(no subject)

I'm less tired today than I was yesterday. This makes no sense, as I was awake until about 2:30, then woke up at 6:30, and finally at 7. I'll be taking a half day today, because I need to get a street parking permit for my car, and contest the ticket I got on Thursday.

The new VNV Nation album is ... unexpected. There's a lot more variety in musical styles, but some of it is very.... sissified. Techno hippie would be a little more accurate. I initially hated it, but some of the songs grow on me. Treat it with an open mind if you get it, or ask to listen to my copy.

Flirting is an odd custom. It varies from person to person how they use it. Some people flirt with people they aren't interested in at all, because it's safe. Some use flirting as a way of testing for potential interest. And some interpret any flirtation as actual attraction. And so many levels of flirting! from just commenting that someone is cute, to soliciting for group sex. Like far too many words in our language, there are a million definitions, and no one can agree on them. This bothers the hell out of me, I like for everything to be on the same page. Sometimes I think flirting is a way of showing that you are interested in a person. You wouldn't tell someone you found them attractive if you didn't, right? I also don't think you can flirt with someone w/out have at least having the thought that if conditions were right, you would actually consider it.

Flirting can also just be complimentary. It's always nice to have someone flirt with you, it 's esteem boosting, and can really lift your day. Unless you wonder if they are serious or not, or read into things. But if people use flirting as a way to see if you are interested, and you just ignore it, then you miss out on things.

So, what are your thoughts on flirting?

I'll get to my 15 things soon enough...

Futureperfect: the review

1. Foreward - incredibly pretentious the first time I heard it, now it's more ... naive? Optimistic? Anyway, it's just an opening piece, not an actual song.

2. Epicentre - driving dance floor stuff, more in line with their stuff from Empires. A good song.

3. Electronaut - modern synth pop sound with an old school cadence, this song is kinda fun. It shifts tempo about halfway through, making me think it was a different song. It conjures up images of Metropolis, or Fifth Element. You know, that 30's vision of what future looks like.

4. Liebestod - Violins? All strings or string/synths, a very atmospheric and floating song, again unexpected from a synth pop band. Nice.

5. Holding On - Ugh. Power ballad ala VNV Nation. I HATED this at first listen, and even now I cringe when first hearing it. But at times it does pull me in and I hum along to it. Then I hear the lyrics (so earnest! so high school!) and I lose the mood.

6. Carbon - wow. Slow tempo, it makes you think it wants to race ahead, but it moves methodically forward. Cold, stark, growling keyboard rumbling in the background, piercing keyboards... very very nice.

7. Genesis - Yes, this is the one you've been hearing at the clubs so much. The album is more techno inspired that the club version, which I find a little more appealing. Very driving, and energetic, and positive. I get the same charge listening to this as I did to Savior. Nice one, brother!

8. Structure - old style, no lyrics, all samples. More grating and less melodic than previous tracks. This is a good example of the variety and range on the album. More variety in the keyboard sounds as well.

9. Fearless - Energetic dance floor stuff. About average I'd say.

10. 4AM - Short track, instrumental. Atmospheric in that old Front Line Assembly way, heavy synths cords, light base

11. Beloved - very trancy! Nice lyrics, nice melodies, did I mention this was trancy? This is another song that reaches in and grabs your emotions and explodes them inside you. It makes me want to dance, and not stop.

12. Airships -a very weird song. Has an almost J pop feel to it, the opening chords remind me of the end of Tenchi Muyo or something. The song also has the feel of airships sailing over the futuristic city mapped out by the rest of the album. A good come down, post rave feel.

Well, all things considered, this album came out better than I thought!