Injections of neural tracers into the superficial layers of cortex reveal a remarkable element of the cortical architecture. Labelled neurons spread their axons widely within a single cortical area — but instead of the uniform diffusion of projections across the cortical surface that one might expect, many thousands of labelled neurons collaborate to form regions of more and less dense innervation.
Steven Rose seeks to become an apologist for Descartes ("In search of the God neuron"). However, instead of the pineal gland being the gateway between mind and brain, we neuroscientists are told to "recognise our limitations"...
Having weeped at missing the Cut Copy and Black Lips gigs for various reasons including hubris and stupidity, Miss Swiss plus one, Curly Wurly and I instead hit the Mercury Lounge for the Frog Eyes plus others gig.
Salt
Salt
Finally a gig in Switzerland without the Swiss politeness. Which, on sober (slightly drunk?) reflection, as I caught the third tiny Swiss girl thrown wildly towards me by the rampaging idiots next to me and stopped her from smacking her head on the pole, I decided that I missed. The mosh pit was the most violent I'd seen since Franz Ferdinand played in Winterthur a couple of years ago. And this before the music even started!
Ball and Dance at Rote Fabrik
Ball and Dance at Rote Fabrik
Was it my imagination, or did Architecture in Helsinki play a minor-key version of One Heavy February as their opener? In any case, I spent the rest of the evening pining for more from their wide-eyed and euphoric first album. Unreleased in Europe, apparently, which probably explains its absence, but the quiet ache of Like A Call always sends shivers down my spine and I've been jonesin' for a live hit since the last time in 2003.