Reviews (page 5 of 10)
the vocals are so fucking annoying that I tapped out at song two. The inturementals are beautiful, but the vocals are just damn eargreating! This is a bastardization of the so called at least by 1001 albums indie pop genre int a whiny mouthed shitty attempt at music that is soehow on the rym chats because of course it is. Onto the good parts, this album has Alex g level instrumentals to hide the lyrics under, this is one of those times I wish that they pulled a 2018 twin fantasy and mixed the vocals so they werequieter than the damn instermentatiin. But no we can't have nice things (like the deletion of this album from my memory). (got so mad I forgot how to spell) 3.0/5.0
Kinda cheesy - so was “Yoshimi,” but it got a boost from nostalgia that this one doesn’t. I don’t know. I like it in a way, but it’s also kind of lame. The whiny vocals irritated me more than they did on “Yoshimi,” and the lyrics are just… 3 stars because I’m unsure. In spite of all that, I still kind of like it.
They thought "experimental music" meant experimenting with being ass lol Actually really enjoyed a song or two, but a broken clock is right twice a day and we can’t give it credit for that
An album I already loved from a band I have seen live many times. Flaming Lips are fearlessly creative; this followed Zaireeka, an album released with 4 discs designed to be played simultaneously, so their experimentation wasn't always a hit. The Soft Bulletin is a psychadelic indie pop masterpiece though, without a single bad song. The arrangements are varied and intricate but without anything feeling out of place. I also don't get the criticism of Wayne's vocals, I think they're great. You try smoking enough weed to come up with these lyrics and then sing falsetto, it's probably quite tricky
bem legal
I expected a band called The Flaming Lips to be a lot more fun
Not bad. I don't mind their swooshy brand of indie rock, if that's what it is. Bit nothingy at times. I think I prefer Yoshimitsu Battles Robocop.
I good listen
Catchy and enjoyable stuff
Day451 - this might be the most shocking album from a band i’ve heard. i associate the flaming lips with “she don’t use jelly” but this is so different lyrically and musically
I just know I'd love this if he didn't sound like he was aggressively constipated and singing on the toilet
81% Best: Race for the Prize; The Spark That Bled; What Is the Light?; Waitin’ for a Superman; Feeling Yourself Disintegrate Must-Hear? Maybe
There was alright stuff on here but just overall bleh stuff. 2 stars
An all-time classic. A beautiful record. Every home should have one. And go see them live! 6 stars.
tava achando as primeiras faixas absurdas e fiquei animada pro album, mas desacelerou e eu fiquei fuennnn... mas nossa que instrumental fueda de "a spoonful weighs a ton"
An impeccably crafted album that influenced much of what followed for the next decade. Bound to be considered a classic.
Didn't hate it but just the wrong side of wishy washy
Gold.
The Flaming Lips make fun and interesting music. I’m less familiar with this album than Yoshimi but it’s a solid listen. The Gash is a standout track.
Rich & effervescent in some places and weak and kind of schizophrenic in others. Wayne’s voice is a bit rough as always, but it works quite well in some contexts. I like the instrumental track “The Observer” and “Race for the Prize”.
Just didn’t hit for me. Found the music fairly forgettable and boring. Vocals sounded thin and slightly grating. No standouts.
Ik denk dat het leuk was als de zanger niet zo zong
Highlights: Race For The Prize, The Spark That Bled, The Observer, Sleeping on the Roof. In a nutshell: "the limits now are none" Although some Beach Boys fans would scoff at the idea of other bands having "the Pet Sounds of (insert decade here)" moniker, critics were right when it comes to The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips. My interpretation of this is any album that is "considered a landmark work for its innovative sound and influence on later music." (citation needed). The key word here is innovative. The Soft Bulletin intricately layered, synth-phonic. Joyous, hopeful and melancholic at the same time. If you are ever invited to a Flaming Lips show, go. I went to their Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots album tour in January 2025 without knowing much about the band. It was dazzling. It's not just a gig, it's an experience. Overall: 8/10
Great music, terrible vocalists. What a shame.
nossa a voz do vocalista é insuportável kkkk nem consegui terminar
love these guys! been listening since the very beginning - this is a lovely album and is a wondeful listen - Wayne reminds me sometimes of a softer sweeter J Mascis
Have never liked this band. The lead vocalist is awful. Their songs are disjointed and don’t have any flow. I did like Suddenly Everything Has Changed.
A heart warming album. I saw them in my 20’s and again 25 years later. I think it was the same exact show. On full blast from the open to close.
Classic rock through the funhouse mirror, slanted Disney keys and surreal lyrics all whipped up into a melodic meringue. They had a lot of great moment along the way but needed to cook a little longer than most bands truly peak - album eight? Nine? Well into their second decade - Flaming Lips found new ways to mess with your head and squeeze your soul and provide some feels all with a maturely childlike sensibility. Chock full of ideas. Does love buzz? Maybe. But this album definitely does.
Great album
The Flaming Lips is such a unique band. No one creates music like they do. They started at lo-fi alternative psychedelia and have grown into something beyond genre. The Soft Bulletin was their first true triumph and set the scene for their future releases, like Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The Soft Bulletin is unique in its beauty.
wow i liked this a lot more than i thought i would???
Waste of time.
Not bad. It's along the lines of Brian Eno and Aphex twin
been changing my mind between 2 and 3 during every song, while listening to this LP again this morning...so in the end I fall under the influence of reviews and "music" critics and I'm giving it 3/5.
