Reviews (page 3 of 10)
This did not do much for me. Part of the 1990s miasma. Know the name, but did nit recognize even one song.
Vocals are mid but the music is really good.
The Flaming Lips are always interesting even if i dont know how much I actually like their music.
I had never heard of them before, but it was an enjoyable listen
It's bright and sunny and I'm walking listening to 'Race for the Prize'. I'm on the kinda high that comes from running forever on some edibles and 'A Spoonful Weighs a Ton' is carrying me into the sky. The singers voice is bright and uplifting. So is the music. It's almost TOO happy. Its like a 19 year old walking down the PCT thinking its all figured out. The world will slap this kid in the face someday but for right now, they dont know that, and life is AWESOME DUDE. And with all that, at the end of the day, its almost too repetitive. It's just sunshine all over. The music is really nice and I do appreciate that these are some incredible musicians (it feels like theatrical rock). But at the end of the day, it might be a masterpiece, but its not my masterpiece. A good way to judge an album is, would I listen again, and in what situation? I dont know that I'd ever come back to this one?
There was a time that I’d be really into this. I think a part of me still is, but I’d have to be in the right mood.
Hard to rate, this album would lend well to multiple listens, so my baseline has to be a 3 given my limited experience
Not as good as Yoshimi
Love this album. No complaints on this end. The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots are both perfect albums for me.
This was a no for meee
8.5/10 Loved this album. Creative, whacky, full of eargasms, just an all around fun time. I didn't think it possible for such clumsy vocals to work so well, but it does. > What was this, I thought, that struck me? > What kind of weapons have they got? > The softest bullet ever shot Best track: A Spoonful Weighs a Ton Will I revisit?: Absolutely
Ya, I liked this one. I had only heard Waiting For a Superman before this but the rest were good too.
I don't mind Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, but The Flaming Lips are a band I've never gotten into. Apart from Race for the Prize (which I've heard before) this is pretty dull.
Never really got into the flips but this is alright
Big lush production and dreamy indie rock. Decent stuff.
When I listen to this album I patch in my electronic drums and play along to the entire thing, pretending to be Steven Drozd. One of my all time favorites
The Flaming Lips are like Joy Division. I love every note and beat of the instruments and am mesmerized until the lead singer opens his mouth. Wayne Coyne sounds like someone at a karaoke bar - not even trying to hit the right notes and almost makes the music sound like a joke.
Always liked The Flaming Lips. Just not a whole albums worth
Ten zespół ma lepsze płyty. Ale ja i tak mam sentyment do chwiejnego wokalu frontmana. Niektórzy to może mają za fałsz, ja odbieram jako ciekawą manierę. Tylko tu jakoś kompozycje mi nie siadły… 6.5/10 równane w dół.
Dont like vocal :(
Surprisingly great album, did not expect that from flaming lips but recommend.
I've seen Wayne cry during Waiting for Superman 3 times, and I've believed it every time
Not very interesting. Didn't convince me at all.
Walks a fine line between crazy and comprehensible
Very disappointed Love she uses jelly 3.4
Stellenweise schöne Drums und Bässe, ansonsten leider sehr trivial.
Ich denke immer wieder, dass die voll was für mich sein müssten und dann verlier ich bei den Alben immer schnell das Interesse.
A bit blah. Uninspiring and slightly insipid. What’s the word I’m looking for? Ah, yes. Boring.
Unexpectedly enjoyed
Letras sencillas, pero con una intención muy profunda Musica en la que ellos exploran diversos estilos, pero sin salirse demasiado de la línea indie rock que persiguen Race for the Prize mi favorita
Will the fight for our sanity? Be the fight of our lives? Really enjoyed this
Oh yes! Maybe not really deserving of all 5 stars, but I’m a fan and am feeling grateful for the reminder that this exists towards the end of my journey here on the generator.
Not for me
Album 14 3/18/26 I've tried to get into Flaming Lips before, tried 2/3 albums and made it through Yoshimi but not this one. The very best part of this album is the drum sound, especially from the first song. Kevin Parker knows what's up there. Otherwise, I kind of sleepwalked through my listen because a lot of the songs repeat the same dreamy themes despite it not coming across as a "concept album" to me. Top tracks were Race For the Prize and Buggin'. A lot of them were mid 3s to my ears so I'm sticking with the for the album rating. The Spark That Bled, Waitin' for a Superman, and Feeling Yourself Disintigrate all could have been better if I had vibed with the repetitive lyrics more. That's my main hang up, that each song really beats a dead horse while telling you what it's about. The bland structure of the record was successfully cancelled out by interesting blasts of effects. The keys, drums, and production redeemed the pedestrian songwriting enough to earn a solid 3.
For as long as I've casually known Flaming Lips, I often think, "how come I like all this psychedelic music and don't listen to them more?". But I don't really think of it that deep: not that big of a fan of the vocals but that mostly shows up in the beginning and middle of the album. I think I prefer my psychedelic a bit more jammy than "experimental" for 1999 standards. It's sort of like Pavement to me where I like the material but not what it influenced, but less so in the Flaming Lips affect on neo psych over Pavement for indie rock. Soft Bulletin is pretty good. Some weird mixing decisions, a few songs I don't care too much for (or really where my issue with Wayne Coyne's vocals kind of lies), but cool enough. My favorites are Feeling Yourself Disintegrate, A Spoonful Weights A Ton, Buggin', The Observer, and Suddenly Everything Has Changed.
Los Flaming Lips son una banda esencial, un universo en sí mismos. Unicos e irrepetibles, con un talento para combinar melodía y psicodelia que les ha permitido discos formidables como este The Soft Bulletin o Yoshimi, At war with Mistics o mi favorito American Head. Además otras joyas bizarras como The Terror o los discos de versiones (incluso el grabado con amigos como Miley Cyrus o ese experimento que fue Zaireeka). Aquí relucieron a un nivel superlativo con Race for the price por encima de todas. Waitin' for a Superman raya a gran nivel, como The Spark That Bled o Buggin´pero todas tanto de forma individual como en conjunto convierten este disco es uno de los mejores de finales de siglo.
Excellent and band I need to investigate more.
I was ready to give this a 3 but the closing track captivated me and made me to listen through a second time. While easy to become a droning sound in the background, when listened to carefully, this album was surprisingly beautiful and poetic.
I... surprisingly enjoyed that much more than I thought I would. Huh. I felt good listening to that. Made me feel more present
Ikke si opp dagjobben.. Skjer med lyden a? Tatt opp med en DS i en tom kjeller?
The vocals were a little weird in some tracks, favourite: “Waitin’ for a superman”. A low 4
While I like some other songs from other albums more, this was a great listen and I enjoyed the album all the way through.
I think this would be a higher rating if I didn’t hate the lead singers whiny, little voice
The flaming lips throw me off. Sometimes I like the guy’s voice and sometimes I can’t stand it. I’ve heard some of these songs so many times on tv and in stores that they feel familiar and comfortable but I don’t know if I actually like them. I will say it’s a decently unique sound, even if it does seem influenced by Oasis. I don’t know. High 3 I guess.
