of every song from every disc)

A Rumor of a "5.1 Zaireeka Remix DVD"

songmeanings.net - Okay, I'll Admit I Really Don't Understand
songmeanings.net - Riding To Work In The Year 2025 (Your Invisible Now)
songmeanings.net - Thirty-Five Thousand Feet Of Despair
songmeanings.net - A Machine in India
songmeanings.net - The Train Runs Over The Camel But Is Derailed By The Gnat
songmeanings.net - How Will We Know? (Futuristic Crashendos)
songmeanings.net - The Big Ol' Bug Is The New Baby Now
 
 
TeN
00:34 / 07.11.04
Hmmm, this is intersting:

Intriqued by the Zaireeka 5.1 DVD rumor, I did some searching and found this article. Apparently the band planned on releasing Zaireeka on DVD in December of 2000. Whatever happened to it, I haven't the faintest clue, and haven't been able to find much information on it. Another Pitchfork article (from November 2001), whice focuses on the Lip's film "Christmas on Mars" states "And as for the rumored release of a Zaireeka DVD, which would mix all four of that album's separate CDs into 5:1 Dolby surround sound and include some sweet psychedelic visuals, well, it hasn't been discussed in over a year. Gotta love those Warner brothers."

As for the DVD floating around bittorent, it's likely that if refers to this one, and not a leaked copy of the official release, which so far as I'm aware, was never finished (or even started). At $2.70, I think I might just have to check this out. I do have the urge though to make my own, just to see if I can do it. That, and I'm pretty confident I could make something more visually appealing than simply having it "set to images. Kinda like the [sic]lips[sic] live backdrop." (although the response on the board seems to be incredibly positive)

I figure I should order it, and if it sucks, well then I can just make my own; And if it rocks but could be better, well then I'll update it and send a copy of my version to this guy. I have some great ideas for special features: a bonus documentary on the boombox experiments (I found one online), subtitled lyrics, photos and ephemera from the parking lot experiments and boombox experiments, all of the text from the official flaming lips website on Zaireeka and its precursors, etc.
 
 
TeN
01:18 / 08.11.04
Well, I had the listening party today, and it went great. With four people, we were able to round up enough good quality boomboxes to not only make it sound, but make synching the four discs incredibly easy (only one stereo refused to cooperate, and all four stayed remarkably in synch from track to track). Some parts just blew us all away - unexpected sounds coming from all directions, the vocals switching between stereos, hundreds of dogs barking in surround sound. I must say, track 6, the one for which the warning label was made("Warning: This is a unique recording... This recording also contains frequencies not normally heard on commercial recordings and on rare occasion has caused the listener to become disoriented."), turned out to be somewhat of a disapointment. Beside the annoyingly high and low frequencies in the background (before I could even hear anything, my head began to hurt) it was just a basic, three minute pop song - and a pretty decent one, if I may say so myself. No disorientation to be found (just headaches). The pop song got in the way of the weird frequencies, and the weird frequencies got in the way of the pop song. Overall though, it was a great experience, and I hope to repeat it again.

Now, please! Someone comment!

P.S. This is an album better listened to stoned than drunk. The large amounts of Jamaican Rum I downed before popping these four discs in seemed to distract me from the music more than allow me to focus on it. It did, however, provide a bit of comic relief as I danced along and "played the air drums" to Steven Drozd's famous drum solo freakout, eventually falling onto the floor and rolling around, flailing my arms wildy, laughing hysterically through it all. A pleasant time was had by all.
 
 
haus of fraser
11:58 / 08.11.04
I've often wondered about this album- but never bought it cos it all seemed a bit wanky to me- also the four cds retail in the uk at around £20- (approx $30).
I don't know if i could ever summon the energy or enthusiasm that you have done to really enjoy it at home and make the expense justify the outlay. It sounds like you had a cool night though- it may be the sort of thing that would be cool for a gallery to put on- with added visuals, etc- that may be the only way to do it?

