by Marty Gottlieb

The X-Ray Poetz new release Zombie Evolution is intelligent, fresh, and musically engaging. They’ve got everything you could want from Hip-Hop including pop culture references, “singable” melodies, and social criticism but they also draw on history in the form of Galileo (“I’m like Galileo cuz I know what’s up”), 20th Century Latino culture, and Charlie Chaplin.

There is no mistaking that these guys are optimists. While their music often deals with the dark side of society the message is always that although there is something wrong people – you, me, and the guy down the street – are not powerless and can change things for the better. With lyrics like “give me lemons and I’ll put them in the plan”, “keep on producing, keep on making art, when someone tells you stop, that’s when you start”, and “I’m not a product of my environment my environment is a product of me” the X-Ray Poetz are encouraging all of us to take a look around, take control, and keep a positive outlook. Zombie Evolution is definitely worth a listen!

Marty Gottlieb 
Executive Director 
 Nitram-Beilttog Studios

by Anthony Wells

My own description of the music of the X-Ray Poetz is that they represent a unique blend of Hip-Hop and Electro-Rock with the odd acoustic ballad thrown into the mix. 

These guys don't just fool around with the usual themes you might expect either. 

The concept that art and music can genuinely be a catalyst for positive change in this world is not a new idea, but the X-Ray Poetz are lighting the fire anew with songs to rock the establishment and inspire a new artistic renaissance. The lyrics to their songs are powerful and illuminating with a dose of humor thrown in. All this, and some seriously catchy tunes too!

All that said; what do I make of their new release: Zombie Evolution?
Well, I highly rate their first two albums: Land of Illusions and Philosophical weapons, and I believe this one has raised the bar once more.
It opens with a musical monologue which might make you spill your coffee, and then explodes into life with Super Mankind and Touch The Clouds. All the songs are unique and the insightfully clever lyrics invite you to listen intently. On a purely musical level alone, this collection of songs is high caliber, but when you also add in the themes explored, then it has the capacity to really impact a listener with much more than mere sound. 

In my opinion, there are several standout tracks on the album including Touch The Clouds, Space Low Rider, Mystic Mountain, Superhero and Goodbye Sandy Hook. If you are reading this, I simply suggest you listen for yourself and find your own favorites. 

Discover the X-Ray Poetz.

ANTHONY WELLS

New York duo X-Ray Poetz released their third studio album, “Zombie Evolution” on the much appropriate October 31st. The first single “Super Mankind” features a music video filled with zombies coming after frontman David Carus as he paints in the woods. The lyrics of the song name drop everyone from Mark Twain to Louis Armstrong, including one of the group’s heroes, Charlie Chaplin. The album features an entire song devoted to the silent film star and uses his story to highlight one of the major themes of the album: the artist under attack. Through tales of Chaplin, musical numbers about the threat of unethical politicians and songs about the everyday, hard working guy that holds the world up like Atlas, the X-Ray Poetz have weaved together an album that strikes at the heart of what America is going through.

The 16 tracks of “Zombie Evolution” are not the usual rant against the powers that be. Instead they work like literary tales, shining a light here and there, and always managing to leave the listener with a feeling that things can change and that he can be the one that does it if he decides to “stick his neck out.” There are demons, zombies, politicians, criminals and the devil himself there to stop him on this musical journey but the music and vocals are always inspiring enough to help listeners overcome. The X-Ray Poetz are joined by UK recording artist Catherine Kubillus on the song “Superhero” which is a pop number that can play on any station. “Charlie Chaplin” will likely be a surprising hit to many that may not be familiar with the film star and his battle with the U.S. government that kicked him out of the country.

The X-Ray Poetz are not from the streets, both members are college educated guys with diverse career paths, but their music may just offer the streets and more a way out of the muck that has covered a country for too long. “Zombie Evolution” is musical storytelling that is political without hitting you over the head with it. You can bop your head while learning something. These are songs about a nation, about a culture and about where it can go if people only take a better look. There are zombies but they can evolve. There are criminals but they are beaten by artists. Here are two talented musicians delivering work found no where else; unique, unflinching, and completely needed and wanted by today’s culture.

