Comatose and Lovin' It

Anyone need a cure for insomnia?

This is a safe alternative to the standard barbiturates and alcohol.

Start off with a dose of Cocteau Twins. In case you haven't heard, they are a new wave/pop act from Scotland founded in 1979. Extremely ethereal, they have an almost other-worldly sound that conjures up images of white plushy carpets, grand spiral staircases, and flickering fireplaces. At least that what it does for me, as I dozed off in the middle of one of their tracks and these visions appeared. (Sidenote: I have had these images in my dreams about 4 or 5 times in the past month. If anyone is an expert in the field of dream analysis, give me the scoop.) Check out the tracks "Lorelei," "Pandora," and "Blue Bell Knoll."

Moving on to the next drug, pop in the track "In Parallel" by Seattle shoegaze extraordinaires Sleepy Eyes of Death. You will be transported to a mid-summer night, warm and damp, as a quick thunderstorm just came through, and lightning still flickers in the distance. The tingly storm smell lingers in the air and tickles your nostrils. Crickets hum in the background, and the stillness of your surroundings puts you on edge...you are waiting for something to happen. Anticipation swells inside of you and the first note of the track kicks in. The electro-tinged note courses through your body and you wonder if this isn't how those faux TV evangelist "healings" are supposed to feel.

Complete the descent into complete unconsciousness with a selection from another Scottish electronic act - Boards of Canada. While Sleepy Eyes of Death transports you to warm summer nights, BOC takes you to a warm and sunny summer day. The kind of day where you hear kids laughing in the distance, interpersed with creaking playground equipment, and the slow and steady thump of a bouncing basketball on a community basketball court. You are in a field that stretches as far as the eye can see, complete with gentle rolling hills and dotted with wispy dandelions. You stroll leisurely through the soft grass, gazing lazily up at the puffy clouds, waiting to see if any magically morph into recognizable figures. The track "Roygbiv" plays as you bask in the warm sun and wish that you could be a kid again for a couple of hours.

If you're still awake, pop an Ambien and maybe a Xanax. As for me, I'm close to comatose and ready for bed.