Album Review: Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics

[ADeadSmitty]

Rating: Excellent

The Flaming Lips' album "At War With the Mystics" doesn't come out til next month, but thanks to the power of the Internet, I have it now. It's outstanding. It's a bit darker than their last album, and includes a few more minor-key laments. It also isn't so much of a concept album -- it's more of a simple collection of songs. It's basically what you'd expect from the Flaming Lips: artsy and slightly unhinged bubble-gum pop that makes you feel like your head is blowing up like a balloon. In a good way. Favorite tracks: the syrupy '70s-TV-intro-style instrumental "The Wizard Turns On"; the spaced-out, fat synth-driven anthem "My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion"; and the relentlessly melancholy "Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung."

My only problem with it is that their previous album, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots", is one of my five all-time favorite albums. So I guess this was destined to be something of a letdown. But I am trying to judge this album on its own merits, and it's really great.