Kotov Syndrome / Passion Pitted to the Core

Someone once said, "You learn something new everyday!" I don't pretend to know that fine gentleman personally, for I have unfortunately never had the chance to share a brew or a couple of badly timed and obnoxious high fives with the said gentleman (would've been fun though).

But the bottomline here is that that man, whoever he may have been, knew what he was talking about! If ever there were a competition on knowing what you were talking about, needless to say, our gentleman would surely have my vote, for he, in fact, did really know what he was talking about. This, of course, is a refreshing change from and quite unlike a few others who apportion a phenomenal chunk of their time to being existential and conjuring up rhetoric quotes like "Money can't buy happiness".

Well, anyway, getting along with the tale here, I find the quote on learning something new each day quite apt. Each day is a fantastic new experience, a door opening into an infinite, nebulous world without. I learnt something new today myself - "Kotov Syndrome". Now this is a very interesting development! Many people have often reiterated that you'll learn nothing listening to music and that it's just a way of squandering time away. Well, perhaps they're right! But then again, I came across the expression "Kotov Syndrome" in a song by alternative/punk band Rise Against, and so "Ha!"

"Kotov Syndrome" is a coinage accredited to the Chess Grandmaster, Alexander Kotov, who in his book "Think like a Grandmaster", descibes the Kotov Syndrome as a situation wherein a player takes far too long to think of a move and then finding himself uncomfortably low on time and still miles away from figuring out an appropriate solution, makes a poor move, usually a blunder! Nasty, yes! But it does happen! And that's when it struck me - that's my average workday in a nutshell! I spend all day thinking of what to do, and by closing time I realize I really haven't done anything substantial. So, the last hour of each day is spent panicking and squabbling, and primarily engaging in damage control.

All those of you who can relate to that, say "Aye!" And for those of you who cannot, say "Aye!" anyway! Why do you want to be left out? There's comfort in numbers, or so they claim!

And now the music update! This update is overdue by over a year. Not cool, I know. But, as we've always maintained - "Better late than never!" Everyone's always out to find the best song ever. Legend tells of many great, fearless men who set out on a voyage towards unchartered territory in search of that one song. They tried to cover up the mission by claiming they were going to discover new lands and countries or trying to prove the earth is round, but underneath the charades and veneer we all know they were only looking for that one song that would change the world forever! People have scaled the Himalayas to find saints who they believed had the answer, but they were almost always unsuccessful.

But I have a brilliant and startling new announcement to make, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. I have found that song. I kid you not. For those of you who've spilled their beverage while reading that last line, feel free to wash and clean up and get back in a bit. For the rest of you who're still staring at the screen with disbelief or incredulity - without much further ado, I give you - "Eyes as Candles" by Indie rock band Passion Pit! The song is perfect by all means. It's got a fantabulous intro, superb vocals and music, brilliant/contemporary lyrics and to top it all off an ingenious video. A perfect 10! Sadly though the song hasn't received any of the recognition or acclamation it so deserves. Heck! The video uploaded on Youtube even has the name of the song keyed in wrong! But afterall as they say - Virtue is it's own reward! So the lads of Passion Pit should feel pretty happy and smug about putting such incisive and brilliant music out in the world! Huzzah!



Song of the Post:
Wild Nothing - Chinatown
(Beautiful tune! Calm and serene...mesmerizing!)