This week is special to me because it's my birthday, so I figured the band I choose should be special too, and that, in a nutshell, is The Flaming Lips.
Years ago, David and Justin got me to agree to see The Flaming Lips live at the Pageant. I knew a song or two (who doesn’t remember “She Don’t Use Jelly”?) and the boys had told me all about the amazing show they caught at Bonnaroo 2007 (where the band played "War Pigs" as a "sound check" 90-minutes before their actual show), but I really had no idea what was in store for me.
As I looked around the St. Louis venue and saw people wearing Santa costumes and antennae, I have to say, it was easy to feel out of place - but when the lights went down and the confetti started flowing, it was like everything was right with the world. We were in a dimension all our own, where dressing like an alien was totally acceptable.
Frontman Wayne Coyne, aside from interjections about his liberal political beliefs, was absolutely mesmerizing. Talk about an old guy crush. And even stone sober, the colors and everything going on around you gave you the most incredible high.
I enjoyed every song I heard, but waited with bated breath until I finally heard the intro to “Do You Realize.” In that moment everyone disappeared except us and the band, and I felt happier than I have ever felt in my entire life (and to this day even).
A Lips show isn’t just a concert – no – it’s an experience. It's one everybody should have before they die, so I seriously suggest you look into it. (In case you don't, I thought this week warranted a video example...)
Expect weird, psychedelic, spacey and even manic at times, then sweet and beautiful at others from this Oklahoma-based band that’s every bit as old as I am (formed in 1983) and still very relevant. I'm sure most of you have seen car commercials (Mitsubishi, Range Rover) within the last year or two - and if so, chances are you've heard a Lips song. What you're familiar with might even surprise you.
For your enjoyment (or to spite you, we’ll see), I’ve chosen two early releases, David’s favorite (“The Soft Bulletin"), the reason I chose this band (“Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots”) and their 2009 release, “Embyronic.” (*I hope they play at Bonnaroo this year!*)
I’m not as versed on The Flaming Lips as I would like to be, so this will be a learning experience for at least three of us this week.
A little tip - for best results, close your eyes, open your mind and shut out everything but the music and your emotions. Remember – it’s an experience, not just songs you can bop your head too (although there are those as well).
1. Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (1993)
2. Clouds Taste Metallic (1995)
3. The Soft Bulletin (1999)
4. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
5. Embyonic (2009)
Just as an FYI, Beth and I will be driving back from Chicago on Friday and may not get back until midnight. At that time, we will type our reviews, but it may not be until after midnight. We have been listening to the albums and have every intention of posting reviews. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
ReplyDeleteTransmissions from the Satellite Heart was very similar to a Pixies record for me, where I enjoy the music, but have a hard time listening to the lead singer's voice. Beth and I both feel that Wayne sounds like a mix of Blind Melon and Train in this record and for the most part it sounds like whining to me. If I could remove him, then it sounds like a Weezer album that I can jam out to. I have attempted to use Laura's proposed strategy with the Pixies and ignore him, and on the third listen through this album, I actually enjoyed a lot of the heavy Smashing Pumpkin like riffs and the other smooth melodies. When I was in Spin it Again, this record was playing, and I enjoyed what I heard simply because it was up quite loud and I couldn't hear the vocals well. My favorite track was easily Pilot Can.
ReplyDeleteClouds Taste Metallic was difficult for me to get through. After three times through, not a single song sticks out to me. Wayne Coyne's vocals were not nearly as bad this time, but all of the tracks ran together for me and I was honestly quite bored. It seems like the lyrics are supposed to be thought prevoking, however, I can not relate to them at all personally. Without any connection with the lyrics, they simply appear bizarre and leave me wondering if I have to be stoned to understand. After reading reviews, it appears that I am not alone in liking this record the least.
I am going to give the other discs a third listen over our trip and comment on them Friday night.
Thomas, no worries if you guys post late, but thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's funny that you're trying to tune out Wayne on the earlier albums and prefer the instrumentals, because I am not a huge fan of the actual music early on whereas I love Wayne ;) But I'll get more into that when I post later today. Hope you're having fun in Chi-town, and we'll see you tomorrow!
