The Flaming Lips

[onebloodonelife]

Apparently after the show tomorrow night, Colbertnation.com is going to start streaming Embryonic. Fuck to the yeah.

 

[impy13]

Cool thing to do, but I'm going to abstain. The sampler (and "See the Leaves") were enough. This one begs for a first listen of the vinyl variety.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Same here, I rarely listen to streams. Still cool for peeps who wanna check it out ahead of time. I'll probably succumb and listen to the leak, but I'm going to try and wait to spin it on the table as well.

 

[impy13]

I want to be Wayne. It's really quite silly.

I'd like to thank Comedy Central for starting it late (or something) and having my DVR stop recording it one line into "Convinced of the Hex." Awesome. At least Colbert gets reran 17 times an episode.

 

[u2popmofo]

Same here, I rarely listen to streams. Still cool for peeps who wanna check it out ahead of time. I'll probably succumb and listen to the leak, but I'm going to try and wait to spin it on the table as well.

Stay free.

 

[onebloodonelife]

I want to be Wayne. It's really quite silly.

I'd like to thank Comedy Central for starting it late (or something) and having my DVR stop recording it one line into "Convinced of the Hex." Awesome. At least Colbert gets reran 17 times an episode.

Word. I wish I could be as free-spirited and careless as he is all the time.

Stay free.

I know, I know. Considering how much I love the Lips, I really should respect them and wait until it gets released.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I'm going to listen to this album right now.

 

[LemonMelon]

Got an album going right now, so I'll take the time to find a copy online with each individual track. If I can't, stream it is. Can't pass this up.

 

[LemonMelon]

Bah, looks like no one has taken the initiative to chop it up yet. Oh well. Will report back.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Is there not a lead single for this thing?

 

[LemonMelon]

The quality is absolutely fantastic. Thanks, Colbert. For one afternoon, I am your biggest fan.

 

[LemonMelon]

Wow, that was certainly something.

First off, yes, I do love this album. It's fantastic. For those who weren't already aware, this is NOT a double album, it's a double LP. 73 minutes. Furthermore, it's nowhere near as scattered as I would have expected. As a matter of fact, it's arguably their most cohesive album to date. The Embryonic EP is EXACTLY what you're getting with this album. This is, of course, good or bad, depending on your preferences. I, for one, found a few flaws on first listen.

The main one is not necessarily a symptom of cohesion, but it's an unfortunate pitfall many bands fall into when they're recording albums along Embryonic's line: there aren't a lot of standouts. Maybe 3 or 4 out of 18 tracks. Silver Trembling Hands is, in fact, the best song, and one of the band's all-time best. It absolutely fucking floors me every single time, and it sounds even better in context. Incredible. Also, Convinced Of The Hex, The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine, and The Ego's Last Stand stand out. Otherwise, this is a mood piece. Period. It's loud and overly compressed, which pretty much defeats the purpose of an album of this kind (another of the album's relatively few flaws), but don't come in expecting Yoshimi or the best moments of Mystics. This is The Observer, Pavonis Mons, and The Wizard Turns On times four, interspersed with the occasional superb track. Treat it like one of Brian Eno's earlier, more rocking efforts and you'll appreciate it far more. Embryonic is largely new territory for the band.

Is it top 10 material for the year? Yeah, probably. All I know is a handful of the tracks absolutely blow my mind, and they've brought back the distorted drums. They have been missed.

 

[Lancemc]

Thanks for the review Mel. This is streaming somewhere, yes?

 

[LMP]

Motherfuck, this is a gem of an album. I've got my $$ set aside for this shit easy.

Wow, that was certainly something.

First off, yes, I do love this album. It's fantastic. For those who weren't already aware, this is NOT a double album, it's a double LP. 73 minutes. Furthermore, it's nowhere near as scattered as I would have expected. As a matter of fact, it's arguably their most cohesive album to date. The Embryonic EP is EXACTLY what you're getting with this album. This is, of course, good or bad, depending on your preferences. I, for one, found a few flaws on first listen.

The main one is not necessarily a symptom of cohesion, but it's an unfortunate pitfall many bands fall into when they're recording albums along Embryonic's line: there aren't a lot of standouts. Maybe 3 or 4 out of 18 tracks. Silver Trembling Hands is, in fact, the best song, and one of the band's all-time best. It absolutely fucking floors me every single time, and it sounds even better in context. Incredible. Also, Convinced Of The Hex, The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine, and The Ego's Last Stand stand out. Otherwise, this is a mood piece. Period. It's loud and overly compressed, which pretty much defeats the purpose of an album of this kind (another of the album's relatively few flaws), but don't come in expecting Yoshimi or the best moments of Mystics. This is The Observer, Pavonis Mons, and The Wizard Turns On times four, interspersed with the occasional superb track. Treat it like one of Brian Eno's earlier, more rocking efforts and you'll appreciate it far more. Embryonic is largely new territory for the band.