I like the DIY ethic of it but my fear is that it may just sound like shit- I guess when I like Flaming lips its when they sound epic rather than messy. I once saw a live performance by Nick Cave, Barry Adamson & Add N to (X) accompanying this silent japenese movie at the Royal Festival hall- which started interestingly enough but soon became a nasty drone that lasted for 2 hours with the monotony broken only by a nick cave song every 15-20 minutes. Its kind of burnt me with experimental improvisation - it sounds good but ends up being a bit shit (I adore Nick Cave but truely this was a step to far down muso wank alley). after an experience like that the idea of trying to spin four CD's Simultaneously in my own home seems a bit too far. Certainly not something to dip in and out of- maybe it could work if you played with pro tools to build up your own mixes of the albums- get rid of the daft high frequencies etc.

I'm sure this can't have been a big seller- I wonder how many copies have been pressed? Was it re-issued after there recent(ish) mainstream crossover?
 
 
PatrickMM
17:21 / 08.11.04
I can't comment on the album, but that pitchfork review is a bit absurd. This guy reviews CDs for the site, and yet comments on the fact that the only CD player he has is a used one he bought off a friend for $15 becuase the cover doesn't even close. I'd think if you're a big enough fan of music to work for a site, you'd try to have some decent audio equipment.
 
 
Mike Modular
20:58 / 08.11.04
maybe it could work if you played with pro tools to build up your own mixes of the albums- get rid of the daft high frequencies etc.

Where's the fun in that? It'd be like playing Monopoly by yourself and writing "Don't" on the Go To Jail square...

I'm in the strange position here whereby I've owned Zaireeka for quite a while but have never heard it (well, not 'properly'). I'm just waiting for the time when I can arrange 4 stereos (and maybe at least one other interested person) and give it the full attention I think it deserves.

I've had arguments with a friend over the concept of Zaireeka, him saying it's a pointless and indulgent idea, but I think: Why not? I wish more bands did interesting things on major labels. Whether I decide I really like it or not, at least I've tried something unique and I respect the Flaming Lips for having the idea in the first place.

In terms of how often you're likely to actually listen to it, maybe it's better to think of it as a DIY interactive sound installation rather than some album of hits and something to be savoured for special occasions...?

Gah! All this talk has really made me want to listen to it now... (fights urge to mix down to stereo in Logic...)
 
 
Spatula Clarke
00:29 / 09.11.04
Okay, there's some stuff in this thread that isn't all that correct. For one, none of the tracks on Zaireeka are really "unstructured" - they all follow fairly traditional song structures. So your suspicion that it's an exercise in experimentatal improvision, Copey, isn't all that close to the mark. It's experimental in terms of approach - besides the four CDs thing, there's also the messing about with different sounds that have marked out the Lips' last few albums - but if you've been listening to verse-chorus-verse songs all your life it's not a record that's going to take any great leap to understand.

Basically, it's Zaireeka that formed the foundations for The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi - similar lyrical concerns, similar sounds, similar tunes, similar atmosphere. Fragile humanity battling against the odds, touchingly hopeless optimism. That sort of thing. If you liked either or both of those, you'll more than likely get along with this just fine.

Getting rid of the odd frequencies from How Will We Know? Absolutely pointless idea. They're the entire selling point of that track. And, while they don't make me feel as though I've turned into Dr Who, they do mess with my head in a very odd way. Job done, really.

Meem> Make yourself that stereo mix if you're not going to be able to get the four CD players together. I mixed a copy down some time back and it's a perfectly adequate substitute. You miss some of the more entertaining stuff - sounds and instruments don't swoosh around you like they do through eight speakers, obviously, and you don't get the 'a different mix every time!' thing from having the CD players all go slightly out of time with each other - but it actually allows you to pay attention to the tunes themselves a bit more than it does in its intended form. Listening to the four CDs is like being sat right in the middle of a glorious space orchestra, listening to them mixed down is like, well, listening to the CD of a glorious space orchestra. It's similar to the difference between stereo and mono, I guess (only stereo doesn't require you to lug every PC and hi-fi in the house into one room, then turn two of them on with your toes).
 
 
haus of fraser
10:52 / 09.11.04
Where's the fun in that? It'd be like playing Monopoly by yourself and writing "Don't" on the Go To Jail square...

As you yourself have said Meem- you've never heard the album all together despite owning it for a number of years...

