Tripping Daisy were a band from Dallas, TX who made hyperactive, psychedelic pop rock music. If I had to compare them in sound to other bands I would say to think in the same musical vein as The Flaming Lips or Porno for Pyros. They could also be described as a fusion of Yes and Jane’s Addiction. Tripping Daisy made four fun & trippy studio albums and disbanded shortly after the death of their guitarist Wes Berggren in 1999. “ I am an Elastic Firecracker” Is Tripping daisy’s second studio album released in 1995.

Wake up Mr. Bock!! It is time for your medication. Today is not your sad day but your happy, happy day. Don’t you look all nice in your fresh and clean hospital gown? Today we have something VERY special for you. Have a seat right here in front of the stereo. This is your radio day. Put on these headphones; there, are we comfortable? Good. Today’s selection of music is called “I am an elastic firecracker” by an all time favorite band around here, Tripping Daisy. This is happy music for insane people. Now lay back and enjoy……………….

The first song called ‘RocketPop’ starts and the immediate sound of guitars comes crawling then sprinting down the wires directly into the cavern of my skull. No nurse in sight I close my eyes and enjoy the twisted brain massage from the rapid drumbeat. Ooooh this is good please don’t stop. The music is fast and loud then shifts to a lower gear then expands almost like a bubble within the original song structure. Long Curtains that were not there before draw back and expose a meadow with honey glazed sun showers and millions of tiny rainbows bouncing from tree to tree. It’s the 1970’s. This setting is childlike and innocent. Damn, here comes the fast paced music again, this is good but where is the bubble? The drums are pounding and trying to bring me back. No, no I like it in here it’s not like the outside. This is a song for schizoids. The bubble comes back to the warm 70’s place, but the song soon ends.
‘Bang’ the second song starts and is an average song with average structure still not bad but the lyrics are asking questions I can’t answer. Are they talking to me?
The third song is light and fluffy and makes me feel like a glazed doughnut and too much sugar makes me nauseas. It’s called ‘I got a girl’. Who cares? I guess I am supposed to feel like I am in college living with some chick that runs around the apartment in her panties and loves her dog. I don’t like this song. Where is the nurse? She said I would be happy. I’ll listen to one more song; if it doesn’t cut the mustard I’m ripping these headphones off and finding the TV room.
‘Piranha’ begins with light strumming from an electric guitar and quickly moves into driving music. Man if I had my license and a weekend pass I would drive in the country and watch the landscapes shoot past as I listen to this one. As the beat changes so will the greenery. This song rocks. I feel elevated as if I am looking down at the big picture. There are flying fish snapping sharp teeth with their tails flicking the air. The singer has a great rock in roll voice, Neil Young based but high pitched and nasally, a bit like Perry Farrell. He is warning us about the people in the world who prey on the weak and trusting. There are all kinds of stuff happening in the background.
There is a song called ‘Motivation’. Yeah as I listen to the music I am transcending but at the same time tumbling down a hill of vocal harmonies and melodies only to be transported back up so I can tumble again. Back and forth, up and down, this record can’t make up its mind. There are plenty of hooks in this one. This is probably the best song that has been transmitted so far. I am feeling happy, happy, happy.
This is not the dark spooky music I am used to. I can relate to these truly bizarre lyrics even though they can be brutally honest at times but the music is upbeat and motivating.
‘Step Behind’ puts me in a small raft going down a mellow meandering stream in the middle of a deep dark canyon. I am coming from an Indian palace. My raft flows and sways with the sounds coming in from the headphones. Intermittent lightning flashes interrupt the trip across the water, the sky turns black as mad but colorful images of people screaming are projected onto the canyon walls. The drums and guitars swell to stir up the water; the singer’s voice is raised then falls back to soothing story telling. Whoa the pace is picking up; here come the rapids. Is that a waterfall? Open the eyes!! Open the eyes!!
The next song ‘Noose’ is so mellow that I am lying in a puddle of colors this time. Wishing I could shrink down to dive into the puddle and swim with the multicolored amoeba. The lyrics are totally different, but this is the musical vibe.
‘Prick’ is a nine minute long ride on the back of a mosquito.
Each song gets better, stranger and less radio friendly. Sometimes they are head bangers and sometimes they are lucid eye glazers. Most importantly each song brings me to a new setting that is not this place and that is the whole point. With radio days like this, who needs the lithium?

…Oh My Mr. Bock it looks as if you have stained your gown again. Climb down off those speakers and hand me back those headphones.