This is fine indie rock. Don’t really get why critics gush over this band.
Fine to have on in the background, but nothing exceptional here to me. I'm sure its a different experience live where the psychadelic elements can breathe more.
Great album
I liked it! I was only familiar with Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, and this album had a lot of the same sounds, which I enjoyed.
Mit The Soft Bulletin (1999) veränderten die US-amerikanischen Flaming Lips ihren musikalischen Ansatz deutlich. Das Album entstand in den Tarbox Road Studios in Cassadaga, New York, unter maßgeblicher Beteiligung des Produzenten Dave Fridmann. Statt des zuvor oft gitarrenbetonten Alternative Rock dominieren hier vielschichtige Arrangements, elektronische Elemente und ein stark ausgebauter Studioklang. Stilistisch bewegt sich die Platte zwischen Neo-Psychedelia, Art Rock und symphonisch gefärbtem Pop. Songs wie „Race for the Prize“, „Waitin’ for a Superman“, „A Spoonful Weighs a Ton“ oder „Feeling Yourself Disintegrate“ verbinden eingängige Melodien mit aufwendig geschichteten Klangflächen. Die Band nutzt das Studio bewusst als kreatives Werkzeug: orchestrale Synthesizer, programmierte Rhythmen und ungewöhnliche Klangtexturen geben den Stücken eine beinahe schwebende Atmosphäre. Inhaltlich kreisen die Texte häufig um Vergänglichkeit, Hoffnung und menschliche Zerbrechlichkeit, was den oft hell klingenden Arrangements eine nachdenkliche Note verleiht. Das Album wirkt dadurch weniger wie eine lose Sammlung einzelner Titel, sondern wie ein geschlossenes Studiokonzept. Gerade diese Verbindung aus experimenteller Produktion und zugänglichen Songs macht The Soft Bulletin zu einem prägenden Punkt im Werk der Band.
I like The Flaming Lips. They are odd. They are eccentric and I’m here for it. I do like Yoshimi a bit more than this album.
One of the best albums ever. Proof you can be a bad singer and still be an amazing… singer.
Boring. Long. I’ve never been a fan of The Flaming Lips.
It’s like soft rock rave music. Not for me.
One kiss from Len Houmous and you’d have flaming lips 3.4 1/12 Race For The Prize
Mjög ljúft og gott stöff. Elska flaming lips. Hljómsveitin sem arcade fire heldur að þeir séu.
Elska Flaming lips. Frábær plata.
좋앗음... 막 꽂히진 않았던거같기도..근데중간에좋은트랙이있었다
4⭐️/5 [02.28.2026] 03.02.2026
I recall being very impressed when I first heard this. I've listened to it several times over the years, and while it's good, it's not great. But it was a start in the right direction, peaking with their next album. This one is good, but not great. 3 stars.
Never heard of them. Some parts of the album sound really ahead of its time. Other parts sound kind of pointless.
It was ok. Nothing too memorable or catchy. Nothing that made me want to skip songs
Alt rock album sa elementima modernije glazbe zbog kojih bi reka da je album isprid svog vrimena. 6/10 Najbolja pisma: Race for the prize
Listened to it a few times. I'm finding that I like The Flaming Lips.
Przesłuchałam połowę i jak na razie, wybiła się dla mnie jedna piosenka, a reszta jest przyjemna do puszczenia w tle. Mam wrażenie, że cały album taki jest. Przyjemny do puszczenia w tle. Jak będę miała ochotę to przesłucham resztę i zobaczymy czy jeszcze jakaś inna piosenka bardziej mi siądzie.
Love.
Wow. This has a very relaxed vibe
Remember this being one of the early big Pitchfork ones. Never quite got into though. Bit too proggy.
My tribe, my vibe. Beautiful music on this beautiful day of sunshine and warmth.
The Flaming Lips are still putting out cool, unusual albums and experimenting with new sounds. They’ve stayed creative and unpredictable decades into their career.
Stærk neo psychedelia pop som er meget orkestralt men uden orkestret
Relatively speaking it's not as bad as some of the other albums I have listened to. But more than once I found myself thinking "when is this shit going to end", which I have decided is the criteria for an album getting 1 star. Generally I'm not a huge fan of alt rock. The vocals were.... unique. I questioned whether the lead singer had taken any singing lessons at some points when I felt myself grimacing during the Spiderbite Song. So uhh yeah hard listen.
Cinematic, considered, theatrical, it's clear why Flaming Lips filled arenas. This is a good album, but with all their music I don't feel an emotional connection to it or the singers voice. There is something I fundamentally don't 'get' about them as a band, despite liking plenty of their songs. It's his voice, it's too weak for the sound they produce.
Mellow and repetitive. Favourite track: Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
Instrumentally very good, vocally not so. It will be sold as "emotional" and "real" but meh. Still enjoyable 4/5
not into it
Fun but I won’t be back. Not what I expected.
Not sure how I missed these guys in the late '80's but I enjoyed this one. 3.5 stars
Like this album however always prefered clouds taste metallic
Great Songs: Waitin' for a Superman, Suddenly Everything Has Changed Good Songs: Race for the Prize, A Spoonful Weighs a Ton, The Spark That Bled, The Spiderbite Song, What Is the Light?, The Observer, Feeling Yourself Disintegrate, Sleeping On the Roof, Waitin' for a Superman Mid Songs: Buggin' (Mokran Mix), The Gash, Race for the Prize (Mokran Mix) Bad Songs:
all their songs kind of sound the same but it’s a good sound so I don’t mind
I love this LP!
Love this album ❤️
This is another band that I feel I should like more than I do. From what I’ve read about their live shows, I’d probably go to one if someone bought me a ticket. But for casual listening, I don’t think I’m cool enough to get it.
As a listener, does it feel good to think, “I could sing for this band, and it would be an improvement”? He’s either really trying to hit those notes, or he is trying to be annoyingly bad.
Not for me.
This was kinda wimpy and pathetic. That feels harsh but like, not untrue
I've never heard the flaming lips before, but I know a few people who love them, especially "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots". I wonder whether they listen while on drugs? I found this hard to enjoy, although I recognise that it's because it's weird, not because it's bad necessarily. Sometimes I love weird, but apparently not today. I hope Yoshimi is better when I get to it
weird but good weird
Influencing hipsters for years to come. 2.4.
Another great Flaming Lips album!
