Transcript for the Piece Audio version of The macabre imagery and dream world of Alu

[sonar sound] + This is an Echo Location: Soundings for New Music.

Music

:03
ZIGGY STARDUST CAME FROM MARS, SUN RA CAME FROM SATURN. A SINGER NAMED ALU ISN'T FROM ANOTHER PLANET, BUT SOMETIMES SHE WANTS TO BE.

:20
A: Ah, no, not really happy with earth, I sometimes not happy with the humans here, um, I think I?ve always felt like a bit of an outcast and um, you know, just, I think we all kind of want to go to that place where our family is, or the people who understand and support us are, and that?s kind of Mars to me.

Music MARTIAN RENDEZVOUS

:30
THAT'S "MARTIAN RENDEZVOUS,? ONE OF THE QUIRKY, ATMOSPHERIC AND THEATRICAL SONGS FROM HER SOPHOMORE ALBUM, "LOBOTOMY SESSIONS." THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN IRONIC PUNK TITLE OR THE FOLLOW-UP TO SPINAL TAP'S "INTRAVENOUS DE MILO." BUT ALTHOUGH SHE DOES HAVE A SONG THE NEW CLIVE BARKER FILM, "MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN," ALU ISN'T A MOROSE GOTH OR RAVING HEADBANGER. FOR THE LOS ANGELES RAISED SINGER, "LOBOTOMY SESSIONS" IS MORE LIKE THERAPY.

:07
A: It is very healing for me and every, every song is very healing for me. Um, they help me a lot.

:14
"LOBOTOMY SESSIONS" DOESN'T REMOVE PART OF ALU'S HEAD, BUT IT DOES LET US SEE THE WORLD INSIDE IT ON SONGS LIKE "BUZZIN' IN MY BRAIN." IT'S A SPIRITUAL DESCENDENT OF LAMBERT, HENDRICKS AND ROSS'S "TWISTED," VIA JONI MITCHELL.

Music Buzzin in my Brain

:21
A: buzzin in my brain is kind of about my relationship with music and creation and insanity, you know, because it?s the process is kind of maddening, um so it?s not directly about therapy, but it is in a way because it?s, it?s about my form of therapy which is creating.

Music Buzzin in my Brain

:23
SHE'S A CHILD OF HOLLYWOOD ANIMATION ARTISTS AND WENT TO SCHOOL AT CAL ARTS WHERE SHE GOT THE VOICE LESSONS THAT HELP SET HER APART. SHE'S BEEN COMPARED TO BJORK AND TORI AMOS, CABARET AND THE ADDAMS FAMILY. RARELY HAVE THOSE ELEMENTS COME TOGETHER WITH THE HAUNTING, AND HAUNTED CHARM YOU HEAR ON THE THREE RING PYSCHOSIS OF HER SONG, "CIRCUS COSMOS."

Music CIRCUS COSMOS

:14
HER NAME IS ALU, SPELLED A-L-U. HER NEW CD IS LOBOTOMY SESSIONS. I'M JOHN DILIBERTO AND THIS HAS BEEN AN ECHO LOCATION, SOUNDINGS FOR NEW MUSIC.