Yellow Ostrich-My Moons

Isn’t it crazy that the moon can connect distances? On my way home from vacationing in  Colorado, I saw a gloriously giant moon in the sky. We crossed over 1/2 of the good ol’ US of A and that moon was present the whole time. As we left the airport,  it was breathtakingly beautiful and shining, ever so brightly. I think of the complexity of the people I don’t know and the people I love under that same moon. It  blows my mind.

The sky and the universe fascinate me. I am so curious about the unknown of the cosmos. It seems massive and endless and leaves me feeling very puny indeed. My worries and fears become miniscule in the presence of a full moon accompanied by “billions upon billions” of sparkling stars. Yes, I have read some of Carl Sagan’s genius and honestly need to revisit the parts I find completely enthralling. There is definitely something unknown and exciting about space, the next moment, and the far flung future.

All of my thinking was prompted by a lovely moon and a new album by Yellow Ostrich, Cosmos. The band Yellow Ostrich is not new on the scene. They rose to fame with their hit, “Whale”, back in 2011. Their music continues to grow and change with heavy experimentation. This album is a complexity of sound with a very adventurous delve into space, time, and connections. Alex Schaaf, has spoken openly about his inspiration for the new album.

“Something I really like about the Carl Sagan way of thinking is how it’s a very un-ironic and sincere amazement at how the world works,” said Schaaf in a recent interview with Bent (The Source Weekly blog). “One of the main things I was thinking about in writing this album is how to take that viewpoint and bring it into real-world life.”

In the song I have featured by Yellow Ostrich, “My Moons”, there is a sadness and spacial vastness represented with echoey drum beats, enhanced keyboard notes,  and a boyish voice that expresses sincere longing. Then around 2:05, the song turns about and becomes quite mesmerizing. It travels through the space in my mind with its repeated lyrics and wailing guitar and tracks down a path to my heart. This tune isn’t one that was intentionally released, but somehow it really connects to me and my endless questioning thoughts, kind of like the way the moon connects vast worlds.

Despite the beauty of the recent full moon, when a vacation ends I am a little sad. To add to the let down this time,  I came home to a car with a dead battery, a dryer that sounds like rocks are being tumbled, and a dreary rainy Monday. Oh well, such is life. With a bit of space and time, the car just needed to be jumped, the dryer only needed some rest (cross your fingers with me) and today’s weather is absolutely gorgeous. Spring has definitely sprung, and my mood has been given the gift of change. I will always have moments of longing, a need for vacation, and celebrations and special moments will always come to an end. But for the most part, the time and space continuum move in a direction that is crazily familiar, comforting , and sadness ends up passing. Carl Sagan had many theories about the self destructive nature of life. Sometimes I recognize that nature within myself,  let alone extraterrestrial civilizations. Time, space, and a nice tune help to mend those heartaches and my human worry and negativity. The album, Cosmos, is a stand out for me. Begin listening to “My Moons” and you might be hooked enough to listen to the entire album, like I did.

https://soundcloud.com/yellow-ostrich/my-moons-1/s-FMWPZ

Yea, I know that you’re busy now.
Don’t you love when you can’t be found?
All alone in the orange night.
All alone in the orange night.

Find a cave and they’ll flush you out.
But find a crowd till’ you want to shout.
Hiding under the brightest light.
Hiding under the brightest light.