I love the track “Turn It On,” which is a pleasant surprise since I’d never listened to Transmissions from the Satellite Heart before this week. It’s upbeat and quirky. I think it’s Wayne’s voice that makes all these songs quirky, unique and fun. Speaking of, I found it humorous that Thomas said he’s trying to tune out Wayne’s voice, because that’s one of the main draws for me. I agree, however, that it doesn’t fit the early on music as well as it does the later albums. I mean, it sounds fine to me, but if you take away Wayne’s voice, this could be any number of groups that is generally not grouped with The Flaming Lips. Weezer, for instance. Or maybe that’s a bad comparison.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I’m really glad David told me to pick this album.
I have to say I was a bit surprised when Thomas and Beth said they’d never heard “She Don’t Use Jelly.” I thought everyone had. I didn’t even listen to The Point or have cable TV back then, and even I remember that one. I never knew who it was until David introduced me more recently to this band, but that’s just besides the point.
The Lips get a little weirder on “Clouds Taste Metallic,” something I’ve really grown to appreciate over the last week, but still sound more generic here than their artsier stuff, which came after. Sometimes it’s the weird that makes a song stick in your head. I like how the first track, “The Abandoned Hospital Ship,” starts off slow and sweet and progresses into something heavier. Thomas’ reference to tuning out the singer, which is something he wanted to do during Pixies week, is even more relevant to my comment here because I actually think that song sounded like the Pixies to me if you take away Wayne. So it’s not my favorite Flaming Lips album, but I have at least found that my infatuation with the band goes further than “Yoshimi.”
ReplyDeleteEverywhere I read, “The Soft Bulletin” and “Yoshimi” are considered the albums that allowed The Flaming Lips to expand creatively and therefore are the most praised of the bunch. I can see that and I think these latter two albums totally deserve all the attention. “Race for the Prize” stood out immediately because I remembered hearing it at the show. There’s something all-consuming and uplifting about the song, mostly in the instrumental that follows the chorus line. “Waiting for Superman” was another I remembered from the show and liked a lot. In Cincinnati, David said this might be another song Thomas and Beth might have heard, but I don’t remember ever hearing it before that fateful day (so dramatic,). I liked the pseudo-beatboxing on “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate.” It’s prominent in the intro but then I like how it fades into the beat so much so that you forget that’s what’s going on. So much so that without that intro, I might never identify what that sound really was. Interesting technique. Here, I enjoyed the steps the band took to make themselves unique. It’s highly rated nearly everywhere, and justifiably so, but my favorite of the bunch remains…
ReplyDelete“Fight Test” is one of my favorite Flaming Lips songs and only my third favorite at best on Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, which if you haven’t figured out yet is my favorite Lips album. Some say the band ripped off the Cat Stevens song, “Father and Son,” but I’ve gone over it and gone over it and no matter what anyone says, it doesn’t take anything away for me - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight_Test. Next, the album’s title track would probably be my second favorite here. I like everything about it - the weird music, the catchy sing-a-long chorus line, the audience participation (which obviously you don’t get from listening to the CD and not seeing them live). I love the idea for the whole concept album in the first place. Everyone knows I love tiny Asian girls, as I used to live with one. Sometimes it’s fun to imagine she’s Yoshimi, even though she’s Korean and not Japanese. Little Erin, saving me from pink robots… but I digress. It occurred to me very recently that concept albums have a way of grabbing and keeping my attention better than compilations of individual songs. (Rock operas like the Decemberists “Hazards of Love” take this a bit further, which we will delve into next month). It’s a little more fun trying to listen to songs and put them in a context as it is to listen individually, though I understand it’s a lot harder for a band to get away with, so I appreciate the effort here and a job well done. Surprisingly, I love the Yoshimi Part II track as well. I say surprisingly because I typically do not like shrill and obstructive noises – certainly not together – but for some reason, this is music to my ears, even the screaming. I think this is an ideal situation where context comes into play – Yoshimi is fighting the robots, and losing, and I can hear that so the otherwise random noises suddenly make sense. David and I had a long conversation about this on the way to Ohio last weekend, which was kind of enlightening. It put “In the Morning of the Magicians” in a new light as well. I’ve always liked it before, but never thought of it for what it is – a wake for the heroine of our story. I love its peacefulness, and when Wayne starts in with the lyrics, it gives me chills. Same with “Ego Trippin.” “Do You Realize,” the official rock anthem of Oklahoma, is my favorite Flaming Lips song and never to this day fails to lift my spirits and take me out of this world. I can’t say enough about that. Continuing with that song’s theme of live in the now, “All We Have As Now,” goes on “we were never meant to be a part of the future,” which is both thought-provoking and inspiring to do something with my life instead of always planning for a future that, let’s face it, is always uncertain.