Sorry, I like whiney boy rock.
Wayne Coyne's voice is reminiscent of Neil Young's, but otherwise, there's nothing to compare this record to, really. The Flaming Lips are psychedelic pop w/ a handful of scientific realism. I want to like this album more than I do, mostly b/c I admire how it sounds - the production is absorbing and musically I'm at ease here - but the lyrics are ultimately too pretentious to overcome: 'To lose your arm would surely upset your brain'; or this: 'The summertime will make you itch the / mosquito bites'; or: 'Putting all the vegetables away / That you bought at the grocery store.' Besides 'Waitin' for a Superman,' no song here is w/o flaw. I get that they're going for the rapture in the mundane, but these fuckers are in band. They're not Joyce.
OK
05/03/25 Average at best.
I liked this one more than the other Flaming Lips album. The album seemed to be more rooted into psychedelic and noise rock than their later work. Some good songs like Race for the Prize here. Almost want to give it 4 stars but its still a little too lacklustre for me. Not that big of a fan of the vocals either.
Good stuff. Highlights include: “Race for the Prize” “A Spoonful Weighs a Ton” “The Spiderbite Song” “What Is the Light?” “Waiting’ for a Superman” “The Gash”
Sadder than I had hoped.
Unremarkable. The lead singer's voice is a bit screechy sometimes. No standout tracks for me
EVERYTHING is good on this album. I just can't fathom how those jam sessions must've been. They were good live too.
I really enjoy the tone of this whole album. Positive, catchy, spacey. They somehow make disintegrating seem like not such a bad idea. Even having flaming lips sounds kinda fun! 4.5
Not sure why, but I've always felt kinda meh about The Flaming Lips. Some tracks really can hook me, and I have enjoyed seeing them live, but somehow I am not generally attracted to their music. This album is no exception.
Gear: ZMF Bokeh Artwork: 🟨🟪🎭 Production: 🥫🫗🤔 Music: 🎨🌈🥁🤩🎤😖 Rating: 👄👄(👄)/5
This was a really enjoyable album that I will fail to be able to describe. I kept thinking about side two of Abbey Road, with all of its musical variety, mood changes, playfulness, and moments of dreaminess. It’s kind of like that, but from another planet. Maybe it’s more helpful to compare the sound to Coldplay, it is probably on that spectrum — but this is more eccentric and curious and fun. Favorite songs on first listen: “The Spark That Bled.” On second listen, I add “What is the Light” and “Waiting for Superman” and all the other songs. Best unfamiliar album I’ve received in a while, and it’s growing stronger as I sit with it. Either a very solid 4/5 or a 5/5, so I’m choosing the latter.
This album is fantastic. I am not really sure I can explain why it is so good. It is like a soundscape for the soul where everything is explored, questioned, and deliberately left unresolved... but in a good way. It's as if the Flaming Lips pictured themselves in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies, and then produced an album with sweeping orchestration made by devices bought at radio shack. Don't try and understand it, but don't skip it. Listen to it (perhaps more than 2 or 3 times) and enjoy the preface album to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. You won't be disappointed.
Too heavy for Superman to lift....
2. dislike vocalist
Very good and cohesive album. One of it's strenghts is how effortlessly the next song follows the previous one.
Fun enough. Just about a 4.
4 Stars (11/15)
Didn't enjoy this one, there are nice elements and the recognisable vocals add character, but it all feels a bit cobbled together. None of the songs fascinate me, they merely exist.
First listen left me mostly shrugging this off as a 3 but there were some melodies and musical choices that stuck with me so I revisited and ended up looking into the companion album, and nearly watched the Pitchfork minidoc on the band and album. I’ve never been a huge Lips-head but grew up loving Yoshimi, and “Do You Realize??” is a song my mom showed me that has always stuck with me due to its existential lyrics. Not saying that The Soft Bulletin is going to start me off on my expanded FL journey but *this one* is an album that will stick with me.
A good album, I liked Race for the Prize and a Spoonful Weights a Ton the most.
This is a weird one for me. There's definitely some commonalities in sound with things I like (My Morning Jacket, specifically), but I just don't love it.
Irgendwie mochte ich es. Angenehme Melodien, hatte einen guten Vibe.
🫦
The lead singer's voice sounds strained in a lot of the songs. Apart from that it was an interesting listen, lot of random stuff in the background. The songs mixed by Mokran were definitely better. I liked this one more than the Yoshimi album. Low 4.
I like the vibe and the concept but dont really love how it sounds.
7/10 - There were a bunch of songs that I kind of enjoyed but his voice was just annoying. I really liked race for the prize and waitin for a superman
Too hipster
Eh, okay
Such a rich and warm album. I can see why people gushed about it. What I don’t see is why I’d never heard of it.
Sehr kurzweiliges Indie Album aus den USA mit einer ruhiger Atmosphäre und dadurch einprägsamen Slngs. Diese sind musikalisch gut und weisen eine experimentelle Raffinesse aus. Besonders gefallen haben mir „The Spatrk That Bled“, „A Spoonful Wheights a Ton“, „Race for The Prize” und „Waitin‘ For a Superman“. Gerne mal Wiederhören.
This was a really enjoyable listen. Definitely enjoy it's spacey/psychedelic vibe that keeps things fun and fresh through a long-ish runtime. The highlights for me were the opener Race for the Prize and Feeling Yourself Disintegrate. Definitely a dense album that I'd really like to come back to. Feels like something you would appreciate the more times you listen to it. Solid 4.