Is it top 10 material for the year? Yeah, probably. All I know is a handful of the tracks absolutely blow my mind, and they've brought back the distorted drums. They have been missed.

I agree with this entirely. One of my friends compared it to their live act, how it's a series of jams, and I was skeptical at first, but yeah, coheres extremely well.

The standouts for me are "I Can Be a Frog," "Watching the Planets" (both with THE O!), "Powerless," "Ego's Last Stand," and "Silver Trembling Hands."

 

[LemonMelon]

Thanks for the review Mel. This is streaming somewhere, yes?

Colbertnation.com, it's the conspicuous box in the top left corner. Make sure to turn it down a hair before playing it; they have that shit cranked.

Motherfuck, this is a gem of an album. I've got my $$ set aside for this shit easy.

I might wait for a 5.1 surround mix, but probably not. I can't wait to hear this without any gaps. It flows like a motherfucker.

EDIT: n/m, the 2 CD/DVD set comes with a 96k 24 bit audio mix. Hellz yeah.

I agree with this entirely. One of my friends compared it to their live act, how it's a series of jams, and I was skeptical at first, but yeah, coheres extremely well.

The standouts for me are "I Can Be a Frog," "Watching the Planets" (both with THE O!), "Powerless," "Ego's Last Stand," and "Silver Trembling Hands."

I Can Be A Frog is the closest the album comes to that jaunty Yoshimi Pt. 1 campfire singalong sound. I really like it a lot, and I think I'll like it even more once I've gotten used THE O!'s admittedly entertaining/adorable interjections. That kind of threw me off guard at first.

 

[LMP]

I Can Be A Frog is the closest the album comes to that jaunty Yoshimi Pt. 1 campfire singalong sound. I really like it a lot, and I think I'll like it even more once I've gotten used THE O!'s admittedly entertaining/adorable interjections. That kind of threw me off guard at first.

I hate to throw the word around, but that song is cute as hell. Wayne breaks into a chuckle at one point about halfway through.

Hell, it reminded me of some of the more playful tracks off of Clouds to a certain extent.

I never picked up those 5.1 mixes of their post-Zaireeka albums. Are they worth it?

 

[u2popmofo]

Furthermore, it's nowhere near as scattered as I would have expected. As a matter of fact, it's arguably their most cohesive album to date.

I like the sound of that.

 

[LemonMelon]

I never picked up those 5.1 mixes of their post-Zaireeka albums. Are they worth it?

I'll have one of my colleagues field this one. Embryonic was going to be a 5.1 cherry-popper for me.

I like the sound of that.

Yeah, for anyone who actively disliked Mystics, this one is pretty much the polar opposite.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Listened to the first three songs on the Colbert stream and I already like it more than Mystics.

 

[u2popmofo]

Listened to the first three songs on the Colbert stream and I already like it more than Mystics.

I like sound of that.

 

[onebloodonelife]

You guys are tempting me.

 

[Lancemc]

Listened to the first 5 or 6 songs... no where close to as good as Mystics.

But I'll give it the warmth and nurturing care it needs to grow on me.

 

[impy13]

You guys are tempting me.

Stay on target.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Stay on target.

Oh, I am. I'm just not a fan of having (potential) awesomeness waved in my face if I can't experience it. But, I'm waiting for the vinyl, I've concretely decided already. I want to blast that motherfucker as loud as I can on first listen.

 

[impy13]

Well, if it helps at all, you know I'm doing the same.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Yep, and I'm assuming Scumbo will too, minus the vinyl part.

 

[u2popmofo]

Yes and yes.

 

[impy13]

It's important to me that my first listen is in the living room, spinning on the platter, and loud enough to get me evicted.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Yes and yes.

Good.

It's important to me that my first listen is in the living room, spinning on the platter, and loud enough to get me evicted.

Hell yeah. That's my plan too...the entire neighborhood is going to get a taste of the Lips' insanity on that day.

 

[impy13]

Just like entire neighborhood haven't gotten a taste of Lance's Mom's lips insanity.


Sorry.