The Flaming Lips: Embryonic album
No band in recent memory has been weirder than the Flaming Lips.
With song titles like “Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with Needles” and a live show that is in essence a three-ringed circus, it is no wonder they attract such a loyal following; they are unique, an experience unlike any other. Many people in the indie world are aware of their second-to-last album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, featuring tracks “Do You Realize??” and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1”. This album and the one after, At War With the Mystics, are marked as being more electronic in sound than their previous works, with a heavy emphasis on synthesizers and samples.
When listening to their newest album Embryonic, however, it is apparent that the group has removed the keyboards from the limelight and returned to a more traditional rock sound. If fans are frightened by this news, there’s no need – the group still maintains its appeal.
This album is a return to the band’s past. since they haven’t released material this rough or raw since Clouds Taste Metallic back in 1995. For those not familiar, the band is rooted in psychedelic pop-rock, and they’ve succeeded in modernizing that sound on this record.Outside of the band’s own discography, the Flaming Lips are able to capture a sound similar to peers the Arcade Fire and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, offering plenty of eerie anthems to keep you satisfied. It is, at its heart, a truly melodic album with many downright haunting pieces; the catch is that the guitar distortion is turned up and may be abrasive to some.
The best way to explain the album is track by track.
“Convinced of the Hex” has a Middle-Eastern vibe with lead singer Wayne Coyne lifelessly belting out personal issues.
“The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine” is rougher, but provides a soft piano in the background to create a rugged yet angelic atmosphere.
“Evil” sounds like a swamp song from an old horror movie, and may be their saddest song to date.
“Aquarius Sabotage” is an instrumental that starts like a powerhouse with a squealing guitar and thumping bass and then breaks into an almost theatrical ballad.
“See the Leaves” has two parts; what begins as a hard-hitting march turns into a music box version of itself.
Coyne really shows how high his voice can go in “If”, bearing resemblance to Neil Young’s slower material while still maintaining his own personality.
“Your Bats” has a blues bass backing a spacey orchestra mirroring work done on Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.
The song “Powerless” is very reminiscent of bands like Interpol and Joy Division, complete with balanced guitar melodies and hollow sounding lyrics.
“The Ego’s Last Stand” begins in a darker tone that becomes more upbeat and then ends with a wave of soothing ambience.
In a cross-over that only the Flaming Lips could conceive, “I Can Be a Frog” featuring Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is among one of the most surreal songs that exists; in short, Karen O provides noises in between Coyne’s smokey narrative. It’s not a traditional collaboration, but remains a notable one.
“Worm Mountain,” with MGMT, is like Yoshimi on acid as Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden pound synth notes into your ears.
“Virgo Self-Esteem Broadcast” sounds like something sponsored by Animal Planet, in small part due to its use of various animal sounds within the song.
The last song titled “Watching the Planets” again makes unconventional use of Karen O, and acts as an anthem embodying the new spirit of the band.
Thanks to Stephen Colbert, you can stream the album at www.colbertnation.com. Embryonic is slated for an official release on October 13th and will be a double LP (single compact disc) with eighteen songs that will total over 70 minutes of content.