Unquestionable 5 / 5. I'm no Flaming Lips Stan, but they can absolutely put together a record. This, in my limited opinion, is among their best works. Individual song-writing is extremely solid and the sequencing is top-notch. This is the kind of album where once you play the opener it doesn't feel right to turn it off. On top of that, the production strikes a very satisfying balance between crusty/campy and high quality. I guess what I mean is that the songs never feel over-produced or polished, but there is beautiful separation to the mix that does great service to the neo-psych soundscape they produce. Such a satisfying listen every time it plays through. Race for the Prize is a fantastic opener. Love the lopsided, emaciated synth drawl of the chorus. Also love the sparse echoed piano on What Is the Light? The effect reminds me a bit of Family Tree by TV on the Radio actually. Atmospheric flow through The Observer takes us straight into Waitin' for a Superman -- one of the best tracks on here. Unsure if it is intentional, but it feels like the intro to Feeling Yourself Disintegrate is an homage/spin of Bowie's Queen Bitch.
4.5 Stars. Great album and definitely bias because I have seen them live. I appreciate their music a lot more after seeing them live and how much of a wild spectacle it is and how weird these guys really are. Fun album, Race for the Prize is a jam.
Another very pretty and psychedelic album from the Flaming Lips. Race for the Prize is possibly my favorite song by them and it really starts the album off with some heat. It's hard not to compare it to Yoshimi because that album is excellent. This album is a lot more serene and spacey. This was the first time I listened to this album in its entirety. I think it is a very high 4 which could climb to a 5 with some more familiarity. But for now I just don't think it gave me the "5" feeling.
Flaming Lips are such a funny band. The way that they makes songs make no sense and should not sound good at all, but they are so good. The quirkiness just keeps me completely entertained for the whole album. I don't really choose to play them and I don't think I would ever add any of their songs to my playlists, but I am so happy to listen to a full album when it comes up here. Race for the Prize is an absolute jam though I must say.
This album and Yoshimi are both S-tier albums from the Lips imo. Yoshimi gets all the praise but this one is just as interesting and fun with weird ass sounds throughout. Also has my favorite song by them Feeling Yourself Disintegrate. Race For the Prize is such a great opener. Bubbly as hell. Seeing them live this is usually either the opener or closer and it slaps in both places. What is the Light into The Observer is an all timer for me. The transition into Waiting For Superman is also great and an amazing song at that. I can see why some people wouldn't like Wayne Coyne's style of singing but I think it works perfect in the context of this album. Some of the Lips most beautiful stuff imo.
Einmal hat mich die Stimme richtig genervt, konnte man sich aber so ganz gut anhören.
Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood, but I just couldn’t sit through Kermit the frog singing much longer. Had to turn it off halfway through. 2 stars because there are some good moments sprinkled in (mostly when there’s no vocals!)
Nothing spectacular from them. There are some good songs on other albums, but nothing too impressive here.
Eka kappale etäisesti tuttu. Ihan kivaa indie rokkia. Väärä hetki ehkä kuunnella, voisin pitää tästä enemmänkin. Kiva tälläinen kesäinen tunnelma. Pitäis ehkä kuunnella uudestaan. Parhaat: Race For The Prize, Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
I made the mistake of staying for The Flaming Lips after a Dinosaur Jr. show. Until then, I really didn't mind FL and viewed Wayne Coyne as a curiosity of sorts and was familiar with Pink Robots. Over the next 120 minutes, he brought out all kinds of balloons, mugged for the camera and fell all over himself to prove just how wild and interesting he is. But the truth is neither he or the FL were more than elaborate carnival barkers. I'd never heard this album before but needless to say I went in with a low bar and lot of bias. Surprisingly, it wasn't as irritating as I expected and I found myself really digging the Waiting for a Superman track. Other than that, the Flaming Lips cann kiss off in the air.
I remember when all I knew of the Flaming Lips was that “She Don’t Use Jelly” was funny and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” was disarmingly endearing. Then I saw them in concert (as an opener) and was exposed to the full Lips and all of their excessive indulgence. In lyrics. In theatrics. But while some of the stage show at least keeps you engaged with wondering what ridiculous thing they’ll pull out next, the music wears out its welcome quickly. And lead singer Wayne Coyne doesn’t help. Coyne’s lyrics are insipid and I don’t like his voice. I’ve lost the ability to see it as cute, funny, or endearing. Or maybe I’m just not in the mood right now. Or maybe jumping the shark at least three different times as their opening set got more and more over the top just burned me out on the Flaming Lips forever. I’ll just take my flaming lips from spicy chips and chili crunch from here on out, thanks.
Hate his voice. Hate it even more after hearing him live and him telling me every 30 seconds to clap louder. Why don't you sing better and THEN I will clap louder.
Let’s do some word association. Middle. Middle Earth. Mid Atlantic. Midtown. Middle of the road. Mid season. Midnight. Mid sentence. Middle seat. Mid air collision. Middle of the night. Mid sized. Midfield. Midlife crisis. Mid afternoon. Right down the middle. Mid length. Mid way. Mid stream. Middle age. Middle C. This album is mid.
I love this era of the lips. Obviously Yoshimi was the one that got me super into them, but this is just as good. Love Friddman's production. One of the most fun live bands. I recommend hallucinogens.
Dreamy pop. Easy listen. Boring vocal. Predictable lyrics. Would have worked better as an instrumental for me.