I really enjoyed the style of the album
I've never been into the sound of the Flaming Lips. I did not enjoy this album when it came out and listening to it today did not change my mind. While I wanted I respected the risks they took with the choice of instruments and the arrangements, alas I did not enjoy them. Also, although I usually love synthesizers and keyboards, I did not enjoy the detuned MIDI keyboards on THE SOFT BULLETIN. Ultimately it just sound so uninspired. It has been difficult to articulate what about them bothers me so much until today. Right away, on the opening track, I noticed that Wayne Coyne's voice sounds a lot like an Oklahoman Neil Young. Unfortunately, I cannot abide Neil Young's voice. Anytime either of them sings, it is so distracting that any thought what they are singing goes right out the window. I was disappointed to learn that the album title doesn't mean anything. It was just a mishear that the band though was funny. It doesn't any artistic value to the album's contents at all. This album seems very overrated to me. I am genuinely surprised by the critics enjoyment of this record. It seems like a tedious indie noodling record with outright bad singing, and too many lyrics (nonsensical and poorly written no less) crammed in just for the sake of it and not because it serves the songs. About the only thing I enjoyed was the delayed piano part in "What is the Light?" and the instrumental of "The Observer". Too me it is clear that is was definitely not one of the best albums of 1999. Artistically, THE FRAGILE was probably the best album of 1999. There is a reason that the THE SOFT BULLETIN has barely sold over the years.
Here's an example of a band that I really want to like, but just can't bring myself to do it. The lead singer is just too different to get behind. Couldn't stand the sound of this one.
This is not good. It is so 90s that it does not age well. And the lead singer is terrible; what a whiny voice! This is my second Flaming Lips album in a week and I am not impressed. 2
This is a tough one for me. The opening track of this album is incredible, and there are a few killer tracks sprinkled throughout like The Spark That Bled, but for every great track there's 1 or 2 medicore to bad tracks as well (Waiting for Superman, etc.) I'm right between a 3 and a 4 on this one, so need to decide if I'm going to round up or down.
Weird as is expected. I liked most of it
"The Soft Bulletin" is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Flaming Lips. Neo-psychedelia, psychedelic rock, symphonic rock, art rock, alternative rock and dream pop are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was "a departure from their guitar-heavy alt rock into a more layered, intricately-arranged work." The album was produced by David Fridmann and the Flaming Lips who layered multiple MIDI keyboards to create their symphonic sound, as opposed to a live orchestra. The bandmembers included Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards, theremin), Michael Ivins (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, engineering) and Steven Drozd (drums, percussion, guitar, keyboards, bass, backing vocals). The album had wide-spread critical acclaim and is recognized as one of the best albums of the 1990's. Drums pounds and majestic synth strings open "Race for the Prize." The string sounds continue to carry the melody with loud tinny drums. Coyne is singing about human scientists who are in a high-stakes race. What are they in the race for we don't know but the song takes us on a ride of hope, compassion and danger. "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton" begins with a piano and synth whistles. The song alternates between orchestral synth strings and a fuzzed out synth sound. The overwhelming power of love and personnel connection. "Buggin'" is the most pop-forward song on the album and a simple song at that. Piano keys driving the melody with drums. Coyne comparing bugs to love in that they buzz around and comb your hair as well as sting. True enough. Coyne begins "Waitin for Superman" in a melancholic and subdued tone as he realizes there's no superman coming to save him from his challenges. A rock beat and low piano keys and a piano interlude. The string synths help guide this beautiful song to the finish. Coyne contemplates mortality in "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate." String synths, electric and acoustic guitar help capture the mood. This is a magical album. The music is mostly string-synth driven in layers. This is added to the band's already established eccentric alternative rock base which takes a back seat. The music matches the lyrics and vocals perfectly as Coyne personalizes his feelings, struggles, thoughts on big picture and personal items such as love, mortality, compassion, friendship and life's meaning. There is an overwhelming feeling of hope and optimism. I remember being blown away when this came out and still pretty much am. This is absolutely one of the best albums of the 90's, should draw an emotional response and is a very, very high recommendation.
What a way to open a record! This is a classic, one to go back to time and again.
Not bad, but ultimate seems to drone on after the first couple of songs.
Flaming Lips used to be my prison name
I mean, that’s quite an opener. Instantly recognisable. I feel like I’m getting quicker to recognise the level of album I’m listening to and how it lands for me. This feels like a 3.5 but let’s see. Not blown away by it, accomplished enough and fairly good, but just a bit meh and sometimes a bit uncomfortable (mainly from the voice). Yeh, the voice feels quite a barrier for me and actually might take it down to a 3 :-/
385/1089 - I remember not really getting into this when I first listened to it. For the record, I love Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. I'm gonna give it another try and see how it is: I do like the instrumentation and songs but I think the singer sounds kinda scared and constipated overall. The Mokran mixes fixed a lot of this and I think he has certain effects in Yoshimi which mitigate this as well.
I see Flaming Lips I click 5.
I waited 58 minutes for some 🔥🔥🔥 and it never came.
Wow I’d forgotten how many of these songs I used to love. I haven’t listened to this album in over a decade and it was wonderful to revisit. Coyne sings like a more innocent Jeff Tweedy. The blurry and atmospheric production is the best part, it really makes an impression. I love this a lot. Must-listen #293.
I liked the vibe quite a lot.
I can’t warm up to The Flaming Lips
Listening to this album is kind of like eating inexpensive sugar free strawberry jam. It’s too soft to chew, but there are a couple chunks of strawberry that you can actually sink your teeth into. Sadly there’s not a lot of flavor to it, either. This was on for my drive in to work, and it had no impact on my drive - no better or worse than if I had driven in silence. It’s a shame, really, because it seems like there are some pleasant arrangements. But nothing worth listening to this album for.
Just kinda boring.
not a fan/ don’t get it
Zzzzzzzzz
Good production but none of the songs are really making much of an impression.
Anhörbar.
Race for the Prize - Remix - 4.5/5 A Spoonful Weighs a Ton - 4/5 The Spark That Bled - 3.5/5 The Spiderbite Song - 3.5/5 Buggin' - Remix - 4.5/5 What Is the Light? - 4/5 Waitin' for a Superman - 4.5/5 Suddenly Everything Has Changed - 3.5/5 The Gash - 3.5/5 Feeling Yourself Disintegrate - 3/5 Sleeping On The Roof - 3/5 Waitin' For A Superman - Mokran Remix - 4/5
Excited for a Flaming Lips album today.
I think solid. Listened to the first half.
I thought this was really good. I wish Wayne Coyne wasn’t so annoying. He seems likes he’s probably an alright guy, but he really annoys me for some reason.
1. Race For The Prize 2. What Is The Light? 3. Slow Motion
вообще ничего от них не ожидала (не помню какую песню их знаю но значит она не впечатлила), а тут такой протоинди ещё и на позитиве. хорошие! надо будет потом всё проверить
Strong early 00s indie rock vibes. Reminds me of the Long Winters - who were probably inspired by this music.
Une sorte de sous-Beatles ère psyché en version 90s.
Very lovely sound. The album flows well too. I just didn't see the point of including both the regular and remixed versions of some songs, but I'll take it as a bonus.
I was combing my hair as this album played. I saw a bird out the window, as it flew majestically by, a helicopter appeared and sucked it up into the rotor blades. The bird was turned to mincemeat as it's stomach contents and innards sprayed onto unsuspecting people below. Talk about Feeling Yourself Disintegrate, poor bird.