"Zombie Evolution" is the third album from the X-Ray Poetz. It is our most ambitious work. It can be considered the final chapter of a trilogy stretching back to our first album "Land of Illusions." The project has been the work of well over a year and marks a new direction while still delivering our signature sound and message.

It started with the idea of, "hey, we should do something with zombie in the title," and by adding the word "evolution" we knew we had something that communicated what we have always been about: delivering thought provoking music that uplifts a beaten down world. At times we have all felt like zombies, moving through a challenging landscape but there are the brave souls who manage to win. This album is for them. The courageous, smart and able, battling and working hard everyday to make something good on this planet. These songs are the soundtrack to the movie that plays 24 hours a day chronicling the guys that refuse to give in, keep holding the globe up like Atlas, take responsibility for the world they see and are, without a doubt,  heroes. If you are reading this there is a damn good chance we're talking about you and you're going to love this album.

The album artwork was created by the talented London based photographist Anyes Greene. She managed to take our concept to a higher level by delivering something eery and strange that captures your attention and doesn't let it go. Her work is incredible and she is an artist you should know about. You can see more of her work here: http://anyesgreene.carbonmade.com  We had the pleasure of working with a few other extraordinary individuals, including the famous Dr. Judy Wood who appears on the first track of the album discussing the towers "collapsing" on 9/11. She is one of the top structural engineering experts in the country and you should also know about her: http://www.drjudywood.com  California rapper Ogima makes an appearance on "Space Low Rider" delivering awesome "pachuco slang" making it easily one of the coolest songs on the album. And joining us, on what may turn out to be one of our biggest hits, "Superhero" is UK recording artist Catherine Kubillus. We have long been fans of her amazing talent and are truly fortunate to have worked with her. Her contribution to this project is beautifully haunting and the mark of true artistry. Discover her work here: 
http://www.catherinekubillus.com 

We are excited about "Zombie Evolution" and have many exciting singles and music videos in the works. Below is the official album track list. Look out for the album to be released on Halloween, the first single "Super Mankind" and we hope you enjoy our latest creation.

by David Carus
We turn on our televisions and there it is. We look at the day's headlines and it's there too. It seems as though we have become so familiar with war that it's no longer shocking, appalling or cause for alarm. But this is not true for the artist. The artist, regardless of his profession, looks at war and sees his enemy. So what does the artist do in a time of war? He creates.

Picasso once said, "What do you think an artist is?...he is a political being, constantly aware of the heartbreaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world... Painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war." At an early age, being an artist, I instinctively knew this to be true. I studied the great artists and saw that they were able to cause shifts in the way people thought about things and literally changed society with the stroke of a brush, the taking of pen to paper or the playing of an instrument. If anyone could stop war it would be an artist because his purpose was to lift man to greater heights. So when I see injustice, violence, oppression and war happening I ask myself this, "what can i create?"

The album "Philosophical Weapons" is our attempt to arm people with knowledge and ideas, to give them the weapons they need when they are out there getting hammered by most of the world that tells them, "you can't do anything about anything, you're small, insignificant and a total effect of anything we throw at you." There are lies out there, (what good war doesn't have its propaganda machine churning at full speed?) and we formed the X-Ray Poetz to say something about it all.

On every album I make sure there's at least one song for artists. On the first album it was "Artists Run This Planet," and on the second album it's "Artist in a Time of War." The title is taken from a lecture I once heard by Howard Zinn. It's a different kind of song because it's actually two songs smashed together. It is my instruction manual to any artist faced with a destructive world. I hope you enjoy the song and that it helps you in some way do what you are trying to do. Remember, reality is what you agree to, so when the whole world wants you to agree that the guys with their fingers on the bombs run things, shake your head knowing that the artists have the biggest bombs of all and when we push a button we don't kill people, we lift them up. Artists Run This Planet. 

