The Flaming Lips

[LMP]

LMP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb76E4f1WE8

baller as hell.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Hello friends! I was looking for a Flaming Lips thread and I found this really old LMP Flaming Lips thread so I said to myself..."What the fuck. I'll bump this motherfucker. Let's talk about the Flaming Lips"

Anyway, I have just now gotten into these guys. I'm talkin like in the last two weeks. They are a band that I've always been aware of...I knew their hit songs and I knew that they had a kickass tune featured in the movie Batman Forever...but I hadn't yet "got it", you know?

Well I do now. I have downloaded Clouds Taste Metallic, Soft Bulletin, and Yoshimi Battles The Long Album Title and I am quickly falling in love with all three. It seems like this is a band that needs to be appreciated in the context of their albums as a whole. Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi are battling it out right now for my favorite. I still don't have their most recent one or anything before Clouds Taste Metallic. I don't know if any of that stuff is good and I almost don't care. With the three albums I have I'm already a big fan. I have been blasting the title track to Yoshimi all night.

Ok, thanks for letting me get that out there. I feel better. Now it's your turn.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Hello friends! I was looking for a Flaming Lips thread and I found this really old LMP Flaming Lips thread so I said to myself..."What the fuck. I'll bump this motherfucker. Let's talk about the Flaming Lips"

Anyway, I have just now gotten into these guys. I'm talkin like in the last two weeks. They are a band that I've always been aware of...I knew their hit songs and I knew that they had a kickass tune featured in the movie Batman Forever...but I hadn't yet "got it", you know?

Well I do now. I have downloaded Clouds Taste Metallic, Soft Bulletin, and Yoshimi Battles The Long Album Title and I am quickly falling in love with all three. It seems like this is a band that needs to be appreciated in the context of their albums as a whole. Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi are battling it out right now for my favorite. I still don't have their most recent one or anything before Clouds Taste Metallic. I don't know if any of that stuff is good and I almost don't care. With the three albums I have I'm already a big fan. I have been blasting the title track to Yoshimi all night.

Ok, thanks for letting me get that out there. I feel better. Now it's your turn.

Welcome to the club! They're one of my very favorite bands.

For stuff before Clouds Taste Metallic, I'd suggest Transmissions from a Satellite Heart and In a Priest Driven Ambulance. Their latest, At War With the Mystics is pretty good, although not on the level of The Soft Bulletin or Yoshimi.

EDIT: Actually, after thinking about it, I'd hold off on In a Priest Driven Ambulance...I really enjoy it, but to be honest, it's uneven at best. Highlights that you should get though: "Mountainside" and "Unconsciously Screaming" for sure, and maybe "Shine on Sweet Jesus." And, even though I said AWWTM isn't on the level of Yoshimi and the Soft Bulletin, it's still fucking fantastic, and you should get it right away.

I could go on and on forever about this band...like I did when I wrote a paper for a music class about them.

 

[LemonMelon]

Check the avatar and respect their greatness.

Christmas On Mars CD/DVD set will be the best Christmas present evar.

 

[Saracene]

Of the Flaming Lips albums I've got, it's:

Yoshimi > Soft Bulletin > Transmissions from a Satellite Heart > At War With the Mystics > Clouds Taste Metallic

I couldn't really get into Clouds Taste Metallic, but then I listened to it ages ago and maybe it needs more spins.

One of my biggest regrets is missing out on a chance to see Flaming Lips live when they came down to Melbourne for Big Day Out a few years ago,

 

[cobl04]

I have Yoshimi and I think it's fantastic. My favourite track is Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell.

 

[impy13]

Anyone who doesn't realize the second half of Yoshimi kills the first is certifiably insane.

 

[LemonMelon]

Personally, I think Yoshimi is their weakest non-Zaireeka album since Hit To Death In The Future Head. That's not really a knock on Yoshimi in particular, since the other albums are wonderful, but I've never understood the hype.

 

[lazarus]

^^^ Agreed. Some beautiful songs on there, but it comes off rather slight.

I'm overjoyed that someone else likes Mystics better, LM.

I haven't heard Zaireeka so I can't really comment. And I'm not sure it's fair to pass judgment if you haven't heard it the way it was intended--with four stereo systems.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Check the avatar and respect their greatness.

Christmas On Mars CD/DVD set will be the best Christmas present evar.

I'm waiting for my super-awesome deluxe version to show up in the mail. Can't wait to finally see the damn thing!

Wayne's video explaining the deluxe version is pretty cool too:
YouTube - The Flaming Lips - Christmas on Mars Deluxe Edition

Personally, I think Yoshimi is their weakest non-Zaireeka album since Hit To Death In The Future Head. That's not really a knock on Yoshimi in particular, since the other albums are wonderful, but I've never understood the hype.