Vocals are a little week but overall a very interesting album
I like Yoshimi better but there's some good stuff here
It's cool for sure. The production is pretty sick and ahead of its time sounding-- getting some Gorillaz, Bon Iver vibes. I don't dig the vocals, which is odd considering my high tolerance for whiny and unconventional singers. Ultimately just doesn't do much for me (I'm also in a crappy mood today) edit: adding a half star.. its a grower and might be a 4 if I was stoned. 3.5/5
I really like this album, and thought I knew it better than I did. But I find it hard to give it a 5. The first three tracks, Waiting for a Superman and What Is the Light? are all majestic, and the atmosphere carries across the album. I also never quite realised how much Wayne Coyne sounds like Neil Young. But this is the highest of 4s for me.
ah man this is really good. stronger in the first half, as most of these, but i have joy in my heart today so i’m giving it a 5.
The flaming lips have a very unique sound. The second you hear them you know it's them playing. And it's a good sound, really suits the music they play, feels quite euphoric and backs up their story telling narratives. This album starts great with a few great tracks, race for the prize being the pick of the bunch. Unfortunately it was very much one of those albums were the start was great and it tailed off. The rest wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly great and compared to the start it probably felt worse than it was. The mix was weird, listening on headphones the drums were way out on the right in all the tracks, that was a bit disconcerting, sounded good on speakers though, so maybe that was the whole intention. His singing voice is odd. I'm not actually sure he's very good at it, his voice seems to be cracking on every line, but then it does fit in with the sound of the band really nicely, so it's kind of genius in a way. I'm giving this a 4, but it's just a shame that the album tracks were so top heavy.
Lead singer sounds like the singer for Band of Horses mixed with nails on a chalk board. Not a fan
I think I trained myself to have an ear for this type of Indie rock, and over the years I’ve just lost that ear. I just don’t get it. I was listening to this album while I was moving, so obviously I’m not in the best mood, but I just was not feeling it. Gay.
endlessly gorgeous. you know when you see Dave Fridmann in the credits that you're in for an incredible headphones experience. these basslines rip.
Must have been an influence for the indie-pop stuff that came later 00s like MGMT and Passion Pit. Each song felt original.
A maximalist masterpiece. One of this album’s core strengths lies in the Lips’ heady mixture of lightness and weight. It can be pure, candy fluff and the next second turn thick molasses. The Soft Bulletin gets heavy without ever being dark, gets lost in the clouds but always tethered firmly to the earth, and gets morbid without being morose. It almost forces you to turn to Greek mythology to describe it. It is Proteus, constantly changing; it is Aeolus, windy and breathy and capricious. It is Apollonian and Dionysian in the Nietzschean sense of the words. Waitin’ for an Ubermensch. “Buggin’” is a fixture of any summer playlist, a perfect song for driving through the heat with the windows down. “Waitin’ for a Superman” wakes me up in the morning, and I still don’t have an aversion to it. “The Spiderbite Song” is so sweetly empathetic. I used it for a project in grad school, and that led to the professor telling me she used to pal around with David Berman and Bob Nastanovich. There’s an old Pitchfork Classic documentary on this album, and if you can still find it, it’s really great. Good interviews from the band members on how they put this one together.
Bizarre album, very weird dudes. Great at putting you in the middle of a story that almost makes sense
Wonderful wacky weirdness
4.2/5 rly psychedelic cool sounds on this and good songwriting
One of their best
It was just alright for me. I've heard they're better in concert.
I wanted to give it a 3 because it's ok like most things I've heard so far, but it just grated on me after an hour
I really enjoyed this, not as much as Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots but this was still good and space rocky! Only the second Flaming Lips album I have heard but I am hoping there is more to come.
Solid album, really unique, a lot of different sounds I did not expect from this band
Started of rough but got better. Some highlights, mostly okay
Not something I'll seek out
Not sure if I’ll like this one just based on the first song. I think the album was just too mellow for me tbh. Fav song is ‘The Gash’.
A psychedelic classic, just so lush and full of heart and soul. This and yoshimi are just mind blowing and worth spending time with. Very human and just great.
One of the greatest albums of all time in my humble little opinion. I always think of this as one of Pet Sounds’ closest relatives.
Very well created I liked it. I wanna rate this a seven but I can’t so I’m going with three.
Im starting to really like this genre of music. Its calming in a way that relaxes you but doesn't put you to sleep. This album is a great example of that.
These guys are insufferable. Round up to a 2 for originality.
3.5 Not something Id go out of my way to listen to but I can appreciate the effort for sure. I think it would be a band that I could enjoy, its just my listening habits never really lined up. The drums sound great
i actually didn’t mind this, will have to give it another listen to remember the tracks i liked 3.5
Not bad
i like this but i have no idea why
The quavering of his voice is really grating on the ears. I can't stand when people sing like this, but the music is good, so I can't give it a 1.
like lowkey freeing
I really enjoy the flaming lips, good album
Eh. Not something I could see myself revisiting
I was not previously familiar with this album, although I do know other Flaming Lips material. This album is quite experimental and sounds similar to Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots which I was already familiar with. It has a lot of the same sort of things, catchy hooks, lush sounds, and unconventional use of distortion. It almost feels like a companion album. Given how much I like Yoshimi, this album was a nice find. I would listen again for sure.
Not as good as yoshimi, but few albums are
This is much closer to other albums I've liked and I can see its influence on future indie albums. A few good tunes but it didn't grab me.
verano me suena a verano, a tramkilidad. A adolescencia, nose esta bien.
This was alright a higher 3
Bij het andere album wat ik van ze kreeg had ik al wat moeite om er in te komen en dat is deze keer niet anders. Al lijkt dit album iets minder ingewikkeld te zijn. Iets. Het blijft wat kunstzinnig, wat eigenlijk ook gewoon een ander woord is voor ingewikkeld, en een tikkeltje vals. Ik hoor ook deze keer dat het wel goed in elkaar zit, maar toch vind ik dit geen feest om aan te hebben staan. De zanger heeft zacht gezegd geen al te fijne zangstem, een valse kraai is er niks bij, en dat doet sowieso ook wat afbreuk aan het genot. Tegelijkertijd vind ik een 2 zoals ik bij dat andere album gaf ook wel aan de strenge kant. Een lastige dus. Ik ga het toch op een 2,5 naar 2 houden.
Some mediocre music with subpar vocals Best Song: Race For the Prize Rating: 4.5/10 Stars: 2
Nunca me han atrapado, entiendo el gusto pero definitivamente no son de mi total agrado
I really struggled with this one. Not a fan at all.
Wayne Coyne concocts big daft lovely soundscapes with enigmatic lyrics, and it all leaves me cold. Soz Wayner!
jest po prostu okej, daję 2,5
Distinctively Flaming Lips. Almost in the same vein as We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes.