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed their latest album, Embryonic, although it had a much darker tone than the other four. A couple of highlights for me: “Convinced of the Hex,” “See the Leaves” and “Powerless” for its slow melody and haunting creepiness. I do not tend to enjoy songs like “Scorpio Sword” which comes out with loud feedback and screeching sounds, eek. On the other hand, I kind of liked “Silver Trembling Hands” and with its trippy lyrics and excessive harp sounds . For me, even though I didn’t like this album as much as my reining favorite, The Flaming Lips are at the very least keeping things interesting and staying relevant. For that reason, I will most definitely listen to this band and everything they do for years to come. And I definitely won’t be missing a live show the next time they come into town.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Beth and Thomas's enjoyment of this week's artist could possibly be seriously hindered by the fact that they've never seen them perform life. It's such a crucial part of the Flaming Lips experience, and having seen them myself twice (both times being some of the greatest spectacles that I've ever witnessed), picturing their performances while listening to their music greatly enhances the experience. While I can understand that Wayne Coyne's voice could possibly be a turn-off for some, I personally think that his vocal style perfectly compliments the weird, psychedelic landscape that the band creates with their music. The Flaming Lips are definitely one of my favorite bands, and I loved using this week to reacquaint myself with a couple of their older albums.
ReplyDelete"Transmissions From the Satellite Heart" definitely displays a lot of the traits of your typical quirky, early-to-mid 90s underground guitar bands. Their are some major similarities musically to a band like the Pixies or most definitely the Butthole Surfers, who sounded VERY much like the Lips at this stage in their careers. The standout for me on this album, as on pretty much every release by the band, is the gigantic sounding drums. It's interesting to note that this album is the first appearance with the band by the great drummer/multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd....his importance to the band is incalculable. This album contains my favorite song to see performed live by the band, 'She Don't Use Jelly'....when Wayne hits the peak note in every verse and the guitar line hits, the confetti just explodes everywhere and it never fails to give me chills. This song was the only Flaming Lips song I'd heard for quite a while, as I didn't really discover the band fully until a little while after "The Soft Bulletin" was released, so it still holds a special place in my heart. The other standout on the album for me is the closer, 'Slow Nerve Action', with it's Led Zeppelin sounding drumbeat, the woozy guitar riff, and one of the first introductions of the symphonic sounds the band would use to such amazing effect. Overall this album is very good, but is just a small taste of what was to come in the next few years.
"Clouds Taste Metallic" is another step away from the more guitar influenced style of the bands early years, and in hindsight is definitely a precursor of what was to come next. 'The Abandoned Hospital Ship' is one of my favorite songs by the band...I love the film roll sound throughout the song, and the ringing church bells in the climax are simply amazing. The use of piano and acoustic guitar is far more prevalent here, and the band was starting to include more of a composer's sensibility into their songwriting. Just look at a song like 'Placebo Headwound', with it's multiple sections, and fairly ambitious structure. This was the Lips beginning to move towards something epic, and I just find this album completely amazing from front to back. The lyrical weirdness abounds, but it's just a necessary component to what they are as a band.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'll just come right out front and say that if I were to make a list of my favorite albums of the 90s, "The Soft Bulletin" would be right there jostling for the number 2 spot. When 'Race for the Prize' kicks in with the double drum hit, and the synthesizer orchestra hits, I'm instantly transported into another world. This is easily the biggest sounding record I've ever heard in my entire life....the drums are so unbelievably huge, and the harmonies are so layered, and the synths are so epic...I could just go on and on and on. This album has been compared to the Beach Boys seminal "Pet Sounds" album, and the comparison is dead on in terms of just sheer greatness of the composition of the orchestration. While, as I said, their were hints of this sound in "Clouds Taste Metallic", this album still came out of nowhere, and was amazing in that it came out of a band that had been formed 16 years previously (a theme I'll be bringing up again a few albums later). If I had to pick a favorite song (which is nearly impossible), I would probably have to choose 'What Is the Light?'. The song opens into the darkness of space, and as Wayne Coyne begins to tell you what the light really is, this unbelievable drumbeat kicks in and the music takes you out of the darkness and into the brightest light imaginable. The imagery this song brings to me is amazing. I could probably gush about this album for another 1500 words, but I think everyone understands that if I were to rate this album, I'd probably give it a 15 out of 10.
"Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" is the sound of a band that has found an unbelievably winning sound wanting to give that sound a bit of a victory lap. While not being much different than it's predecessor, the loose idea of the concept album makes this one another massive success. The concept of a bunch of robots attempting a takeover, inspiring a young Asian girl (played by Yoshimi P-We of the great Japanese noise band Boredoms) to fight for justice is only played out through the first 5 songs on the album, but these are 5 of the greatest songs from the band. 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 2' is the sound of the battle itself, Yoshimi fighting valiantly but ultimately being defeated. "In the Morning of the Magician" is the sound of her wake, and is one of the greatest odes to the frailty of life ever written. This album is the Lips attempt to tackle some of the big subjects in life....love, life, death, emotions, and war. To center these themes around such beautiful instrumentation allows the well-worn ideas to seem fresh and new. The most well-known, and probably the most well-loved song by the band in their history is 'Do You Realize??', which I remember hearing in at least 1 major commercial at the time of this album's release. While being an extremely melancholy song at times, Wayne wants us to savor our lives and enjoy every single moment we have left. This song has been a key part of my life, and I love every second of it. As a matter of fact, I could say that about the entire album.
ReplyDeleteAfter their disappointing 2006 album "At War With the Mystics", many thought that the Flaming Lips might have finally hit the end of their critical relevance as a band. Due to this, my first listen to "Embryonic" was like a giant slap in the face for my stupid underestimation of who they are. This album is - despite only being my 3rd favorite by the band - the single most amazing release by the group yet. The thought that 26 years after their formation the Flaming Lips could come back with an album that almost completely reinvented the way people view them as artists is crazy. This album is the sound of a band playing out from the inside of a gigantic hole, and easily contains their darkest work to date. The influences of 70s German krautrock bands like Can is easy to spot (if you've heard Can), as they both possess very driving motorik-type drumbeats and bass lines. Even after around 20 spins of this album, I'm still discovering new things about it, which is clearly the mark of something great. I feel like my opinion of the album will only increase with time, and may someday even overtake "Yoshimi" to become my 2nd favorite album by the band. For now, though, the major standout for me on the album is 'Silver Trembling Hands', which has one of the most epic breakdown choruses in years. Come back to me in about 5 years for my final analysis of the album, because it will probably take about that long to completely sink in.
In the end, the most amazing thing to me about the Flaming Lips recorded music is their ability to transform themselves so greatly more than once in a career that has lasted nearly 3 decades. This is a band that will be talked about with reverence long after they're finished making music, and rightly so. I strongly suggest to Beth and Thomas that if it's ever possible for you to see the band play live (even if you don't particularly like the music you've heard this week) to give them a chance. Thank you to Laura for allowing us the opportunity to listen to one of the great bands in history.
The Soft Bulletin was again, another giant leap forward for me from Clouds Taste Metallic. Wayne's voice is becoming more and more tolerable, and less and less of a focal point for the band. The whole album sounded like a Death Cab album only with more creative instrumentation and production. The lyrics and the vocals were quite similar though. I had not heard 'Waitin' for Superman' prior to this week, but it is probably my second favorite track behind Race for the Prize. Buggin is probably my least favorite track of Music Togetherness so far.
ReplyDeleteYoshimi Battles the Pink Robots was yet another improvement over the previous album. I feel that they did an excellent job of painting the picture of their 'concept' and letting you feel all of the emotions being expressed throughout the story. From pride, nervousness, passion, love, and sorrow. I am just not quite certain why they chose Pink robots and a japanese girl to play out these roles. This story reminds me of Randy Quaid's character in Independence Day. Do You Realize is my favorite track on this album post concept.
Embryonic was easily my favorite album. This was much darker and heavier than any of their prior works. Perhaps I just have a dark personality, but this general tone get me lifted. The drums on this entire album are magnificent and the whining has been removed from Wayne's repetoir. See the Leaves was my favorite track on the album along with Powerless, Convinced of the Hex, and Watching the Planets. Our rental truck had some great bass, and this album rattled the hell out of our styrofoam cups. This is an album that I have every intention of buying and playing over and over as I study.
I think David is right that I need to see this group live as I can definitely see that enhancing tracks like She Don't Use Jelly. As with the Pixies and the first 3 albums of Animal Collective, this genre just misses me. However the last album, which was obviously completely different than the rest of their work, was quite brilliant. Thank you for the exposure to a well respected group that I hope I can grow into liking more.
