Wampire's "Magic Light" (Song Review)

One of my favorite things to do in the spring and summer is to go outside at night, lie on my back, and stare up at the night sky. I used to do this as a kid, and I still do it as an adult kid. Since Philadelphia is finally starting to thaw out, and spring is right around the corner, it won't be long before I'm out on my roof enjoying the sights and sounds of the soon-here vernal season. And when I do go out on my roof, I'm going to bring along Wampire's debut album Curiosity (released on Polyvinyl Records in May of 2013), so I can chill out and spill out to Wampire's psychedelic song "Magic Light." There's no better way to stare into the dark spacey sky than to do it while listening to dark spacey music.

"Magic Light," in addition to a few other songs on Wampire's short nine-track debut album, has a retroish space doom ambiance to it. One of the coolest parts of the song is its use of trippy, almost creepy, sound effects in the middle of the track, which give it a Twilight Zone type of feel. I find that funny, since as a child, the main reason I used to stare at the night sky was to search for UFOs.

Though I would still very much like to see a UFO, I no longer scan the sky for signs of alien visitation.

I sincerely doubt aliens visit us. At least not with any regularity. Or in ways that humans can recognize. To date, former navy pilot David Fravor is the only human being who has ever given us any semi-credible data that somewhat supports an earthly visitation from extraterrestrial intelligence. Also, it's laughable we consider ourselves to be part of the "intelligent" life in the cosmos. We're still violent, tribalistic, war-mongering morons who are balefully bound to our abominable biological bootstrap. I would bet anything aliens exist and know we're here. But they just don't care. We're too insignificant.

Insignificance is the main reason I stare at the night sky. It's humbling to think that in the whole grand scheme of things, each and every one of us is nothing but a fleck of dust. Some may find that thought scary. I find it soothing. It puts things into perspective.

If pondering our fleeting and finite nature seems dark, that's perfect. Much of Wampire's lo-fi album Curiosity is dirgey and grungy with reoccurring elements of darkness woven throughout.

However, Wampire's darkness isn't the kind of darkness that's depressing. It's the kind of darkness that embraces the odd and bizarre. This description is especially true of the strange and soupy psychedelic pop song "Magic Light."

My favorite lyrics in "Magic Light," and for that matter, my favorite lyrics in the entire album, come a little later in the track: "So girl, life is but a playground / We are kids running around it / Catch me on the slide."

This playful perspective is such a wonderful philosophy on life. It's one and fun I wholeheartedly believe in.

Whenever I stare out into space and think about how inconsequential my life is in comparison to the sheer magnitude of the universe, all of my worries and grievances turn into trivialities and melt into absurdity. Existence is just so weird and mind-boggling. I can't stop myself from giggling. Even if the meaning of life eludes us in this lifetime, that doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy our lives while we're here.

And there's no way better way to enjoy this surreal thing called reality than with some psychedelic guitar riffs, ambient pop melodies, and fun-loving company. All for one, fun for all, and don't forget to scratch your Curiosity.