These guys are a national treasure but I would have gone with At War with the Mystics TBH
I don’t know if I’ve listened to this from cover to cover, but what a ride
3.5
Flawless
Vocally, unimpressive. Musically, very smooth and fun to listen to. The vocals were just… they just sounded like they tried to sound bad.
Definitely no one sounds quite like it. I genuinely don't like the distorted drums and the prevalent lack of synchopation (despite these being deliberate?) Some good songs and 'interesting' lyrics though.
Solid but Yosemite is a way better album. 7/10
First time hearing this record; The Flaming Lips is one of those bands that I've heard on the radio periodically but never grabbed my attention enough to get me to buy one of their records. The music on this album is interesting - unexpectedly symphonic. A couple tracks struck me as a little too sweet-sounding, but I can see how repeated listens could make them work in context with the rest of it. The singer has an interesting voice that sounds a lot like Neil Young to me - but it's like Neil Young did some kind of multi-year ecstatic retreat and then stumbled out into the light, inspired to have a completely different kind of sound. 4/5 that could convert to 5/5 after listening to it some more
Alright another band I’ve heard of but never heard and wow, this album is taking me places! It’s their ninth album so there’s something going on here by now and I appreciate how experimental this sounds! Lots of diffetent moods beings explored here. Epic in scope. This is a great listen!
Almost impossibly dull and monotone
This is kinda what I thought Yoshimi was gonna be. Peak lips? They got so annoying and up their own asses live by the time I saw them in the 2020's, but I could see it all being pretty glorious in their prime.
Solid 3.
A record with a deep, layered sound. Well-written, well-produced songs. The only problems for me are that the songs all seem to hit a similar tone, and the vocalist sounds unserious and kinda sarcastic ghe entire time.
One that washed over me.
idk man
It's... noise pop? It's oddly enjoyable, but... a weird album.
I didn’t enjoy this album as much as I have other flaming lips stuff I’ve heard. Just wasn’t feeling it.
I stood up and I said "nah"
Pop, 1999 -> 2-3
Charming, off-kilter, just the right amount of wackiness. "Race for the Prize" still makes me smile after all these years. "Waiting for Superman" moves me every time I hear it. Overall, a really memorable record, though at times, even if a little too twee and brittle to make it one of my all-time favorite albums.
I saw these guys at Glastonbury after there Pink Elephants or whatever album came out. A lot of people raved about and them at the time, but I was more interested in the exploding but ignored Euro Metal scene. I didn't pay much attention to that gig and remember nothing about it. I seem to have photos of it though. I believe this album came out before that one, and I believe I have not heard any of it. Till now. Song titles are cool. Lyrics are naff. Music is good. Vocals are bad. Great production. Don't like the drums. So that all works out as a three for me. Imagine if this had been sung by prime 90s Thom Yorke. It would have been four stars.
zzz (trots Race For The Prize som är trevlig)
Fenomenalt från början till slut. Allt med detta är musik som jag borde bli irriterad på men nåt slår bara så rätt. Bandet är nog 1001s bästa fynd hittills.
Bra vibes!
I like some of their other albums better. This one is pretty slow but I do like the first track
The Flaming Lips's albums are cases where the sum is greater than its parts -- not all the tracks are impressionable, but enjoyable enough to highlight and elevate the focal songs.
I quite like this album
I feel like I should really love the Flaming Lips more than I actually do - they've always been around the periphery of a lot of music I like, and maybe had I been listening to this when I was younger I would have really gotten into it. I really liked this album but I wasn't in love with it. The songs were really great and I like something that leans a little into how bombastic it is. Very solid album.
I like this album but it's not super essential. I'm looking forward to getting Yoshimi later - same vibes but a little more substance.
I think this is fine but not great, like I will probably not listen to this again and I found Coyne's vocals grating in a way I don't remember on the tracks of theirs I like. but it's not bad? I do not feel diminished for having listened to it. the back half of the album is much stronger than the first half. mostly. I bet Feeling Yourself Disintegrate is a nice song without that awful rapapap in your ears. probably not adding to collection
Nous y voilà, 1999, la fin du millénaire approche à grands pas, et on nous promet le bug de l'an 2000, la fin du monde ou, pire, un nouvel album de Ricky Martin. Et au milieu de ce chaos pré-apocalyptique, débarquent nos hurluberlus préférés de l'Oklahoma : The Flaming Lips. Soyons honnêtes, si tu t'intéressais un minimum à la musique dans les années 90, tu as forcément croisé une de leurs pochettes colorées ou entendu parler de leurs concerts où des animaux en peluche géants dansent sur scène. C'est le genre de groupe qu'on a envie d'aimer, ne serait-ce que pour leur côté "freaks" assumé et leur capacité à ne rien faire comme tout le monde. Mais avec "The Soft Bulletin", on entre dans une autre dimension. On nous vend ce disque comme le "Pet Sounds" de la fin du siècle, une symphonie de poche pour âmes mélancoliques, un chef-d'œuvre de production signé Dave Fridmann. Sur le papier, c'est alléchant, c'est grandiloquent, c'est cosmique. Sauf que... Sauf qu'il y a un problème. Un gros, un énorme, un gigantesque problème qui te saute aux oreilles dès la première minute et qui refuse de te lâcher la grappe pendant les 40 et quelques minutes suivantes. Ce problème a un nom, une paire de lunettes et un costume gris : Wayne Coyne ou plus exactement son organe vocal. Je vais être direct, parce que c'est le but de ce blog et qu'on n'est pas là pour enfiler des perles : on ne peut pas tout excuser au nom de l'indie rock. Vraiment pas. J'ai grandi en écoutant des types qui ne sont pas Pavarotti. J'aime le post-punk, j'aime le timbre sépulcral de Ian Curtis, les incantations de Nick Cave, les murmures de Kim Gordon ou même les aboiements de certains groupes de noise. La justesse académique, on s'en tape, c'est l'émotion qui compte, l'intention, le tripes. Mais là... Mon dieu. Musicalement, c'est difficile d'attaquer la bête. L'instrumentation est foisonnante, riche, presque écœurante de sucre et de paillettes par moments, mais indéniablement travaillée. Il y a une ambition folle là-dedans. Les batteries (souvent jouées par Steven Drozd, le vrai génie musical du groupe, disons-le) sonnent comme des canons de la guerre de Sécession, énormes, résonnantes, donnant une ampleur quasi cinématographique à l'ensemble. Les synthés tourbillonnent, les cordes (ou leurs imitations synthétiques) pleurent des larmes de crocodile, et on sent une volonté de créer une "pop symphonique" qui lorgne autant vers les Beach Boys que vers la bande originale d'un Disney sous acide. Sur des titres comme "Race for the Prize" ou "Waitin' for a Superman", la structure est là, la mélodie est là et l'envie de