People remember where they were when special events occur in their life, maybe a first kiss or seeing an eclipse; I remember being in a little indie record store in Lawrence, Kansas when I purchased "The Soft Bulletin" by the Flaming Lips. My life was forever changed, The next time I went out to Kansas was with my buddy Patrick to visit his parent's farm. I recall vividly driving through the countryside just outside the farm taking in the autumn scenery with the windows down blaring the same album and feeling a wonderful kind of sublime that has only been duplicated a handful of times in my life. The Lips have that kind of effect on me.
ReplyDelete"Transmissions" is a wonderful jumping off point for this band, even though they had already been recording music for a good decade before. There's an unpolished feeling with Wayne's vocals and the instrumentation which is a signature of this band's sound and really endears them to me. Turn It On sets the album off nicely, with it's anthemic sing-along that starts "put your face up to the window tell me all about your gay folks", Wayne will never be sued for ripping off someone elses lyrics. The Lips explore lots of generes, from grunge to freak folk, which makes the album very uneven and sometimes abraisive for the casual listener. With that said, every track is unmistakeably a Flaming Lips song and would never be confused for another band. Slow Nerve Action bookends the album nicely with fuzzy, distorted guitars. To think this album was released in the heyday of bands like Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Stone Temple Pilots, it's understandable that the Lips were considered maybe a novelty band with one minor radio hit. They weren't conforming to the strictly grunge/alternative sound, they were kind of batting it around like a cat and a ball of string.
Wayne is in Bob Dylan territory, in the sense that you either love his trembly voice or you can't stand it. To me, his voice has a child-like honesty where if he said the sky was purple, I would probably believe him. "Clouds" steps it up with bizarre imagery in the form of Placebo Headwound's "why do birds always fly south when sometimes it's warm with your headwound". Wayne admits to only taking acid a few times in his teens, which I find hard to believe since most of these songs are clearly not the fruits of a normal functioning brain. Brainville certainly sounds a lot like taking some sort of psychedelic drug, with lyrics like enlarging your space, overcoming your inexperience and being the first person on the block to do so. This is just an alright album from the Lips, as not too many tracks really stand-out on their own.
"Soft Bulletin" is one of my favorite albums by any artist ever. The production has an almost movie-score quality to it, very sweeping and layered. Race for the Prize continues the Flaming Lips pattern of very excellent album starters that has to be seen in concert to be fully appreciated. As mentioned before by Laura, the Flaming Lips live show is a spectacle that assaults your senses in the best way possible; streamers, tons of confetti, people dressed up like it's halloween, and Wayne rolling around in a giant plastic bubble. I get the feeling on this album that they were starting to make music specifically to be showcased live. The piano is featured more here which I love, tracks like The Spiderbite Song are punctuated with Steve Drozd's keyboard proficiency. Drozd also had drumming duties on this album, which while the drumming on most Lips tracks are not that difficult, they are such a huge part of their unique sound. Songs like Suddenly Everything has Changed and Waiting For a Superman, really shows a maturity and growth in the Lips lyrically and sonically that is mind blowing, considering one of their first gigs was playing punk music in a strip club.
Once again on "Yoshimi", The Lips are making songs that are befitting stadiums and spacious venues. Fight Test is one of those songs that defines a generation, singing about reality slapping you in the face. The fact that it took the Lips over 20 years to make a concept album is surprising considering their constant stream of strange subject matter and their occaisional comparisons to the godfathers of concept albums Pink Floyd. The instrumentation is digitalized a little more here, more synthesized, but it is the natural progression these guys were starting to take on "Bulletin". Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die? Pretty heady stuff, but the message is so beautiful because it forces you to appreciate everything and everyone around you because life is breif. This may be a little mid-life crisis therapy for Wayne as well.