Wayne Coyne is a fabulous human being. I’m glad the Lips make music beloved by millions. They’re just not my cuppa. I don’t really like his singing, and the songs aside from a few slappers don’t reach me.
Do not like at all!
so, so fun to listen to. these guys know how to do a theme. i love the instrumentals in this and noticed them more than i had in previous albums of theirs
Neo-psychedelic/dream pop album from the late 1990s. I was quite neutral about it while listening the first half of the album, then it suddenly started to click. It's a very well produced and compact album. A lot of these albums from the genre sounds dated nowadays, but not this one. The singing is a bit too much, but overall it's a lovely album.
1. Very unpleasant distortion effect on the drums. Hard to listen to. Also, going in with some bias; I don't like this band 2. This guy's sings like he's mocking another singer that he hates. 3. This song actually sounds pretty cool, but the vocals ruin it for me. This guy just doesn't have the chops to pull off his imitation of Neil Young 4. I cannot wait to not be listening to this anymore 5-8. Unremarkable 9. "Putting all the vegetables away...". Yeah, fucking rock-'n'-roll, man!!!! Ugh 10. Intro sounds like the score for an epic western movie reminiscent of Ennio Marconi, which is cool. I'm digging the choir too. Of course, the main vocalist ruined it 2½ minutes in Yeah, I think I'd like all of this if the dude just didn't sing ⭐ ⭐
3.4 for me. I liked a few songs. Overall the album had a good vibe.
This was an okay album. Not what I expected from the Flaming Lips. Wayne Coyne's "singing" is better taken is small doses. I liked "Race for the Prize". The rest of the album was unremarkable.
Nice little album
Just as I'd remembered it. Front-heavy and still not that great. Has moments that are pretty cool, but it's not worth sifting through the entire album to find them.
This was a little too repetitive for me to enjoy the whole album. I bet if I heard some of the songs stand alone I would like them more.
3x 3.9 man great tracks
Good to hear this again but Yoshimi edges it.
I like The Flaming Lips, but can only handle so much of Wayne Coyne's voice in one sitting. The album is very positive and upbeat.
A beautiful album, well conceived and performed. It does feel like some of their looseness and more zany side is loss which gives Yoshimi an edge up, but this is a masterwork.
A magical mystery tour into the psyche of Wayne and Co that delivers at all levels.
6/10
I've heard of The Flaming Lips before but never checked them out. Let's just say after this album I will need another 20+ years to listen to them again. I like indie/alternative but this album is an example of alt rock that I hate. No interesting melodies, no interesting moments, the album dragged on and I was already waiting for it to end after the 3rd song. 1/5
The drums sound is absolutely insane. Ez 5 if it weren't for the 2 random nothing but sound songs.
Starts off really good, second half is a bit weaker.
stor overraskelse! Meget eklektisk og cinematisk. Kunne godt lide hans stemme
Har sat den her plade på af og til siden jeg opdagede den for halvdelen af mit liv siden, og den bliver bedre og bedre for hver gang. Der er kun bangers, det bliver aldrig kedeligt, og produktionen er ustyrligt fed. Kan godt være at. Wayne Coynes stemme er en acquired taste, men i så fald acquirede jeg den i gymnasiet
Don't really like his voice. Some of the music is pretty nice.
Flabberflabber. Slechte zang. Potten en pannen.
Not terrible, but also not amazing. Kinda boring-lead singer sounds like a shitty version of the Eels lead singer mixed with a muppet, which was distracting. Would not revisit. Some interesting instrumental stuff?
Did not care for this one as much as Yoshimi. This one was just a little boring.
норм
This album is always more cohesive than I think it is. It's also better as an album than I remember. I love Yoshimi but this is almost a party album. The people that don't like it can shove it. They're also incredible live.
The instruments sound great. The background effects and instruments sound great. The vocals and lyrics are blahhhh. It's a very forgettable album that I feel like could have been so much more with better vocals.
Best parts of the album were when the guy wasn't singing.
I went into this not being a very big fan of The Flaming Lips and I'm still not. The production's pretty good, but I'm just not nuts about the vocals. I hear they're much better live.
I kinda like it. I think it needs a few more listens, but there might be too much weird stuff going on compared to other Flaming Lips records. Favourite tracks: Buggin and Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
Damn fine album
I wouldn’t have know it was them with a thousand guesses. That’s not a good thing
Very indie & blissful record
Nothing special here 2.5 stars
4 - some really cool ideas and production, title tracks is amazing
Absolute perfection
Ещё один "большой" для меня альбом в смысле моих музыкальных приключений: Питчфорк выдал этому альбому 10 из 10, и конечно же я слушал его, потому что Питчфорк плохого не посоветует кек, когда только вникал в весь этот мир. На тот момент Зе Флэйминг Липс дались мне с трудном. Но со временем, вот сейчас, я знаю наверняка, что их нео-психоделия на этом альбоме - эталон жанра. И это реально один из тех альбомов, которые необходимо слушать, потому что другого такого нет. Лучшая песня - What Is the Light?
Really good album. Probably one of the closest to 5 stars I’ve listened to yet. Just not quite there though
Listened to this one at work as well. It was like a mixture between Pulp and Pavement. I think that’s a pretty good description. Some of the lyrics were annoying, but there were a lot of instrumentals that caught me off guard. Some cool stuff. No standouts because I couldn’t see the titles.
I won't listen to this again, but did enjoy it, overall.
I enjoy these guys
This has some interesting stuff and some stuff that is too lame
Decent, but not anything special really. "Race for the prize" and "Waitin' for a superman" were pretty good.