t'embarquer dans un vaisseau spatial en guimauve est palpable. Mais dès que Wayne ouvre la bouche, le vaisseau se crashe. C'est fascinant de voir à quel point une voix peut saboter une entreprise aussi colossale. Ce n'est pas juste qu'il chante "faux" au sens technique du terme – ce qui arrive souvent dans le rock indé et peut avoir son charme – c'est qu'il chante avec une fragilité qui frôle l'amateurisme gênant. On a l'impression d'entendre un type bourré en fin de soirée karaoké qui essaie de chanter "My Way" en pleurant sur son sort. Il y a ce trémolo constant, cette incapacité à tenir une note sans vaciller, cette espèce de plainte nasillarde qui te sort complètement de la rêverie que la musique essaie péniblement d'installer. Prends "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton". L'intro est magnifique, presque féerique et tu te dis "Ok, là ça décolle". Et puis Wayne arrive avec ses gros sabots vocaux et tu as juste envie de lui tendre une pastille pour la gorge ou de lui demander de se taire. C'est frustrant, c'est terriblement frustrant parce que tu sens le potentiel. Tu sens que si on avait collé un autre chanteur là-dessus, ou même si Coyne avait opté pour un registre moins "je suis un petit garçon perdu dans l'univers", ça aurait pu être un 5/5 indiscutable. J'ai failli arrêter l'écoute une ou deux fois car par moment c'est une épreuve d'endurance. On se force, parce qu'on est des professionnels (ou presque), parce que c'est "culte", parce que tout le monde crie au génie. On se dit qu'on passe peut-être à côté de quelque chose, que cette voix brisée est censée représenter la vulnérabilité humaine face à l'immensité du cosmos, blablabla. Les critiques rock adorent intellectualiser les défauts. "C'est beau parce que c'est imparfait". Ouais, enfin, une voiture sans roues, c'est imparfait aussi, mais ça ne roule pas. Il y a des moments où ça passe mieux que d'autres. "The Spiderbite Song", par exemple, a un côté touchant si on arrive à faire abstraction des faussetés. L'histoire raconte d'ailleurs que Drozd s'est fait mordre par une araignée (ou que c'était une excuse pour des problèmes de drogue, allez savoir, on est dans le rock après tout), et il y a une certaine sincérité dans le texte. Mais bon sang, cette voix... Elle te sort du morceau à chaque virage. C'est comme regarder un film visuellement époustouflant, avec des effets spéciaux à des millions de dollars, mais où l'acteur principal joue comme un pied et regarde la caméra. Tu ne peux pas "juste" apprécier le décor. Alors oui, l'indie rock a ses codes et on aime les losers magnifiques, les anti-héros. Mais "The Soft Bulletin" pousse le bouchon un peu loin et on est à la limite du foutage de gueule vocal. C'est d'autant plus rageant que la production est, elle, d'une précision chirurgicale. Chaque coup de cymbale est à sa place, chaque nappe de synthé est calibrée pour te faire vibrer la corde sensible. Le contraste entre cette perfection instrumentale et ce chant de douche est tellement violent qu'il en devient le sujet principal de l'album, éclipsant presque les compositions elles-mêmes. Au final, on se retrouve avec un disque schizophrène. D'un côté, une musique qui vise les étoiles, grandiose, ambitieuse, prête à conquérir les stades et les cœurs. De l'autre, un chanteur qui semble ne pas avoir quitté le garage de ses débuts et qui peine à aligner trois notes justes. C'est dommage, vraiment dommage. Je lui mets 3 sur 5. Pour la musique, pour l'audace, pour "Race for the Prize" qui reste un hymne imparable malgré tout. Mais je ne peux pas monter plus haut. Pas avec cette voix. Je garde mon 5/5 pour des disques où l'émotion ne rime pas avec constipation vocale. Si vous voulez de la fragilité, écoutez Daniel Johnston. Si vous voulez du grandiose, écoutez Spiritualized. Mais The Flaming Lips sur cet album, c'est un rendez-vous manqué entre une ambition démesurée et des cordes vocales en grève.
I actually think I like this better than Yoshimi
Hmm interesting songs. Bad singing but it has the nostalgic beauty of a booming economy. He can’t really sing, but he seemed super confident and comfortable with recording his voice. I like it. It also suits his music ok. Music wise reminds me of JPop in late 90s. Indeed very nostalgic. Not too bad for me I guess?
this album was a sloggggg for me to get through. really didn't enjoy it until i got to the last song on the album. it was nice a good listen for me
I’m tempted to rate it a 3 because I liked the beginning so much, but this is a 2 on my normal scale. I liked the production even though it was a lot. I couldn’t distinguish some of the instruments and they were intentionally distorted. Cool, but only mostly as novelty.
Forgot I hadn’t rated this and it’s been a few days since I listened to it. I like Do You Realize? by The Flaming Lips but the lead singer’s voice straddles the fence between eccentric and obnoxious. Not the worst but ultimately forgettable.
Not a big fan of this guys voice. The music is good though. The second half of the album was much more enjoyable than the first. I'm between a 2 and a 3.
Very listenable but not as good as the albums that followed it imo.
1.8 / 5 We've had "Yoshimi battles the pink robot" before and it was awful. And now we just got another Flaming Lips album... I still don't get what you need to consume to put something like this on this list. It's honestly not as bad as the album that followed, but it's still annoying af. For me personally, the sound is just too dreamy plus the singer can't really sing. It's sad since I was actually hoping for a redemption arc to kick in here, but we're pretty far off of that. At least they didn't plagiarize other artists' music this time afaik, so 1.8 stars is fair I'd say.
I was not that impressed at first but as I listened further it improved quite a bit. 4 stars or B.
I forgot this album existed, but I listened to it a lot in my teenage years - mostly flying across the pacific, if I recall correctly, because I preferred something unobtrusive but with enough movement in it to keep me engaged. Things like this and post-rock were my choice. As I listened to it, i was like, "Oh yeah, this song exists." And guess what? It fuckin' sucks. This shit sucks, dude. Obviously it meant something valuable to me in my younger years but now I just hate it. The Elephant Six fuzz. The snappy drum that pops in and out. The absolutely inane lyrics and warbly, apparently emotionally-vulnerable delivery (about the fucking sun or whatever). I hate this in a way I didn't think possible. And the ultimate insult: it's an hour long of going nowhere. I had it playing in the car when I picked up my daughter and she was like, "I don't like this" and I felt blessed for a good excuse to turn it off for a bit. I don't know what caused such a sea change for me, but man I HATE this. Slog.
Nossa que voz zoada em umas músicas... parece amador as vezes. Nada de impressionante nesse álbum, não curti.
I don't even know. But I like it.
Hauskaa tuollasta rock popia ei liian ryppyotsaista
No private session used for Spotify. This is the first The Flaming Lips I got into. I remember struggling with the lead singer's voice and I still kind of feel that, but there is some great music on it and a few outstanding tracks.
Drums sound like I recorded them
I really love this album.