ReplyDelete"Embryonic" was a another shock from the Lips. Somehow they manage to keep growing and evolving while keeping the sensabilities that make them who they are. This album is such a dark turn, but honestly this avenue is so new to them they can keep doing this for a few more albums and it would still be refreshing. Convinced of the Hex is dark but doesn't sound depressing, in fact it has a very youthful, modern feel. Aquarius Sabotage sounds like an angel garage band. This album is extremely uneven with tempos and volume but it somehow manages to play well all the way through. I Can Be a Frog is a wonderfully weird track with Karen O from the YYY's calling her vocals in over the phone, very cool. Worm Mountain reminds me of the movie This is Spinal Tap where Nigel is explaining how the amps all go to 11. Silver Trembling Hands is one of my favorite songs of the year, and I completely agree with David that this album is going to have a more profound effect on me further down the road. There is so much to digest in this album, that I can't wait to listen to it again and again and find something new everytime I do so. This band has been together for nearly 30 years and just like a fine wine, they are only getting better.
On the first album Transmissions from the Satellite Heart, overall this was my least favorite album from the Lips. My main reasoning for this is that Wayne’s voice is kind of all over the place. At times for me, it sounds like he is going through adolescence, and having a hard time finding his voice. I will say the first track, ‘Turn it on” is a good intro song for the album. It is very fun and upbeat, but once again I do not find myself wanting to listen to it over and over again. The song, “She don’t use Jelly” which was apparently a pretty popular song from the group, was quite odd. I can see how back in the day when this album came out it was popular. If you look at the year the album came out and think about the other songs out at the time it really fits in quite well. My favorite song on the album would have to be, “Pilot can at the queer of God” I really liked the guitars in this song, it was a fun song to rock out to. Overall the album did not do much for me, it definitely did not turn me into a Flaming Lips song. We’ll see what the next few albums have in store for me.
ReplyDeleteOn to album 2, and we start off on a more quiet ambience. I still see that Wayne is having trouble with his voice though. This album seems to be very similar to the previous one. I see maybe a little heavier influence in some of their songs such as, “Kim’s Watermelon Gun,” which happens to be my favorite song on the album. I am also trying to picture myself at one of there concerts while listening and I have to say, with as all over the place the songs are and the awesome light show that they put on, I can see why even though they may not at this point be my favorite artist, they could still make a very interesting concert experience. I also give them kudos for making there own unique sound. They seem to have paved the way for groups like, “My Morning Jacket.”
Starting on “The Soft Bulletin,” the very first track “Race for the Prize” I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. This is a much cleaner sound, and I really like how Wayne’s voice has come into it’s own. These songs make me feel like I am in a dream world. To be continued…..
I am really enjoying this album. The song, “The Spark that Bled,” starts off on such a creepy tone, but ends up having a very nice flow to it. Most of these songs have very strange lyrics, and makes me wonder how it is they come up with this stuff. I also enjoy how they put a song like, “The Observer,” in the midst of their album, sort of like an interlude to take you from one part to the next. As for picking a favorite on this album, I would have to say, “Feeling your disintegrate,” was by far my favorite. It almost reminds me of some sort of 70’s type love making music. It is just a beautiful song. This album has saved the Lips for me, and I know I will be putting most if not all these songs on my I pod.
ReplyDeleteGoing into this album I have such high hopes, coming in from the great sounds of the previous album. I still am pleasantly surprised that they are keeping the nice flow and tone as the Soft Bulletin. I do find it weird that they made an entire album on a girl taking on some robots. The beauty of this is that they can pretty much sing about whatever the hell they want, as long as they put great background music to it. I did not get into this album as much as the previous one, but I did really like the songs, “In the Morning of the Magicians,” and “Do you realize.” They both hit a nerve with me, and I always appreciate when a song can make me reflect on things in my life. While this was a good album, it was not my favorite.
Embryonic is staring off on a little bit more of a darker tone for me. Not saying this is a bad thing by any means, but it makes me wonder if the band is going through some hard times or something along those lines. The song, “Evil” is a good for instance on what I am talking about. It is still a beautiful song but it kind of makes me depressed. I would listen to this song when I was feeling really bad about myself. Thomas told me that this was his favorite album out of them all, and I can definitely see why. It much harder and edgier than anything I have ever heard from the Lips. Another song I am really enjoying is, “See the leaves.” It has such a good beat to it, and makes me want to rock out. While this album is a little darker than my usual liking I do enjoy most everything I hear on here.
Although the Lips were a little harder for me to get into at first, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed their last three albums. I could definitely live without the first two, but understand that every band has to start somewhere and it is a pleasure to see them morph into the more sophisticated band that they are today. I’ll be keeping my eye out on future albums!
BTW Laura is gonna have to edit me saying that it did not turn me into a flaming Lips song. I must have been smoking something when I wrote that.
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