I like some aspects of this band, but this record was just too much for me. There are some beautiful orchestral parts and creative sounds, but it lacks meaningful melodic content to me.
Not sure what it is but I did not gel with this album. Musically I can see it is really good, maybe it's the vocals that I didn't enjoy as much. There were some ok tracks. Stand out tracks: - The spark that bled - Waitin' for superman - Feeling yourself disintegrate
# 367 : I don't love it, I don't hate it. I thought it was very ordinary and Quiet forgettable.
Do you like rock music? If you do then this album for you. This album suck. The guys voice is horrible I don´t like it. Also the lyrics sucks too. This album just suck I would not recommend this album.
I dont really think this album is special. Its music didnt stand out much. The lyrics felt like mush, despite there meaning. overall it is a decent album.
The first song we listened to on this album(the spiderbite) kinda sounds like they were rushing while making it but maybe that is their style. it was kinda boring but (waiting for superman) sounds way more smoother. There are no big gaps between the lyrics or the instruments so it sounds way nicer. Overall they have some good songs but i would recommend this album.
the album waiting for Superman is a boring song why I think that is because nothing really sound interesting to me like the lyrics they just sound plain and boring and the singer isnt really the best fit for the singing I think the instruments are fine but the rest I don't think is really good I think this album isn't that good and I would not recommend listening to this album
Do you like songs that the instruments sound better than the lyrics? If so, then this is the album for you! The background instruments sound way better than the lyrics when they were being sung. Also, the singer's voice is too quiet for the music, he needs to project more. So, that is why I recommend that you don't listen to this album.
1st song-the song is very good but it sound a kid sing it so i rate like 10/10 2nd song-its ok but i really like it sound so good so i rate like 10/10
Do you like weird lyrics in songs? If so, this album is for you! There are one or two songs with lyrics like that. I do like this album, but not the songs with weird lyrics. But other than that, it's okay. The singers' voice is really good, and the background music is really good.
the instrumentals are good the vocals are also good. i would recommend this album to most people 6/10
I haven't listened to too much of the Flaming Lips besides their more well-known stuff. I would not have guessed that they were making albums in the mid-80s though. Solid album though I enjoyed it and he used "realize" in a couple of songs here and it sounds exactly like their song "Do You Realize" in the way he pronounces it, so I guess it's one of his fave words.
Another great album. One that defined an era for me and that I always come back to with joy. Love the great use of synth and ultra deep bass in parts, echo in others. And just a fun vibe all the way through. Not like anything else I've heard.
I just didn't like it that much! Aside from the one song that I always loved, the rest didn't land the way I thought they would. I found his voice almost unbearable, which is nuts considering how much I have loved other albums by Flaming Lips
i listened yesterday but i dont really remember what it sounded like so perhaps it wasnt that influential on me
Race for the Prize Waitin' for a Superman
Yep another perfect record. Do I love it as much as Yoshimi? Hell no. Is it still great? correct. I remember in a documentary how they wrote "Sleeping on a roof" and did something weird thematically with the album where they flipped the music upside down to continue playing the notes and how it thematically ties with the record or something. Regardless the main singles (race for the prize, waiting on superman and a spoonful weighs a ton) are amazing. The deeper cuts (spiderbite song, feeling yourself disintegrate, Buggin, suddenly everything has changed) are all amazing cuts. No bad songs. Just some great psychedelic rock.
Just a few days after Yoshimi, a good way to give The Flaming Lips a proper go. I liked this one more, found it a bit heavier and catchier and less wacky and far out. I generally love a concept album but this one, being more of a standard LP was more of my thing. I felt my 3 was a little bit of a rounding-down for Yoshimi which was a weak 3.5 so I'll balance that out by rounding up this guy, which is a much stronger 3.5, to a 4.
Wasn’t sure if I knew this but know it’s a band I should love, somehow I’ve never seen or bought - a gap. But of course I know the opener, sounds like it is just made for a sunny day at a festival. The rest of this is a first listen for me. I was just thinking how much the singer here Wayne Coyne reminds me of the Mercury Rev singer Jonathan Donahue only to read that JD was in Flaming Lips before this came out. Also interesting to me that the band is from Oklahoma - look at it on a map it’s bang in the middle of USA. The music takes unexpected turns, lots going on, it’s exciting. It is quite classical, orchestral, theatrical, so many instruments on here. Mad that this is their 9th studio LP, so long to wait for critical acclaim, also mad that only 3 band members making the music ?!? Only half way through I realize there’s too much to take in here on first listen but also this should be listened to on vinyl as the production is quite something. The tracks are all very different on this, it never gets samey & the unexpected twists continue. It’s very rich, I’ve heard about the shows and would’ve loved to have seen this live. I saw them on TV at Glastonbury once and it looked amazing. This is happy uplifting one love psychedelia as shown in the blues & yellows of the LP cover photo of Neal Cassady from the acid tests. Yes this is great actually even better than I was expecting, a gap in my musical knowledge around this time, so very nice to fill it in.
Great listen really liked Race for the prize, Waiting for Superman, Suddenly everything has changed. A lot of these will go into the rotation
this album raised me. this was my mother
Unique, idiosyncratic, delightful. Also great live.
I liked it alright, interesting contrasts between the instruments - seemingly very clean with distortion mixed in. Not a fan of the singer
11/6/24. I need to really dive into the Flaming Lips more. This is the second album I've listened to of theirs and I love their psychedelic sound and songwriting. Addicting to me (lol).