Here are some lyrics and the premiere of the music video for "Artist in a Time of War" by X-Ray Poetz

by David Carus
Last summer Americans eagerly awaited the last act of one of its most successful superhero franchises, The Dark Knight Rises. Audiences expected to see one of their favorite heroes do battle with a monstrous  villain and somehow save the day. For a theater full of excited fans in Aurora, Colorado that wanted to see the movie first, their projected idea of what heroes and villains were was replaced with something far scarier and much more real. 

The news story reported that a dozen people were killed and 70 others injured by a lone gunman, dressed up as a Batman villain, named James Holmes. Talking heads were quick to point a finger at the violence in movies while the rest of us waited for more details and sent our thoughts and prayers out via social media.

When I heard about what happened in Aurora that night I immediately remembered Columbine, Virginia Tech and all the other mass shootings that had taken place over the years. Unlike the mainstream media who all seemed to scratch their heads wondering what could cause someone to do this or were busy blaming violent movies every single one of them watched or helped promote on a regular basis, I simply shrugged and said to myself, "sounds like another one." 

You see, there is a common denominator to all of these mass shootings. People wonder what would cause someone to shoot at dozens of people because they all know it must take something extreme to make someone do that. They're right. It does take something extreme to make someone do it because without that thing, people just wouldn't do it. So what's the common denominator? Mind altering, psychiatric drugs.

I knew the media would have their version of the story but I also knew we would have ours. Me and Dan got together and worked out a song that talked about Aurora but also talked about the overall epidemic, the true cause of all these mass shootings: psychiatry. What we came up with was the song Arkham Amerika, told in three parts, one of a young boy named Jeremy (I named him Jeremy after the Pearl Jam song) whose mom tells him he can't go see the new Batman movie because it's too violent and dangerous. The second part is about Rebecca, studying to be a Psychiatrist and likes to watch the people walk by while she sits in the park. The last part is dedicated to an anxiety ridden man whose wife is having an affair with his dentist and happens to be the chair of a committee that will be voting on what the latest psychiatric disorders will be.

Arkham Amerika is about Aurora but it's also about the overall, big elephant in the room that happens to be invisible to most Americans. For a lot of people they see psychiatry as doctors, professionals in white coats that went to school for many years and so when they say something it must be right. The government allows them to be and the FDA approves their medications so... That line of logic has lots of holes.

When you look at the statistics of psychiatry you see a trail of destruction that would make Hitler envious, in fact psychiatrists were pushing him along. Electric shock still happens. A lot of people don't realize it. The pills that people take don't cure anything and there's no blood test or any other medical test to prove there was anything to cure in the first place. Yeah people get sad and depressed and angry and a whole lot of other things but that's part of living life. The solution is to go out and live some more of it, not drug yourself into a numbness or wreck your ability to think to the point that you want to end your life and the lives of everyone around you.

The real Joker, the actual villain in this story is not James Holmes, although he is definitely responsible for what he got himself into. The real problem is those guys in white coats and the whole profit driven industry around them. A lot of money is made playing on people's mis-emotions. Pharmaceutical companies, drug stores, doctors, television commercials, advertising agencies, government agencies and schools are all a part of this. When you go against popular belief and look at the actual scene, acknowledge that gut feeling that people shouldn't have to take pills to feel better, etc. you are left with the truth. The real monsters in our world won't come in the middle of the night dressed in killer clown make up ready to shoot us while we sit with our loved ones. The real monsters are far too big of cowards to come themselves. Their work will be done with lawyers, board rooms, money, silent weapons, the stroke of a pen and smiling the whole time.

Arkham Amerika is an important song for us. We tried to take a serious subject and make it something you could listen to and actually laugh at, rock out to and most importantly, learn something from. The X-Ray Poetz don't just make music. Everything we do shouts message. What's the message in Arkham Amerika? We've got a whole lot of Jokers running around and we're hoping enough people decide to put on the cowl and be Batman.

“Artists run this planet. You better get it, Jack!”

This goes out as a general warning to all the villains of the world who wish to suppress real art: You better run to your shacks because the X-Ray Poetz are in town and they’re spitting volcanoes of the stuff!