I think, for me, Yoshimi has a stronger emotional connection than anything else. The album itself might be weaker than AWWTM, but I'll probably always hold Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi above it for that reason. They're both such hard-hitting albums and get to me every time I listen to them.

I haven't heard Zaireeka so I can't really comment. And I'm not sure it's fair to pass judgment if you haven't heard it the way it was intended--with four stereo systems.

I haven't heard it in its true form either, only the version fans did to mix it into one disc.

 

[u2popmofo]

Mystics is too disjointed for me personally. The songs are good, there's just no flow. It almost seems as if they decided half way through to make a complete different type of album. That's why Yoshimi and Solt Bulletin gets such praise in my opinion, they work fantastically as "albums" in both theme and sound. While they're still diverse in the types of songs in the album, it all works together. I don't get that with Mystics at all, and it makes it extremely difficult for me to listen to all together. I almost wish they would have done it as two or three EPs instead of an album.

I guess I can understand someone just straight up not enjoying the overall theme or sound of Yoshimi, as it's relatively silly and strange. Then again, what Flaming Lips albums aren't?

 

[LMP]

^^^ Agreed. Some beautiful songs on there, but it comes off rather slight.

I'm overjoyed that someone else likes Mystics better, LM.

I haven't heard Zaireeka so I can't really comment. And I'm not sure it's fair to pass judgment if you haven't heard it the way it was intended--with four stereo systems.

Mystics is such an awesome blend of their early/mid-'90s rock and Post-Zaireeka psychedelia sensibilities... I lovez it.

Anyone who doesn't realize the second half of Yoshimi kills the first is certifiably insane.

What is this? Are you some kind of hyp-no-tiiiiist?

Hello friends! I was looking for a Flaming Lips thread and I found this really old LMP Flaming Lips thread so I said to myself..."What the fuck. I'll bump this motherfucker. Let's talk about the Flaming Lips"

Anyway, I have just now gotten into these guys. I'm talkin like in the last two weeks. They are a band that I've always been aware of...I knew their hit songs and I knew that they had a kickass tune featured in the movie Batman Forever...but I hadn't yet "got it", you know?

Well I do now. I have downloaded Clouds Taste Metallic, Soft Bulletin, and Yoshimi Battles The Long Album Title and I am quickly falling in love with all three. It seems like this is a band that needs to be appreciated in the context of their albums as a whole. Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi are battling it out right now for my favorite. I still don't have their most recent one or anything before Clouds Taste Metallic. I don't know if any of that stuff is good and I almost don't care. With the three albums I have I'm already a big fan. I have been blasting the title track to Yoshimi all night.

Ok, thanks for letting me get that out there. I feel better. Now it's your turn.

Transmissions... and Mystics are incredibly solid, especially if you liked Clouds Taste Metallic a great deal.

Mystics is too disjointed for me personally. The songs are good, there's just no flow. It almost seems as if they decided half way through to make a complete different type of album. That's why Yoshimi and Solt Bulletin gets such praise in my opinion, they work fantastically as "albums" in both theme and sound. While they're still diverse in the types of songs in the album, it all works together. I don't get that with Mystics at all, and it makes it extremely difficult for me to listen to all together. I almost wish they would have done it as two or three EPs instead of an album.

I guess I can understand someone just straight up not enjoying the overall theme or sound of Yoshimi, as it's relatively silly and strange. Then again, what Flaming Lips albums aren't?

Mystics, as much as I dig it, seems like an album full of singles than an actual album. It's almost like their HTDAAB... except not horribly over-produced.

 

[LemonMelon]

I'm waiting for my super-awesome deluxe version to show up in the mail. Can't wait to finally see the damn thing!

Wayne's video explaining the deluxe version is pretty cool too:
YouTube - The Flaming Lips - Christmas on Mars Deluxe Edition

I'VE GOT A GOLDEN TIIIIIIICKEEEET
I'VE GOT A GOLDEN CHANCE TO MAKE MY WAAAAAAAAAAAY

But, if I'm being honest with myself, I mostly want to try the Flaming Lips popcorn. It's probably just regular, lightly buttered popcorn in a nifty box, but still.

I think, for me, Yoshimi has a stronger emotional connection than anything else. The album itself might be weaker than AWWTM, but I'll probably always hold Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi above it for that reason. They're both such hard-hitting albums and get to me every time I listen to them.