I try not to read other reviews before I listen to an album as I don't want to go in with any preconceived ideas. I want to form my own opinions. For some reason I read some before listening to this one. I have to say, the singing isn't THAT bad. Objectively it's not great, I'll admit that, but I feel like it fits the music quite well. Speaking of the music, it's quite pleasant listening. Dream-like, sweet, maybe slightly melancholic. Nothing particularly stand out or groundbreaking, but overall just quite a nice sounding album. Only had time for one listen today. Could possibly have been four stars if I had time for another, but my first impression gut instinct tells me it's a three.
Wavered between enjoying the uniqueness of the vocals and hating them. Pretty unremarkable indie album.
first listened a few years ago and LOVED it (9/10) but didn't actually remember that much besides race for the prize + feeling yourself disintegrate. upon relisten it feels somewhere between earnest and cheesy at times but maybe i'm just a cynic. i also felt some of the songs dragged on longer than they needed to and the arrangements didn't always justify the runtime—but the instrumental tracks (the observer + sleeping on the roof) were still some of my other favs 👍
Love. Many loves. The voice makes it, this would be quite diminished if not for Mark Coyne's voice.
Catchy and weird. I love the vulnerable, strained vocals on Spiderbite, and the dirty guitar riff on Buggin’. Highlights: Race for the Prize, The Spiderbite Song, The Gash.
Couldn't get into it - feels far too radio friendly
Not as good as the Robots one
Dreamy indie rock, tidlig og mere alternativ tame impala
I think I’ve heard The Flaming Lips before. It was possibly part of this album listening project, in fact. I found today’s album to be a pleasant listen. It made for a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon, playing some video games with this as the soundtrack. I’m not sure it was interesting enough for me to want to seek it out again, but if a song from here came up in a future playlist, I’d expect to have another enjoyable time.
Mixed feelings here. I really like the arrangements and texture. The lead vocal performance and writing is not my favorite. I think I liked it? I also might not have liked it that much. I can't call it a middle-of-the-road experience because I liked the production so much, but some of the lyrics had me rolling my eyes. I winced a few times at the singing. It does sound like a forward-thinking album; it came out in 1999 and sounds like it could've come out in 2015. Highlights: Race for the Prize, The Spark That Bled, What Is The Light?, Sleeping on the Roof
Race for the prize is great. Flaming lips are one of those artists that on paper I should love but just don’t.
Favorite Track: Race for the Prize
I like the Flaming Lips, and love their live show, but this album is not their best work.
Fine, not my style, very 90s
Emotional vocals, soaring melodies, poignant lyrics. A revelation.
I’ve mentioned before that The Flaming Lips are really a group I should listen to more but I’ve never happened to come across any of their music to keep me captivated. But this one did the trick. Loved mostly the lush and moving orchestral interludes and some nice melodies. The one thing which prevents total devotion is Wayne Coyne’s voice. I just don’t like it at all. As I say the music behind the voice is good but that voice! Would probably appeal to me more if there was a female singer. But that won’t happen so it is what it is. Not a bad album by any stretch and I would be glad to hear it, as I seem to do often, stream on an algorithmic shuffle. 3/5 19/10/24
I just can’t get into these guys.
I am not sure if I like it or not. It has a lot of ideas combined into one record. That is maybe too much. But maybe I just didn’t understand it completely.
01) Race for the Prize (Mokran Remix) - 8,0 02) A Spoonful Weighs a Ton - 7,0 03) The Spark That Bled - 7,0 04) The Spiderbite Song - 7,5 05) Buggin (Mokran Remix) - 7,0 06) What Is the Light? - 6,5 07) The Observer - 6,0 08) Waitin' for a Superman - 7,5 09) Suddenly Everything Has Changed - 7,0 10) The Gash - 7,0 11) Feeling Yourself Disintegrate - 7,5 12) Sleeping on the Roof - 6,0 13) Race for the Prize - 7,5 14) Waitin' for a Superman (Mokran remix) - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,11 (71/100) Current ranking: 209/339
Pretty average. Creatively intriguing but not for me.
I feel like I should like the Flaming Lips more. They have a lot of the stuff I like, a very psychedelic feel, big bombast... And yet, there's something about it that puts me off. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think it has to do with the singer, Wayne Coyne. He sounds more like a hippie than Perry Farrell, and the lyrics feel... very hodgepodge. Sometimes I think he writes lyrics just to make sure they rhyme ("The Spiderbite Song", for example. "Hey, what rhymes with hand... BAND, yeah that's it." To me, it has a bit of the psychedelia of "OK Computer", but it's just... off. The drums / production is pretty early to mid-90s, for me. It feels... dated. I've listened to a few Flaming Lips album, and I have a friend who is hardcore into them. I just... never got it. Top tracks: "Race For The Prize," "A Spoonful Weighs A Ton," "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate."
Here's another band where I think one album might have been enough. This album was the big departure from their previous sound, and many bands' previous sounds from the 1990s. Yoshimi takes it a step further. I'm not sure if one is significantly better than the other or if either is so good we need both. Yeah, they layered in a bunch of synth and keyboard and downplayed guitars and bass. It's not bad. But still doesn't get me too excited.
I much preferred Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, but this was okay. I didn't find it super memorable.
The Flaming Lips are like if Neil Young was the front man for Phish. And I mean that as a compliment.
Unlikely to listen to this again.