While mild-mannered Dan Robinson and David Carus may imagine themselves busting from telephone booths as their alter-egos, MC Cyclops and Ethergun, don’t be fooled. This is not some adolescent, comic book fantasy. Quite conversely, the X-Ray Poetz are polemic, post-modern risk takers.

In a time when the music industry churns out more and more canned mystery meat for our consumption, the X-Ray Poetz are bringing savvy back to music and art with a mix of old school hip hop, 80’s Post-Punk and neo-classical electronica.   

 MC Cyclops’ pulls no punches with his lyrics. He boldly confronts issues like the medical drugging of children or the manufactured moral degradation of America, wittingly re-igniting all that is protest in music and art. Dylan, anyone? Ok, more like Lupe Fiasco, Chuck D, or KRS 1. But like them, he’s not missing the boat on what’s essential in art: communication.  And just to make things more interesting, he gets his points across by conjuring images of plasma guns and super-human powers. 

Speaking of conjuring, that brings us to the other guy; the beat maker, the techno-freak, the one that surfs the waves of dark matter out by the quasars; Ethergun.

While the rest of us were mesmerized by the sugary effects of 70’s and 80’s pop culture, young  Dan Robinson rummaged through the dark basements and musty attics of music and art. Odd lusterless bric-a-brac such as David Lynch, John Cage and Sonic Youth drew his attention. In places like CBGBs and the Knitting Factory he found the grit of Post-Punk and the sly impressionism of No-Wave. Then, as if guided by a star he found electronic music. If the synthesizer was the coming of the Lord then Dan was the one bearing frankincense. Back in his lab, Dan blended these otherwise divergent influences and there was an explosion. When the smoke and dust settled a figure arose.  Ethergun hit the streets of New York emitting blast beats and sub-bass before Dubstep was a twinkle in its daddy’s eye.  And with MC Cyclops’ deft lyricism the X-Ray Poetz march onto even newer avenues of musical genre before everyone else even knows what hit them.

It was destined that mild-mannered David Carus and Dan Robinson would meet and for our sake this is good. Each with the power to see through the facade of this world and battle the forces of evil with music, the dynamic duo of Electro-Rap-Wave, the X-Ray Poetz have promised to fight the villains of art and freedom one killer track at a time.  

-- Tony Yannios

I would like to suggest the consideration that those "militantly" dedicated to altering the second amendment to forcibly restrict gun ownership by decent citizens may in some cases be quite correct in their sentiments -- from their own point of view. Among these may exist some individuals who protest not "guns", but their own impulses. They know what they would do -- if they had guns. In this light it is very understandable of them to want to take guns out of the picture. Sort of noble, actually.

Such people may have also tried to control these same impulses through the use of mind-altering medications. It could be of intense interest to them to deflect any interest in this topic or investigation in this direction, for this might take away from them this attempt at self-restraint. Again, seen in this light, a noble impulse.

But there can be unintended consequences to this.

That psych drugs don't really work as hoped is long past being proven. It doesn't take specialized knowledge to know that drugs, any drugs, often reverse their effects over time; this same effect has been seen with psychiatric medications -- with violent consequences. Even the drug companies have found a 'lack of effectiveness' in many medications, and have stopped manufacturing them in some cases. Whether this is an attempt to forestall class-action lawsuits which must of necessity arise attendant to any investigation into the connection between psychiatric medications and shootings can only be guessed at. 

It's not that complicated a guess.

I would also like to suggest that any gun control legislation outright ban the ownership of guns by ANYONE on psychiatric medication. This would include the military and police forces -- no guns for anyone on psych meds, ever, period. If decent law-abiding citizens can't be trusted with guns, then those with a history of psychiatric treatment requiring medication can't be either. 

And then watch to see who opposes that.

It's also not surprising that the government is doing what they're doing about all this. It isn't like they suddenly got smart about something...remember the economy?

Zapping Gays for Jesus




   I came across a mention on "Christian Gay Conversion Therapy" and decided to find out what sort of new biblical wrinkle was afoot. 