Yeah, yeah, I can definitely see that. It's what keeps the album up there with the other classics, in my mind. There's a weight to tracks like Do You Realize?? and It's Summertime that make their light, jangly melodies hard to swallow, and that's a compliment. However, when you get right down to it, the songs just don't stand up to the masterpieces littered all over Soft Bulletin and Mystics. Is Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 2 really necessary? Shouldn't there be some closure with whatever plot/theme is going on? And you will never convince me that All We Have Is Now is a great song. I should listen to the album later and see if I still feel the same way.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Since i live in OKC, a while back i drove by Wayne's house just out of curiousity. It was a rainy day a few months back and i wanted to see what was up. Honestly he owns like 4 or 5 lots on the street he grew up on, the area is not very nice but his house seems nice. He has a sort of compound with a surrounding wall where i guess they keep stage props in the back. While i did not see Wayne personally, his other half (g/f, wife?) was out front walking the dog in the rain with an umbrella. It was a pretty cool scene. I think i may have seen Wayne out before; clubs, resturaunts, parties, etc.

I'm seriously contemplating getting into their music since it is so underplayed here locally. I like what i have heard but i know there is more out there. I guess AWWTM is a good starting point?

 

[u2popmofo]

I'm seriously contemplating getting into their music since it is so underplayed here locally. I like what i have heard but i know there is more out there. I guess AWWTM is a good starting point?

Garry's Son,

I think you're best off starting with The Soft Bulletin or Yoshimi. I'd go with Soft Bulletin personally. It's real nice, you could even say it's dandy.

~Senor Belvedere

 

[david]

I picked up Christmas on Mars today.. It's a really great quirky movie. It has the uneasyness of older David Lynch stuff.

I also picked up their live concert from the Oklahoma city zoo, a few weeks ago, and that's a great little DVD if you've never experienced them live. Fearless Freaks is a GREAT documentary on the evolution of the band too. I suggest that as well.

I saw them live in 2002 when they opened for Beck and then stayed on to be his backing band. Their opening performance was so great that I wish they had played the entire concert.

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots has a lot of sentimental value to me as that is the album that got me hooked, back when it came out. Surprisingly I missed the hype of The Soft Bulletin back in the late 90's. I honestly had forgotten about them until one evening I saw a commercial for Yoshimi and I thought to myself "huh. the flaming lips. they're still around??" I picked it up and was amazed.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Thanks Guys, and hey Belvedere

i did miss the infamous Zoo show here, shame on me. I will probably grab that dvd sometime soon as well.

 

[cobl04]

And you will never convince me that All We Have Is Now is a great song. I should listen to the album later and see if I still feel the same way.

I don't get the love for that one either. It's boring.

 

[david]

I don't get the love for that one either. It's boring.

Genius lyrics.

 

[LMP]

Yeah, yeah, I can definitely see that. It's what keeps the album up there with the other classics, in my mind. There's a weight to tracks like Do You Realize?? and It's Summertime that make their light, jangly melodies hard to swallow, and that's a compliment. However, when you get right down to it, the songs just don't stand up to the masterpieces littered all over Soft Bulletin and Mystics. Is Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 2 really necessary? Shouldn't there be some closure with whatever plot/theme is going on? And you will never convince me that All We Have Is Now is a great song. I should listen to the album later and see if I still feel the same way.

The whole fighting robots theme drops by the end of Yoshimi 2 then it goes into this set of songs full of existential conflict... I don't know which side I prefer, actually, so I just dig on the entire album.

 

[UberBeaver]

I don't get the love for that one either. It's boring.

Dude, it's about a guy that comes back from the future to tell his past self he ain't meant for the future. It's awesome. We're not gonna make it. All we have is now.



That album is genius - start to end. Even the weird instrumental Yoshimi - I don't really like the song, but everytime I listen to it I get this comic book / anime thing going on in my head. So I got that goin for me. Which is nice.

 

[LMP]

Dude, it's about a guy that comes back from the future to tell his past self he ain't meant for the future. It's awesome. We're not gonna make it. All we have is now.



That album is genius - start to end. Even the weird instrumental Yoshimi - I don't really like the song, but everytime I listen to it I get this comic book / anime thing going on in my head. So I got that goin for me. Which is nice.

Gungagalunga... gunga-gungagalunga.

I think we're all forgetting to mention how awesome the Cat Stevens rip, "Fight Test," truly is. Dear God.

"Oh, to fight is to defend; If it's not now then tell me when would be the time that you would stand up and be a man?!"

 

[UberBeaver]

I picked up Christmas on Mars today.. It's a really great quirky movie. It has the uneasyness of older David Lynch stuff.

I also picked up their live concert from the Oklahoma city zoo, a few weeks ago, and that's a great little DVD if you've never experienced them live. Fearless Freaks is a GREAT documentary on the evolution of the band too. I suggest that as well.