In my opinion, this is the best Flaming Lips album. Yoshimi et al that followed The Soft Bulletin were extensions of this album. The Soft Bulletin is deeply rooted in the Beatles most psychedelic--most apparent on "Suddenly Everything Has Changed" and "The Gash" but this album is no mere imitation of The Beatles. Like any good psychedelic album, there's an overarching theme: the band and its maturation, the harrowing experience of almost losing a member to a spider bite, and the emergence from the experience improved and strengthened. Now strong enough to fight alongside Yoshimi against the Pink Robots.
The Soft Bulletin is a little bit similar to Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots with its sound. I love that album so that’s not a complaint, haha. This album has a good production! Mark Coyne’s vocals, while good and memorable, can sound a bit off at times, and some tracks are more memorable than others. However, that doesn’t take away from most of this album. The performances are something to admire here. The lyrics are simplistic yet intriguing. While I may prefer Yoshimi, I still appreciate this album and many songs on it. I’d recommend this one (and especially Yoshimi, that album is amazing)!
Meh
This album is such an experience! I love the touches of orchestral music throughout this work. In combination with the raw sound of the instruments, it's completely my taste. Production wise, I think this is a really well-executed album. side note: buggin' is such a goofy song lmaaoo favorite track: The Spiderbite Song
Race for the Prize is great. Everything else is shockingly mediocre.
3/5
I’m a big Flaming Lips fan now because of the two albums I’ve heard from this list so far. The emotion they are able to evoke with their music is incredible. It’s refreshing!
Just boring.
eh
Ended up listening 3-4 times. The song Race for the Prize had this feeling like it was out of a video game in a cool way.
Headbangingly dull.
Overrated
I love The Flaming Lips, they are funny and different and interesting, and this album was a pleasure to listen to. Rating: 4
#358. If, like me, "She Don't Use Jelly" is the only Flaming Lips song you've heard, and you were wondering if maybe the rest of their songs were better... well, the short answer is: no. Sorry. 2/5: umm... Song added to playlist: Buggin' I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Really enjoyable. I like the Flaming Lips. The lyrics are a bit ... grim ... in places but I kind of like the way they jar with the lightness of the instrumentation. And the drum production is super crunchy.
Not my thing
I quickly ran out of patience and turned it off early. There's just no weight to any of it. "MEDIOCRE!" -Immortan Joe
boring and kind of nothing. "Sing, brothers! Sing! SING!" - The Bullet Farmer
Kind of an odd experience. I wasn't really able to connect with the music, though that's not to say it was unpleasant. The production and mixing is solid, the use of strings is decent (if a little too standard and non-boundary-pushing), and the layering does give the impression that this should be really good music. However, there are too many flaws to justify any medium-to-high rating. As many reviewers have noticed, the vocalist is quite bad, having a promising timbre but with half the notes being very off-pitch. (This gets really distracting as early as the opening track, Race for the Prize (Remix) – which is also the strongest on the album.) The instrument-playing is not impressive/virtuosic in any capacity. Additionally, a lack of solid hooks really holds the music back. There's not too much to say here. The Soft Bulletin is fine, but nothing special. 2/5 Key tracks: Race for the Prize, Waitin' for a Superman
For this review, I'm not factoring the Mokran remixes for the singles "Race for the Prize" and "Waitin' for a Superman" tacked on at the end of the worldwide digital release. I've heard of The Flaming Lips as a psychedelic rock band, though mainly from a few songs from their album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The Soft Bulletin is the album before that when they started incorporating more catchy melodies and intricate arrangements in their sound. I can see why comparisons have been made to Pet Sounds, concerning the embellished symphonic touches the group accomplished with multiple MIDI keyboards. That's before we get into the splashes of electronic elements courtesy of Michael Ivins, paired with Steven Drozd's syncopated drum work that brings about an atmospheric sound that makes me feel like I'm on a journey through space. That said though I understand if this style of music is not for everyone. Alongside that notion, Wayne Coyne's higher-register vocal delivery can make or break your experience though to me at least it fits the progressive pop-rock style similarly to Jon Anderson's vocals for Yes. At the end of the day, it's a solid album from an experimental band refining their sound to make it more enjoyable for the masses. It's worth a listen.
Wow a band named after thrush that sounds like LCD Soundsystem for even bigger losers. Instrumentals are good, but once that crybaby wankers voice kicks in I really just can't do it. This record what Radiohead sounds like to people who hate Radiohead You're lucky to get a 2 lads
Probably the album I tried to give the best chance in recent memory. I was keen to give this a good listen when being introduced to the dreamy/trippy and often melancholic instrumentals. Being released right near the turn of the century feels interesting too, given the change in direction of the indie revival/'landfill' era that would come to follow. When the elements of this album work for me, they work really well. drums and other percussion don't usually come to the forefront for me when listening to music but there was something really attention grabbing about them here. 'The Soft Bulletin' feels like an appropriate title for the guitar in a lot of this, never too overbearing and feeling almost cloudy in the atmosphere they bring. Most of my gripes with this are with the singer. Who takes aspects of other irritating vocal performances I have had issues with previously and blends them together. His performance feels very sincere and is at times tolerable, but will then go into some sequence where he is choosing to either over-accentuate things in an overly American way, or going into this hoarseness in his throat that leaves him sounding scracthier than the Squeaky voiced Teen from The Simpsons. I think it actively made me like the album less on repeat listens the more I tried giving it a chance Highlights: Race for the Prize, The Spark That Bled
Soft cock music critics wanking their shit raw to this probably. I know I’m not enjoying an album on this list if I’m constantly checking to see how much time it has left. This album is unique in this aspect as it appears to have some sort of eldritch metaphysical quality where time slows to glacial pace, as this was one of the longest 58 minutes I have experienced. There is no circumstance where I would go out of my way to listen to this. It took three attempts to get through it. I thought about why it grated me so much and I think 98% of it is the vocals. They are terrible. Of the 2% it would be the instrumental moments that just sound disjointed and nonsensical, and not in an interesting way, more like a kid playing with the default settings on a cheap Casio keyboard. The redeeming factor is that outside these parts the instrumentals are okay. The album probably would be at least a 3 without the vocal track. Special mention here of something that I couldn’t get out of my head is go to 1:17 in “A spoonful weighs a tonne”. There is a sound that reminds me of the first noise that plays in the looney tunes intro.