Great modern psychedelic rock. I liked the pink robots more but this is quite good. “When you got that spider bite on your hand / I thought we’d have to break up the band” - lolz!
hm. wanted to like it more, but considering so many meh offerings on this list, i'll bump up my rating a little bit for something funky. some really nice songs on here. some that i'm less enthusiastic about. but overall a fun warbly weird time!
this album is a perfect example of how i think of the flaming lips every time. i hear a song or two and think, whoa, that's pretty neat, they're doing something really unique here. and then that all fades into the background as i sit through another hour of exact same thing. three stars, and no i will not elaborate. favorites: race for the prize, a spoonful weighs a ton, waitin' for a superman
I was very surprised by this. There are some songs that didn't quite hit the first time around, but the fact that I was compelled to listen twice should say enough. This is a super good album, and the drum production is amazing. Wayne Coyne kinda sucks at singing, but that's part of the charm. 4.7/5
3.5 (58:26, 14 tracks, 9th album, 1999) dream pop. Probably need to listen to this a few more times, might drift up to 4.0 on multiple plays. I found it pleasant (some of Flaming Lips I find somewhat provoking almost like a joke-band, but none of that on The Soft Bulletin). Definitely a departure from their sound to much more 'layered' dream-pop.
Favorite Track: Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
Technically impressive performances, strange vocals and lyrics.
This made me realize I have never listened to The Flaming Lips. It sounded like Paul McCartney at times, and Death Cab for Cutie at others. There isn’t really a song that stood out to me, which made it a cohesive album but hard to tell which songs would have been singles. I didn’t hate it but I don’t think I would come back to it again.
Much of what I said about 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots' also applies to 'The Soft Bulletin', although the latter may be the tighter album of the two. While I still can't get into Wayne Coyne's voice, the density of The Flaming Lips sound is still incredibly appreciated here. There's plenty going on: guitars, synths, strings, custom percussion, electronics: that you cant help but hold immense respect for the band's ability as producers and arrangers. This album marked a departure from the band's guitar-heavy alternative rock sound into something more layered and experimental and most critics consider this to be where The Flaming Lips truly found their sound. I can see why. I hear plenty of confidence in this album's direction, and it came at the right time where popular music was beginning to shift away from noisy guitars towards more lo-fi, experimental sounds. I feel like The Flaming Lips is a band best enjoyed by people with a passionate interest in sound production and nuanced creativity. They certainly have an unmistakeable sound and always look to push the envelope, and I can't help but commend their fearlessness and genre-bending ways. Best songs: Race For the Prize, The Spark that Bled, Buggin', Waitin' For a Superman
Not bad. I’d listen to it again.
Great
Great bunch of lads
a sci-fi hug from a sad wizard
Fully great, maybe better than Yoshimi? I'll absolutely listen to this again no sweat
B+
Strong three another album where the musicality is top notch but the vocals I just can’t get into
Music: 4/5 Production: 3/5 Vocals: 0/5 Writing: 1/5 So you’re telling me Neil Young has a sequel??? I’m out :(
Vocal style is a bit annoying, but despite that it wasn’t too bad and even enjoyable at times
Enjoyed this. I like these lads. Simpsons: No
Didn't mind it on in the background.
Didn't really like this because it became quite boring very quickly. Which is a shame, as I quite liked their other album on this list.
Did I like it? Sure. Will I listen to it again? Probs not.
I liked it. Not as much as Robots but I also had a little bit of an expectation. Still, it’s creative and unique but can trend a bit bland at times.
I enjoyed, but it didn’t feel groundbreaking idk
Eh, this fell flat for me. I feel like I would need a little drugs, not much, just a touch, to really vibe with it.
Honestly, I didn't expect to like this album very much, but it's a really interesting album that gets better as it goes on (or as you get used to it). Lots of batshit insane lyrics, but also a lot of really interesting sounds and layering of sounds. I don't necessarily think this will be an album I reach for very often, but I enjoyed it. 4.5 stars.
eh
Not sure
If there’s one thing worse than a bad album, it’s one that frustrates me. The instruments are fucking beautiful. That violin melody on Race for the Prize is what dreams are made of. It had the potential to be fantastic. But my god, I cannot get past the vocalist. Does anyone else get weird Neil Young vibes from him? I don’t like it. And some of the lyrics are kinda shit too. A Spoonful Weighs a Ton in particular was stupid. Yeah, how many lyrics can we rhyme with ton. So really, this circles around to average for me. I’m really hoping Yoshida Battles the Pink Robots is much better. Favorite track: Race for the Prize Other hits: The Observer, Sleeping on the Roof, Feeling Yourself Disintegrate, What is the Light?, Suddenly Everything Has Changed
I really quite enjoyed this one and will give it another listen when I have some more time.
The singing and guitar drew me straight in to these songs. I was enjoying it a lot. And then the drums kicked in and I wanted to stop listening straight away. The songs which doesn't have that really distorted heavy drum part are great. This album is doing so many great things but I just can't stand it as a whole. I will keep some songs with me for the future but as a whole I can't give it a higher score.
489/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
A lot of indie kids love The Flaming Lips but I never warmed up to them. Their songs sound decidedly average. Purposefully off key singing? With cheap lo fi sounding synths (which I normally like but not here). The beats have no backbone.
I’ll be honest, I liked this more than Yoshimi, but I still can’t stand their vocalist. It’s a big hurdle to get over.
A flaming hot pile of...
Listened to it years ago, not bad. Only really liked the first song.
This band has a distinctive atmosphere to them; both of their albums on this list are psychedelic indie/alt rock efforts. This is slightly noisier and more organic sounding than Yoshimi, but it still creates an atmosphere. Lyricism isn't the greatest, but it's mostly passable. Musically, it combines thundering rock drums with psychedelic guitar and mediocre vocals. Are they the best band on the list? Not even close. Are they still good with a distinct sonic identity? Yes. Something about their atmospheric, psychedelic sounds resonates with me, and they're probably one of my favorite bands discovered here.
Banger
Not heard anything by the band. Solid offering.
Not sure why we have two Flaming Lips albums on this list. Seems a little indulgent. I preferred the other album.
Whoops - I haven’t listened to this yet, but accidentally rated it. I’ll come back later! This is me back later - it was ok but nothing to write home about
i think wayne coyne is a dumbass
Beautiful record.
Ah yes, The Flaming Lips. The band that proves to me every time that it's possible to be TOO progressive. Completely incapable of writing a hook. I'm sure their fans love them, but it's just musical masturbation. Cut it out. My rating: 1/5 lips.
If Zach Braff made music! Wonderful!
Quirky aber nicht catchy
Despite the fact that I've listened to Yoshimi many times, I'd never got round to listening to this. I'm glad I did, I like it a lot. Maybe not quite as much as Yoshimi, but that's probably familiarity.
Such an interesting and dynamic album. So unique, forward thinking, and enjoyable.