   But, no, it turns out that this fundamentalist Christian offering for creating heterosexual-seeming dudes is, upon actual inspection, the same ol', same ol' psychiatric electric shock "aversion therapy" from the 1960's (with research line extending back to Pavlov’s dog-conditioning experiments in Russia and earlier research in 1880's Germany).

   By “Aversion Therapy” is meant physical duress (punishment) intended to condition a subject into not displaying prohibited behavior, nor having, if the treatment is deemed effective, thoughts or feelings that would violate such prohibitions. 

   Psychiatric theory, and its methods, has apparently recently found a place among certain fundamentalist Christian groups and other right-wing religious organizations. The main secular organization advocating non-religious forms of “Conversion Therapy” is the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), which often still partners with religious groups.

   “Studies” -- that is to say, “experiments on human subjects” -- have been conducted on this topic over the last 70 years at least.  Psychologist Douglas Haldeman writes that Conversion Therapy comprises “efforts by mental health professionals and pastoral care providers to convert lesbians and gay men to heterosexuality by techniques including aversive treatments, such as ‘the application of electric shock to the hands and/or genitals,’ and ‘nausea-inducing drugs...administered simultaneously with the presentation of homoerotic stimuli,’ masturbatory reconditioning, visualization, social skills training, psychoanalytic theory, and spiritual interventions, such as ‘prayer and group support and pressure.’" 

   Cessation of the aversive stimuli is typically accompanied by the presentation of opposite-sex erotic images, with the stated objective of strengthening heterosexual feelings.  Whether this objective has ever been achieved, even in part, the ardor of the various fundamentalist Christian or other behavior-control enthusiasts for such methods has not been dampened regarding continued application to their designated targets.

   The theory as presented is obvious -- that being given pain makes the contested thought undesirable to the subject and he will, forthwith, cease and desist from said thought.  That the electric shocks are often administered directly to the genitals may be compared for similarity to the torture methods used against members of the peaceful Falun Gong religious movement by Chinese police.  And as the Fulan Gong have yet to be dissuaded from their religious practice by such techniques, not much has proved out in the sex-coercion arena, either.

   In his 1966 study Aversion therapy for sexual deviation: a critical review, researcher M.P Feldman claimed a 58% cure rate, with “success” defined as suppression of homosexuality and increased capacity for heterosexual behavior. This claim, however, is not substantiated over the ensuing decades, and in fact a 1982 study, Rangaswami's Difficulties in arousing and increasing heterosexual responsiveness in a homosexual: A case report, states that, typically, while behavioral conditioning studies tend to decrease a display of homosexual feelings, they still do not increase heterosexual feelings.

   Indeed, Haldeman concludes that such methods applied to anyone except gay people would be called torture, writing, "Individuals undergoing such treatments do not emerge heterosexually inclined; rather they become shamed, conflicted, and fearful about their homosexual feelings."

   So, to recap: the homosexual subject is shown a homoerotic picture and then shocked or given nausea-inducing drugs [homo picture = pain = bad].  He is then shown heteroerotic pictures and the shocks are discontinued [hetero picture = no pain = good].  The pictures displayed are, of course, from that collection compiled for or by the study administrator.

   Advanced methods used have included an apparatus attached directly to the male organ. The subject is again shown pictures of different sexual acts and situations. If there's a twitch (even an unknowing one) at the wrong time, the subject is, again, given an electric shock and/or a burst of ammonia or other noxious gas to breathe.

   Drugs may be used to reduce mental resistance to (or attempt to induce enthusiasm for) the therapy. This includes hypnotics and other mind-altering drugs, as well as the nausea-inducing drugs mentioned above (I found no mention of amyl nitrate being used, however).

   After the pain/drug treatment, a "support group" will monitor the subject’s behavior and through various modes of persuasion, reward and punishment, condition him into no longer displaying the behavior found unacceptable by the group administrators.