I saw them live in 2002 when they opened for Beck and then stayed on to be his backing band. Their opening performance was so great that I wish they had played the entire concert.

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots has a lot of sentimental value to me as that is the album that got me hooked, back when it came out. Surprisingly I missed the hype of The Soft Bulletin back in the late 90's. I honestly had forgotten about them until one evening I saw a commercial for Yoshimi and I thought to myself "huh. the flaming lips. they're still around??" I picked it up and was amazed.

That's out on DVD already? I thought it just hit the theatres like a week ago. Nice, I'm a pick that sumbitch up tomorrow. And I missed the Soft Bulletin too. My history of them went from She Don't Use Jelly to Yoshimi. I kinda thought they were a joke band.

 

[u2popmofo]

I think we're all forgetting to mention how awesome the Cat Stevens rip, "Fight Test," truly is. Dear God.

"Oh, to fight is to defend; If it's not now then tell me when would be the time that you would stand up and be a man?!"

Definitely one of my favorite FL songs. The Fight Test EP is fantastic as well, well worth the money for any Lips fan.

Covers of Radiohead, Beck, and Kiley Minogue + the classic "Thank You Jack White For That Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me" =

 

[LMP]

Definitely one of my favorite FL songs. The Fight Test EP is fantastic as well, well worth the money for any Lips fan.

Covers of Radiohead, Beck, and Kiley Minogue + the classic "Thank You Jack White For That Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me".

Hey, call me crazy, but I prefer their version of "The Golden Age" to Beck's; "Jack White" is a fantastic song.

I hope Christmas on Mars has a good set of songs to listen to this holiday season... I love any F'Lips renditions of holiday tunes.

 

[u2popmofo]

Hey, call me crazy, but I prefer their version of "The Golden Age" to Beck's; "Jack White" is a fantastic song.

I hope Christmas on Mars has a good set of songs to listen to this holiday season... I love any F'Lips renditions of holiday tunes.

Yes, I will definitely call you crazy for that. The cover is enjoyable too though, so it's all good.

When does Christmas come out? Do we have the tracklist for the CD yet?

 

[LMP]

Yes, I will definitely call you crazy for that. The cover is enjoyable too though, so it's all good.

When does Christmas come out? Do we have the tracklist for the CD yet?

It's not that I don't like the Beck version, but the F'lips one appeals to me a little more.

Today, actually.

Tracklisting:

1. Once Beyond Hopelessness
2. The Distance Between Mars and the Earth, Pt. 1
3. The Horrors of Isolation: The Celestial Dissolve, Triumphant Hallucination, Light Being Absorbed
4. In Excelsior Vaginalistic
5. Your Spaceship Comes from Within
6. Suicide and Extraordinary Mistakes
7. The Distance Between Mars and the Earth, Pt. 2
8. The Secret of Immortality: This Strange Feeling, This Impossible World
9. The Gleaming Armament of Marching Genitalia
10. The Distress Signals of Celestial Objects
11. Space Bible with Volume Lumps
12. Once Beyond Hopelessness

Vaginalistic!

 

[u2popmofo]

4. In Excelsior Vaginalistic

Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

[onebloodonelife]

Yeah, yeah, I can definitely see that. It's what keeps the album up there with the other classics, in my mind. There's a weight to tracks like Do You Realize?? and It's Summertime that make their light, jangly melodies hard to swallow, and that's a compliment. However, when you get right down to it, the songs just don't stand up to the masterpieces littered all over Soft Bulletin and Mystics. Is Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 2 really necessary? Shouldn't there be some closure with whatever plot/theme is going on? And you will never convince me that All We Have Is Now is a great song. I should listen to the album later and see if I still feel the same way.

Yoshimi Pt. 2 is the closure. It's where the robot from One More Robot gets killed by Yoshimi. "All We Have Is Now" isn't terribly great musically, but I do like the lyrics. But, I also think there are better songs on their EPs and singles from that time period, like "Assassination of the Sun" off the Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell EP. That one gets me every single time...heartbreaking, but positive at the same time, which is exactly what the Lips do best.

 

[LemonMelon]

Yoshimi Pt. 2 is the closure. It's where the robot from One More Robot gets killed by Yoshimi. "All We Have Is Now" isn't terribly great musically, but I do like the lyrics. But, I also think there are better songs on their EPs and singles from that time period, like "Assassination of the Sun" off the Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell EP. That one gets me every single time...heartbreaking, but positive at the same time, which is exactly what the Lips do best.

Hmm...if that's the end of the story, then what is the rest of the album about? It's got this certain impending doom thing going on........and then it ends with a relaxing instrumental.