Lost In The Mirror

Don't read below if you don't want to be spoiled!

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to claim that Lost's 3rd season finale was two of the most satisfying hours of tv time ever. I read somewhere that Lost is probably the only series that doesn't underestimate the intellect of the viewers. Nothing is served, ready and waiting for your consumption. This isn't a cop-out in the sense that the writers can cook up infinite stories out of vague clues. No, the hints are not subtle, but they remain hints and not boring facts. This is crucial to the reason why "Lost" has become a cultural phenomenon that transcends the limits of a mere tv show. How insulting for your intelligence it would be if Ben came out and said, "Hey, the smoke monster can take human form!". We never saw it happen, no one has said it, but it's a solid conclusion nonetheless. So, I will be a little harsh and say that anyone who asks "How did Walt get on the island now?" should go watch Ugly Betty instead.
"Through The Looking Glass" was an episode that delivered on every level, but "Lost" has many such episodes. What is so special in this case, is that the show changed direction and goals and the way this change was presented. What could be more surprising in that the goal of a show about castaways is NOT their rescue. Of course, "Lost" has made it clear that it is not a show about the mundane rescue of some plane crash survivors, but everyone couldn't help but assume that rescue would coincide with the conclusion of the series. It turns out that rescue is irrelevant to the goals of the series, or just a necessary step towards them.
In a rather Lost-esque way though, we never actually see the rescue. The viewers are tricked by the usual "flashback" technique of the show to assume they are watching scenes that took place in the past of the plane crash, while the real time events are moving toward the prospect of rescue. Only in the final scene, it is made clear that what we are watching is the future and rescue has happened, as was hinted on the real time scenes on the island. Of course, we are still far from resolution, as there are a lot of questions.
Who are on the rescue boat if it's not Penny Widmore's people? Why does Ben warn this will be "the beginning of the end"? Who is the person in the coffin, whose death almost drove Jack to suicide? Why does Jack desperately want to return to the island?
There is now a blank in the time sequence of the show that starts just before rescue and ends some undefined time later at the last scene of the episode. This makes predictions about where the show will go on the 4th season very hard indeed. Will we see the rescue? Will we see events after the rescue, or events after Jack's last encounter with Kate when he pleaded with her to go back to the island? The details of the rescue itself are important and will now feed endless debates until the show resumes on February 2008. If patience is a virtue, then Lost fans are saints.

Systemizing Chaos

Dream Theater are releasing their 9th studio album and I believe there's no one who knows their name that treats this fact with indifference. The band that put the term "progressive" into metal hardly needs to prove anything anymore. Yes, it's been a long time since Dream Theater's music was progressive in any real sense but that's way beside the point. John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, Jordan Rudess and John Myung play their instruments as if they were extensions of their bodies. With such remarkable ease come a lot of options, and Dream Theater can just pick and choose what kind of music to play. They just happen to like 70s prog rock and 80s heavy metal the best!
"Systematic Chaos" combines the best elements from the previous two albums and rejects most of what made fans complain. It's true that Dream Theater fans are very diverse and very hard to please, but I suspect that this album will be a lot less divisive than "Train Of Thought" with its excessive heaviness, and "Octavarium" with its obvious commercialism were. The album opens in the best way with "In The Presence Of Enemies part 1". I was getting bored of the "rock-hit" wanna-be openers of their previous two albums. This time we get a 5 minute instrumental intro, true to their Rush heritage before James LaBrie comes in. You may have noticed that LaBrie's vocals have improved greatly in "Octavarium" and the improvements remain here.
It's not a coincidence this album contains two songs that pay tribute to 80s thrash metal, both music and lyric-wise ("Constant Motion" and "The Dark Eternal Night"). Dream Theater's new label is Roadrunner and the band knows exactly how to impress them. "Systematic Chaos" also contains the first slow and mellow Dream Theater song that hasn't bored me in a while, the dark and hypnotic "Repentance". Any songs written for success? Yep, that's "Forsaken" and it rocks! And of course there are long epics like "The Ministry of Lost Souls" and "In The Presence Of Enemies part 2". It wouldn't be a Dream Theater album otherwise!
"Systematic Chaos" shouldn't surprise anyone, as Dream Theater are not up to reinventing the wheel for the second time. Its purpose is to delight your ears, and that's a success.

A Great Blow For A Day Job

For those who never heard of Skyclad, their unconventional and original (in the early '90s) folk metal, and Martin Walkyier's intelligent lyrics, here is a small sample. "A Great Blow For A Day Job" comes from the "Oui Avant-Garde A Chance" album and is a fun folk rock tune with some of the most clever lyrics I have read. Enjoy the lyrics with the most witty word plays ever below. Oh, and try to listen to the song as well!!

Hear my tale - I'm Norman Normal, always humble, mild and meek.
In my bank a lowly banker - run-down brach on nowhere street
'till one day a stranger called - a fetid bible black he laughed,
said "Sonny I don't want your money, I don't need an overdraft.

Boy you have a great potential, don't you let it go to waste.
My offer ends - so it's essential that you hurry on (make haste!).
For a life of milk and honey sign along the dotted line...
Thirty years of girls and money - at the end your soul is mine!"

No one can dissuade me - I'm down on my knees,
my conscience says "No" - my libido "Yes please!"
If I put my pen to paper for eternity I'm damned.
If I don't I'll never be the singer in a fiddle band.
Can anyone blame me? - I don't think they'd dare,
my soul says "No way" - But my mouth cries "Oh yeah!"

Here I am - your good friend Norman, not so humble anymore.
Others age - but I look younger, stronger that I did before.
I used to drive a Fiat Panda - now a lime green Cadillac.
Guess my story goes to show not all the 'devils' own' dig black.

I know there is a price I must pay for my thirty years misspent,
when my satanic manager recoups my soul (100%).
I'll meet him at the crossroads, midnight chimes - my time has come
to party with the 'porno-queens' down by the shores of Acheron.

I'll party on in Acheron!

No one could dissuade me - I fell to my kness,
my conscience said "No" - my libido "Yes please!"
I have put my pen to paper and eternally am damned,
I've squandered my immortal soul by singing in a fiddle band.
Could anyone blame me? - I don't think they'd dare,
my soul said "No way" - but my mouth cried "Oh yeah!"

'Evil I did dwell - Lewd did I live' -
It's a small price to pay for the gift that he gives.
Was it all worth it? - I'm too drunk to tell,
I swap my cocaine for the brimstone of hell.