   It is perhaps unnecessary to point out that this research line, by definition, lacks Christian or other religious or spiritual influence, and is an entirely bio-mechanical approach to gender orientation.  The concepts of “free will”, “God’s will” and “predestination” are set aside, by the religionists, in favor of electric/drug duress and overwhelming mental force.

   Also, it is undetermined what results might be expected behaviorally in the instance of a subject becoming addicted to the treatment.

   This is, in fact, essentially the same treatment applied to Jeffrey Dahmer, who later rose to infamy as a homosexual cannibal serial killer. 

   The crux, of course, is that psychiatric theory views religion itself (including the Christian religion) as an aberration, an illness with its own requisite and compulsory agenda for "treatment".  Thus, the next ones to be converted with shocks, drugs and coercion will be those Christians themselves who all-too-easily took up a snakeskin embrace with the "Alienist" atheists in their telling quest to ease their own consciences about their own violent and opportunistic reactions to homosexuality.

   That this anti-gay violence takes place not as “gay-bashing” on the street, but as “therapy” in a modern clinical setting under the aegis of psychiatric theory, should be noted and ramifications for government application to other "undesirable" groups envisioned by the interested reader.

   Of further interest to the interested reader might be to inspect if, indeed, such programs already exist, and to what degree their ongoing implementation is condoned (or welcomed) by current society.

   In closing, a question should be posed regarding those who would see fit to force others to comply through electric shocks, drugs and coercion:

   What would Jesus have to say about that?

   Or does that matter?


--Daniel Robinson
***

The above article is editorial opinion for entertainment purposes and is not to be construed as a document for scholarly work.  Authors referenced have no connection whatsoever with this blog.

Catherine Kubillus: New album release, “Clowns”.

 As a music producer and performer, I find myself on occasion in the position of reviewing music, not to tell others how I’ve trumped the life work of an artist by finding some clever phrases by means of trashing it; rather, I get to pick out someone whose work I personally like and recommend them to you.

"Clowns" is very, very good. It's an EP of 7 tracks, produced by Martin Smith, former bassist in the Electric Light Orchestra. 

In a female-vocalista landscape currently dominated by "vocal fry" and its unfortunate complementary color, that Britney-esque emulation of  a rubber duckie accidentally trod upon, such giving us much to be improperly amused by -- amongst all this, we yet find a real singer in Catherine Kubillus.

Her latest above-referenced  release is one to keep on your iPod for any time you want a memorably intimate conversation. 

Starting with an attractive set of pipes, an intention to communicate and discipline necessary to anyone serious about killin' dat track, Lady Catherine puts forth the song of the song. It sounds too easy -- she's inside the song, not demonstrating by heroic emesis some bid for prefab histrionics, not relying on symbolistic references to beggar your jaded indulgence.  Just singing, to you there.  Looks easy, but  we know that such ease comes not from attitude, but only from doing one's homework. There's a restraint evoking great power, as someone who actually knows how to ride a motorcycle, rather than just popping wheelies at the drive-in.

There's  a lot of horsepower as well to the production. Nick Coler (who’s written for Kylie Minogue, Sugar Babes among others) plays keys on "Tight Pants”.  Mastering was by Jon Astley, who produced The Who, Eric Clapton, Deborah Harry, Kate Bush.   Three members of the Swing and Jive band The "Jive Aces" play on "Simon Says". 

It's very hip and simply done. Like the voice it surrounds, it pulls you into the sound rather than clubbing you negligently over the head. Even with the heavy hitters behind the production, your attention goes where it's supposed to go -- on the voice and story it has to tell. The mixes are well-conceived and spacious, not compressed into a pancake or any of that.

From the killer guitar work on "Too Tight Pants" to the somewhat painful subject matter of "Communication", to the Lee van Cleefe-esque hope-she's-kidding aura of " Shoot You Down", there's a top-notch album here, a crystalline singular thing. It gets better on each listen, makes more and more sense what choices were made. 


It's a great visit and you know you'll be back. Only later do you begin to suspect what she's casually and artfully driving at...

Daniel Robinson, Producer, X-Ray Poetz