The lyrics on Spiritual Machines are expertly composed and arranged, making it an enjoyable album to listen to for both the cerebral concepts, and for the super-fun vocal acrobatics! Heartfelt emotions are ingeniously conveyed with both articulate thought and insightful observation about world and social affairs. Unfortunately, some have unfairly branded Spiritual Machines a concept album, based solely on the book written by Ray Kurzweil: �The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence.� (What are you people thinking? This is not OK Computer!) Of course, with Raine always �twisting� the lyrics, short excerpts from the book (read aloud by Kurzweil himself) were arranged in the appropriate places on the record so as to unify it under a few common concepts.
The well-known song, �Life� seems to convey the apparent optimism of the record. Raine recently explained that he was dissatisfied with Kurzwiel�s apprehension to discuss the �spiritual� side of human nature, so he tried to extend the focus into the exceptional qualities of human beings; that which cannot be emulated by an artificial intelligence. So, while some of the songs are based on Kurzweils grim outlook on mankind�s future, Spiritual Machines is not all depressing and gloomy. Nor is it all happiness and light. This is where a major identifying mark of Raine Maida�s lyrics comes in: Although we accept the dismal world we live in at present, there is always hope for the future. |