Indie electro psychedelic rock with John Bonham on drums. Still not sure about Wayne Coyne's voice. 3.6
went full sunny and listened to this with a a cadbury selection box and an afternoon darjeeling
With apologies to sunny I really didn't like this. Can't stand the bloke's voice
Мені цей альбом раніше подобався менше ніж зараз та й не слухав його дуже давно. Винахідливий сонгмейкінг, ловив себе, що декілька разів під час пісень були неочікувані, але й вдалі ходи. Цікавий звук, одночасно і вінтажний і сучасний. Вокал специфічний, тут він дуже пасує і створює якусь казковість. Поставив би 4.5.
Абсолютно не мій гурт, я навіть не можу якось описати цю музику, настільки вона для мене абстрактна.
idk pretty mediocre probs not for me i liked a couple of songs tho 6.5/10
The Flaming Lips embody that hopeful, melancholic sound that was everywhere in the early 2000s. This album definitely made an impact on me when I heard it for the first time.
Rating: 7/10
I enjoyed this album, didn't realise until after listening it was as old as 1999 - it sounds like it could be a 2010s album.
Boring, but never really liked the flaming lips anyways.
Just okay. Crazy that this album made it on the list over Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Love the Flaming Lips... just a baffled by this selection (though knowing what know about this list's love for electronic, I guess it makes sense). This album, for me, is one my least favorite of theirs if not the least.
This is fine, kinda some Death Cab vibes but worse
Didn’t care for it but atleast it wasn’t painful to listen to
Fine
# Album Name: The Soft Bulletin # Artist: Flaming Lips # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Man, this album was so boring. I feel like i could take a singing class and be at the same level as the lead singer. He doesnt have the best voice. Theres only one good song on the album. # Top Tunes: Race for the prize # Would I listen to it again? No
Easy to see why this was popular with the festival set. Probably wonderful when you’re young and tripping on acid with 50,000 of your closest friends. 4/5
One of their best. Before they got too weird from some.
two times flaming lips in a row. but today i'm more prepared. stopped playback before half-time...
Always like the flaming lips more than I think I do. Closest to the internal songs of my soul than anything else so far.
Turgid.
eu gosto do soft bulletin, e eh isso ele eh bão
acho race for the prize uma das músicas mais lindas do mundo!!!! não eh meu preferido deles, gosto mais das guitarrada do clouds taste metallic. mas esse tem mto seu valor, acho bacana que ele tem várias camadas, várias texturas, eh mto bem produzido. é bem bonito na real!!
I like but don't love the Flaming Lips. I have listened a few time and whilst it is generally an easy listen it lacks stand out tracks for me - other than Buggin which is going on the playlist. I gave Yoshi a 4 and that is definitely a superior album so I guess this is a solid 3.
The Soft Bulletin I feel broadly similar about this as I did with Yoshimi, although I think Yoshimi is definitely a better album. I do still like the hazy psychedelia and there are some good songs but overall it doesn’t quite land for me, passing me by in a fug of similar sounds and feels, with only Race for the Prize, Suddenly Something Has Changed and Feeling Yourself Disintegrate really standing out. Yoshimi was a solid 3, and while fine, this is certainly a rung below that, and realistically I can’t see myself listening again, so I’ll go with a perhaps slightly harsh high 2. 🍦🍦 Playlist submission: Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
I initially thought this album exceedingly average, but grew very much to enjoy it. It's a layered affair with the Lips' idiosyncratic sci-fi production, coupled with 60s-worthy melodies. In fact, stripping away all the (some may say) overdone production, tracks like 'Race for the Prize' have a Motown sensibility. 'The Spark That Bled' has some classic sliding guitar octaves in its final third, like Soul Man or similar. To say this is a warm up for it's superlative successor is unfair, but they certainly refined and perfected the approach on Yoshimi. This comes in close behind.
3.1 I feel like this one be a controversial opinion, but as a cult band the flaming rips are massively overrated. There was a bell end in my class who was obsessed with them, so I tried really hard as a teenager to get into Yoshimi... But it felt like they were tring too hard. This album is no better. It's fine music, but reduces in quality by the elitest aura it gives off. Reduces to mid tier.
This is good, but not far off nainstream pop - I know the Lips to be a little rockier and more off center. I like that iteration a bit more.
Do you realize...you could've done just about anything else with that last hour?
Besides the singer's voice, which reminds me of Neil Young, and not in a good way, this album just didn't reach me in any way. I listened to it and couldn't remember afterwards if I heard the whole thing. So I listened to it a second time, with the same result. That whole thing just slipped by and I didn't even notice the different tracks. Totally unremarkable.
Nothing special, nothing much to say.
The Flaming Lips, the group who composed the '24 hour song'. I remember listen to maybe 1 hour of that project. It was years ago, but I liked what I heard, even though I've never return to it. I think it is important for me to talk about that song, because it left me with the impression that this band has a really weird and heavily psychedelic sound. However, what I got form this album, 'The Soft Bulletin', is different from what I've expected. They do have the psychedelic elements that I was anticipating, but I thought it was going to be a way weirder experience and I thought I was going to like it way more than I did. First of all, the record is very ambitious. It features a ton of different sounds and instruments. The first two tracks have a very distorted drums that never gets to be played with that same sound ever again; and every other track introduces a new element which make them unique on their own. The record also has some very beautiful melodies, both from the vocals and the instruments. Some of the stand outs of the album by this metric are 'Race for the Prize', "Buggin'" and 'Sleeping On the Roof'. Regardless of this very high positives, this whole project doesn't actually click with me. I liked it, that's very clear, but I didn't love it and I wasn't moved that much by it, which is kind of surprising considering the heart felt lyrics of songs like 'Suddenly Everything has Changed' and 'Feeling Yourself Disintegrate'. In addition, I can even say that it felt a bit long sometimes. It is for these reasons that I'm giving it 3 stars. Hope in the future, if I ever come back to it, I could appreciate it more.
The album is ok but some parts are boring and occasionally there's a song I like. The rest is just nice music to have on the background.
Not bad. Not for everyone, I'm sure, but it has it's good points. First, his voice can quite often be annoying, but then there is something plaintive and hook-y about it too. Musically, they are trying a bunch of different things and I'm a big fan of experimentation that pays off. It mostly does here. Although I will admit I do like the more guitar-y version of these guys. I mean, keyboards are great instruments, but I don't think they should be the backbone of any production. Overall this is pretty mellow. While I don't think the lyrics are the deepest philosophical insights, they are at least introspective and trying to say something. That's gotta count for something in a world of pop-y love or butt rock, yah? I'm not convinced that it deserved a ton of awards or it's a Must Listen before you die album, but I am glad I heard it a couple of times, now. Will probably listen again sometime. Want to give it a 3.7, but with no particularly annoying bits, let's call it a 4.
I've been meaning to listen to these guys for a while now, and I think it was an interesting intro to them. Saw on wikipedia it was listed as space rock, and I thought it was gonna be something else, but this was still good. Favorites: The Spiderbite Song, Waitin' for a Superman, Feeling Yourself Disintegrate