News: The Flaming Lips To Release ‘Atlas Eets Christmas’
3 min read
(AUS) The Flaming Lips will release Atlas Eets Christmas, the band’s secret 2007 Christmas album, on December 5. Atlas Eets Christmas was previously released in a very limited physical quantity on CD only under the pseudonym Imagene Peise (with a sticker that read “Love Is The Answer – Merry Christmas From The Flaming Lips 2007”). This is the first time the release will be available in Australia. The pseudonym Imagene Peise is a John Lennon-esque spelling of “Imagine Peace,” ala Lennon’s wonsaponatime, and likewise the album title sounds-out “At last, it’s Christmas.” The alias credits are similarly punny: Imagene Peise – Piano Ominog Bangh – Laughing/Crying Glider Synthesizer, Shineyu Bhupal – Drones, Sitar, and Baritone Tambura
The album’s credits tell the story: “In a world full of mysterious and timely entities, no one could be more exotic or more relevant. Imagene Peise is believed to have lived for a short time in Tikrit, Iraq. Her exact birthday is unknown. She is rumored to be just 18 at the time of this recording. Her extraordinary talent as a master jazz pianist at such a young age should, alone, put her in the realm of the stellar. Available here for the first time Ms. Peise’s Atlas Eets Christmas is a strange and beautiful experience. Little is known of her musical and recording life. Most of what is known is shrouded in clouds of legend and smoke of myth. But what is clear is her expressive playing and her unique arrangements.
The Atlas Eets Christmas collection is said to be a rehearsal for a doomed or poorly recorded session. But what an inspired “doomed” session it turned out to be. The forgotten facts of the trio that accompanies her will perhaps be invisible to us forever. But, as we hear, Imagene is not the only musical star shining through. Ominog Bangh the synthesizer virtuoso (playing the outmoted The Laughing/Crying Glider Synthesizer) and Indian classical musician Shineyu Bhupal are obvious, added other-worldly treats. Atlas Eets Christmas stands as a missed opportunity. Its uncanny coincidence of a Middle Eastern talent embracing such American themes (jazz piano, Silver Bells and Winter Wonderland) as we know now, are glimpses of a future that was never to be. With her powerful message of kindness and peace we can only imagine if Ms. Peise had become an international star her influence could have, in some other space and time, prevented the current apocalyptic environment. We cannot know if her story is truly triumphant or sad. She is rumored to have committed suicide in 1978. But if she really is gone from this world in the physical sense then she is gloriously hovering above us in the metaphysical dimension as a source of sublime pleasure and reassurance anytime we need her. By playing this CD she is reanimated and we are once again comforted by her loving vision.”
ATLAS EETS CHRISTMAS TRACK LIST:
1 Winter Wonderland
2 Silver Bells
3 Christmas Laughing Waltz (including Jingle Bells)
4 Silent Night
5 Altas Eets Christmas
[Outro performed by Bombay Flights Of Fancy Philharmonic Orchestra]
6 Do You Hear What I Hear?
7 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
8 White Christmas (Binson Echorec Sleigh Ride)
9 Frosty the Snowman
10 Christmas Kindness Song
11 The Chrstmas Song
