It was only when I was offered this album that I realised I had managed to bypass all of The Flaming Lips’ output since 2002’s Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots which I really enjoyed. It was never deliberate, but rather there is so much music in the world that it is impossible to keep on top of everything. Anyway, I was given access to Warner Music’s NZ promotional site (which was a bad idea), and when I saw this, I knew I just had to give it a listen. Interestingly, many critics have been comparing it to that earlier album, but for me the only way to describe this, their 21st studio release, is “beautiful”.
They say they have only recently started to think of themselves as American, having previous felt their music was from the planet Earth as they were originally inspired by English acts and not those from their home state of Oklahoma, but recently they have started to embrace the concept, hence this album. Even though this is only 51 minutes in length, it somehow feels much longer as each time I listen to this I feel totally consumed by it. At times I think of Neil Young, at others it is the all-embracing production of classic late Sixties songs by The Byrds or Buffalo Springfield, or a bass line which could be by McCartney. If I was asked to date this I would have said no later than 1974, but probably earlier, as albums like this just do not get released these days. It makes me smile, makes me think of days when music was simpler, with the concentration on vocals and real songs.
Put this on and the world drifts away, and even the cover reminds me of music from 40 years ago. Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Michael Ivins (bass) have been riding this train for nearly 40 years now, and they are showing no sign at all of slowing down yet. I have not heard nearly enough of their output to be able to gauge how this stands up against the rest of their releases, but all I can day for sure is that I love it.
Rating: 10/10
