Favorite Flaming Lips LP

[bedbug]

I've gotta say I was a little disappointed with Yoshimi. My question is, how can you use programmed drums when frickin' Steven Drozd is in your band?! That guy rules! As far as their new stuff goes, I much prefer Soft Bulliten over Yoshimi. Better drumming. More original sounding, IMHO.

My favorite of all their albums is probably Clouds Taste Metallic, followed close by Transmissions. I've got a soft spot for that period of their canon. Everything was so sloppy yet so perfect sounding. And I love that upfront kick drum. Everything about those 2 albums just makes me want to go get stoned!

I've done Zaireeka 3 times, and I gotta say, based on concept alone, that album is hard to beat. It's just so rediculous! And the craziest thing is how good it sounds. You hear all those slow decays -- it kinda sounds like the band is playing on top of a mountain. And man, that drum solo (again with the drums!) on the 2nd to last track - un-frickin-believable. Great album. I might bust it out this weekend.

Great band.

[trodden]

Ignorance on my part. i've only hear a few of those records.

But "Talkin' 'bout the smiling death porn immortality blues" will always be one of my favorite songs.

and me being such a cheeseball dork, i also like Yoshimi alot, especially "do you realize" My roommates love it when a commercial comes on with that song and I totally throw a fit and pace around the room steaming with explatives.

[bedbug]

and me being such a cheeseball dork, i also like Yoshimi alot, especially "do you realize" My roommates love it when a commercial comes on with that song and I totally throw a fit and pace around the room steaming with explatives.

I take it you haven't seen the Mandy Moore vehicle How To Deal. There's a funeral scene where the free spirited artistic alternative kid stands up and holds up a boom box and plays "Do You Realized" for his buddy who passed away. I mean ... uh ... a friend told me about it ...

[brainfreezebob]

A suround remix would totally miss the point. The discs were made to slip in and out of sync with each other, to play differently everytime you listen to it. Its a lot easier to set up than everyone thinks, I'll play a disc through my TV (via a videogame console), one through my stereo, one through computer speakers hooked up to a discman, and one through a small shelf system that my wife got for college. It doesn't need to be hi-fi or anything. Just put disc 2 on your good stereo.

The best thing about Zaireeka is that just one you think everything has gone completely out of sync, completely off, things magically tune back in, at random.

[JamesHE]

so hard to choose between transmissions and the soft bulletin. Think i'd go with transmissions because of the songs. Oh my pregnant head...

[bedbug]

A suround remix would totally miss the point. The discs were made to slip in and out of sync with each other, to play differently everytime you listen to it.

Absolutely! I compared it before to the band playing on top of a mountain. So echo-ey and odd sounding, but totally cool. And come on, any CD that comes with a warning about causing disorientation! How cool is that? I think a single disc would kill it.

Its a lot easier to set up than everyone thinks, I'll play a disc through my TV (via a videogame console), one through my stereo, one through computer speakers hooked up to a discman, and one through a small shelf system that my wife got for college. It doesn't need to be hi-fi or anything. Just put disc 2 on your good stereo.

Next time I listen to it I'm going to do 2 stereos, the DVD player through the TV, and a discman through my monitors. I say the more of a mix of fidelities you have the better. You know, like a really kickin bass and drum sound, and then the vocals coming out of the TV. Unique each time!

The times I've heard it, there were 2 other people there to start and stop and pause and unpause all the players. I recommend stopping the CDs after each song. It'll take a couple of tries to get it right, but it's worth it.

The best thing about Zaireeka is that just one you think everything has gone completely out of sync, completely off, things magically tune back in, at random.

The 1st time I listened to it, it reminded me of the movie, Batteries Not Included. The steroes, video game systems, and what have you had a life of their own. They were jamming! Arrrrgh, it's so awesome, I think I just decided - Zaireeka party this weekend!!!!

[JASIII]

I agree with the thought that the first album you hear is the one that sticks with you and I embarassingly admit it is "Yoshimi" for me. I came to them VERY late obviously. "Soft Bulletin" is an awesome record and a VERY close second for me.

[penrithmatt]

Yoshimi annoys the fucking hell out of me.all that programmed nonsense.....sounds like a fucking typing pool in the same room.distracting and detracts from some nice songs...
so....clouds taste metalic followed by transmission form the sattelite heart.priest driven ambulance comes in third.and zaireeka has to be heard to be believed.......
cheers
matthew
www.allairestudios.com

[scarygroover]

Clouds taste metallic is first, transmission second, zaireeka ,hit to death ,priest driven ambulance , soft bulletin . etc.

You know, I saw the clouds taste metallic tour and it just blew my fucking head off. that guitar player ronald that left after that album was just absolutley incredible. It was the kind of concert that made me want to quit making music it was sooo good.

After that, I was extremely disappointed with the soft bulletin tour. I mean it wasn't horrible it just was very near karaoke with the pre-recorded drums and all.

-MP

[Cephallus]

What did it for me with Soft Bulletin was the beep-beep of watch right before the drum kit entrance on "What Is The Light."

Those two beeps are absolutely genius.

[phalex]

I am partial to soft bulletin. The bass on "A Spoonful Weighs A Ton" and "Buggin'" is totally awesome. I really like fuzz bass.

[howiemarx]

zaireeka.
for convienience i put it to one disc.
convienient but does not compare to the beautiful in and out of sync 4 source experience.

[tyson]

I voted for Soft Bulletin, but the Yoshimi backlash is pretty ridiculous. "Do You Realize" is a gorgeous song w/ beautiful lyrics (if you're going to name a Flaming Lips song w/ a "crap lyric", you've got about 50 songs to choose from), and I was under the impression that a lot of the drums that sound programmed were actually Drozd playing. If it hadn't had the cultural impact that it had I get the feeling a few of you would be singing a different tune (and this is coming from a hopeless snob).

[trodden]

Just found out from my sister, that her Fiance is doing his crazy ass artwork on a drum set for cliff, their newest drummer. awsome. THe lips also received the key to the city (kansas city) on Fat tuesday. fuckin' cool.

[hoosierillusion]

Is it just me or does anyone else think they hear Auto-Tune all over the vocals on The Soft Bulletin? Or is that just the way he sings? Kind of hard to tell. Regardless, it's my favorite record by the Flaming Lips.