I'm not saying don't have your experiment- just sometimes its nice to hear songs on a walkman- and a new album of flaming lips songs would be sufficient to put a smile on my face which by all accounts this could be if mixed down... (maybe you could do both, if that's not too much of a radical suggestion!)

sorry to sound a little prickly- i just think your not listening to what i'm saying- sitting with 4 cd players and a couple of stoned mates isn't my idea of a great night- that's cool if its yours- i'm just suggesting you 'could' also have fun mixing the record yourself - and have something to listen to on your walkman- seems like a better idea than waiting for years for the right moment to come and never hearing the record in full....
 
 
Spatula Clarke
11:36 / 09.11.04
The high frequencies - and they're only on one two mintue track, remember - can be listened to through a pair of head/earphones, no problem. They're not as bad as the warning in the liner notes make out, they just sort of space you out a little bit - for me, it's like my head's being rubbed with a load of balloons to create static electricity, then squashed between a pair of enormous buttocks. It's a "do not listen to while driving" moment.

Make your own mix, though, if that's what you want to do. Coyne says that's what he intended people to do with it - experiment with the different CDs, see what tracks sound like when they're only made up of the contents of three of them, that sort of thing. Although be warned, even with three of the discs playing there'll be moments of complete silence, where the only sound will be on the disc you've decided to skip.
 
 
Mike Modular
14:56 / 09.11.04
Sorry Copey, what I meant was more to do with removing the unsettling frequencies. It just seems a bit of a shame to ignore something intentional on the part of the artists for the sake of an 'easier' listen. Of course, you're allowed to listen to things however you want! I suppose I'm just following the 'rules' and have been holding out until I can have the all-singing-all-dancing-surround-sound-extravaganza first, and then make a stereo version of nice songs...

As someone who works creatively with sound and has an interest in 'sonic art', I may have got a bit defensive over doing Zaireeka 'properly'. Yes, as admitted I've not heard it yet, but I was trying to defend the concept as it appears (and appeals) to me. As a Flaming Lips fan, I want to hear the songs too, but that's not something I can comment on yet. But, y'know, I'll let you know how I get on...
 
 
TeN
21:28 / 09.11.04
I'm not going to say that you shouldn't mix Zaireeka down, because I do admit to owning a single disc mix myself (in fact, I'm listening to it as I type this right now), and it's quite a good album, despite lacking the whole 8 speaker surround sound thing. But in the words of Mark Richard-San, "The only way to think of a Zaireeka mixdown is as a souvenir of the real thing." If you can, try hearing all four discs before hearing them mixed down... you'll have a much better appreciation of the music. It's funny - when listening to my mixeddown version, it's often not the music itself that makes a certain moment powerful, but the memory of how it sounded with all four stereos blaring in my ears.

Remember, despite what you've been led to believe, it doesn't require that much effort and equipment to be able to play the album "properly" yourself. You probably have some stereo equipment lying around your house that you've forgotten about or wouldn't even think of using. Look what I used for the first time: "a walkman connected to a pair of computer speakers, a boombox, a dvd player hooked up to an old television, and my brother's Play Station 1." If need be, you could play one of the discs on your computer. Two people is enough to get a relatively good synching given enough trial and error, and even if you're all by your lonesome, it's not impossible. Push some play buttons with your toes, pause a CD or too a few seconds into the song and push those play buttons after the other two, leave out a disc if you really have to... but don't think that just because you don't have enough people/equipment, you can't listen to the album. You'd be surprised with how well you can make due. And remember - Zaireeka isn't supposed to be perfectly in synch, so don't fret over it. I happen to like it a little bit off.

"I'm sure this can't have been a big seller- I wonder how many copies have been pressed? Was it re-issued after there recent(ish) mainstream crossover?"
Surprisingly, quite a few. More than you would expect for this kind of album. It sold out rather quickly, as well. And yes, it was.
 
 
TeN
21:35 / 09.11.04
I'M GOING TOOOOO, INDIII-II-AAA-AAA...
OVER AND OVER AGAAAAAIIIIN!

god I love this song.
is it just me, or do Wayne's lyrics sound retarded on paper, but absolutely mind-blowing when sung?
 
  
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