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I had fallen off of listening to the Lips as they decided to just become a children's novelty band (with occasional same-sounding spacey ballads), but this new one sounds like the non-poppy songs off of In a Priest Driven Ambulance. Not sure if that's a good thing or not. Midway through and this one sounds like a grower at best.
Full Album Stream from NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113403123
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Well, I have not listened to much yet, but I will say this: I have been patiently waiting for the Lips to get weird again for quite some time. I never wrote them off, but they have been getting progressively less return on the same sound for awhile now, and I actually find Yoshimi rather dull to listen to these days. I thought Christmas on Mars would be it, and while the movie was indeed odd, the soundtrack was basically a non-entity, which was a bummer.
But this - well, it is most decidedly weird again, which is, right off the bat, a HUGE plus for me. It doesn't bring to mind confetti and giant balls - it brings to mind the trippy band that made Zaireeka. Maybe finally making Christmas on Mars reminded them of their freak flag? Maybe releasing it and not being ostracized by their new fans gave them some comfort? maybe they just got ready to get a bit loose again? I do not know - but from the title, to the cover, to the sound, I find all of this to be very positive.
I doubt I will give it a thorough listen until it comes out (yes, I remain old school like that), but this has gotten me pretty pumped.
I listened to part of the NPR stream this afternoon. I just had it on in the background while I was working, and didn't really focus on it, but my initial reaction was...kinda bored. But I'm ready to listen more and would be very happy to be pleasantly surprised.
I'm equally old school but I was curious how it sounded based on the advance press. Q- that was my experience too. As I said, could definitely end up being a grower, but as it played in the background it was sort of just meandering.
I think the band has regressed in direct correlation with Steven Drozd's mental state. This album sounds like it was written by someone who's using a lot of drugs. The problem with that is that the listener usually also has to use a lot of drugs to enjoy it. (Not always, but more often than not.)
I'm hearing bad things about this album...apparently Wayne even says in the press release that they lost their way while making it.
Dris, what's the dish on Drozds mental state?
Here's an interesting review:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/oct/08/the-flaming-lips-cd-review
That would be very sad if Drozd was using drugs again-- I think he had been clean for a while. Also, I disagree with this thesis, because he was very heavily into drugs during the making of, at the very least, Soft Bulletin-- the wound that gave rise to the "spiderbite," inspiring "The Spiderbite Song," was actually an infection from a heroin injection gone wrong, but he told everyone it was a spiderbite at the time. And The Soft Bulletin is arguably their best album.
This however, not so much-- it doesn't really have songs on it! I want the Lips to get weird (and not just cartoony weird) as much as the next guy, but starting at In a Priest Driven Ambulance, even when they were weird, they had hooks and song writing!
So, out of a sense of possibly misplaced loyalty, a general respect for bands' willingness to totally break with what had been a safe/easy formula, the uniformly good reviews (not just from Pitchfork being contrary) and the fact that it was only $7.99 at Best Buy, I bought this today. I'm not sure if it's the vastly improved sound quality from the tinny stream from NPR, or the fact that it's now my third try, but I'm actually finding this much more compelling this time around. It just may grow, after all. (That's what she said).
It's actually gotten shockingly positive reviews...my curiosity has been piqued, at any rate.
I'm glad to hear it's wearing well. Still not ready to buy it yet, given how ultimately bored I was by my first listen.
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