This music moreso than a lot of the other stuff we've listened to is particularly subjective, I never have found the font man of these guys grating but on this I can definitely see how it could. I personally loved the drums it's gated or reverby or something I can't describe but I love it. I think there's definitely a reason that despite giving it a 9 4 years ago I never returned to it a other than a few tracks. Adored sleeping on the roof. 9/10 -> 7/10 Fav tracks - Race for the prize, a spoonful weighs a ton, the spark that bled, buggin, what is that light?, The observer, sleeping on the roof Least Fav - The spiderbite song
Wow the first song blew me away. I can hear so much influence from this album, Tame Impala, The Gorillaz, Sure there is more but man this sound is just the kinda thing you hear all 2000s onward. Every song on this album stood out to me and I can hear so much passion behind everything that comes out. I can not believe I have never heard of any of these guys before, I loved all of this. 5/5 and I feel confident in that.
"The album was also noted for its fusion of ordinary rock instruments, electronic beats, and synthesizers. Its large, layered, symphonic sound has also earned it a reputation as the Pet Sounds of the 1990s from a few critics." Perhaps these same music critics were too busy doing whippets and sucking each other off to remember one of the pillars of the Beach Boys' sound was the vocal harmonies between the band members. Straight up, this album was a fucking slog to listen to. The Spiderbite Song genuinely made me physically uncomfortable the first time the singer first said the word 'spiderbite'.' The instrumentals here are phenomenal, the arrangement is great EXCEPT FOR THE DRUM TRACK. Good fucking god, you're telling me this is their ninth album and they let the drums come out this shit? I guess the critics are right, Pet Sounds was known for innovating by using unorthodox methods of making music like using hairpins to pluck piano wire. I suppose drums that sounds like shit is basically the same thing right? In all seriousness, the instrumentation here is amazing if you can get past the drums here. I am not going to talk about the vocals. This album doesn't have the luxury of being released at a time where it would have been considered innovative. The fact that this has a 100 on AllMusic is fucking crazy to me. The Observer is a song that demonstrates how great this album is without vocals. The more I listen to albums from this book (especially 90s-onwards) the more I realise that Joe's Garage is not on here because it shit talks music journalists. 5/10
Pish
Melodic, catchy, and dreamy. A very complete album in my opinion, I also get the feeling of them being similar to The Butthole Surfers but their music is not very similar, I think it must be that they were on the same drugs at the time.
Got about 1.5 listens. Flaming Lips layered harmonies and melodies on this album are really beautiful. It’s not something I would listen to often, but I think I’m starting to appreciate their music. 4/5.
Previously rated: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (4/5) ****************************************** Again, the drums are the strongest part of the album. I don’t think it’s as good as Yoshimi, but I liked it enough to want to hear it again. A low 4.
Terrible apart from the 1st two songs which I liked it massively dipped and the songs became a skippable mess, vocals poor as well
4.5/5
grunge
It was aight, I just dont particularly like this genre of music (i thought i filtered it out)
Thoroughly enjoyable. Wayne Coyne objectively cannot sing, but that simply makes the songs more intimate. The album feels better for it, a more genuine musical expression. I have no idea about the actual history of the band, but this feels like a natural progression of the punk ethos of the grunge era. The songs are experimental, but poppy, with distinct elements of 1999 to them, while being less harsh and noisy.
Favorite album of all time
Lo he escuchado sin prestarle mucha atención. El Race for the prize está bien, pero no lo veo un disco fundamental.
Had a fairly decent run of albums recently, none that have been a real drag to get through and we all know there are some draggers on this list. Never given this band the time of day but this was a pleasant surprise to hear. I can see how this would really fall low on people’s ratings but I liked the vibe of it!
A lot better than other 90s alternative bands... actual melodies instead of just guitars scrambling. No highlights, though.
Never really listened to this band before. This is nice. Some parts are better than others. Don’t always like the off-key twanging singing. It subtracts more than it adds. Cause the music is very good. 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
Band name sounds familiar but I don't recognize any songs. Mellow. Folk pop?
I really wanted to like this. I should like this. But oh my god I cannot get past these vocals. Honestly unlistenable.
True alternative! Weird for weird sake in the best way.
Nice stuff, will listen again 👍🏼👍🏼
The instrumentals have good vibes and original sound, but the lyrics can be a bit rambly and heavy-handed.
Норм, но особо никаких эмоций не вызвал
This was a peculiar album for me. It didn't gel with me much to begin with, but as it went on, I felt more and more that it needed a second listen to appreciate fully. By my own scoring system, that means it gets four stars, but it feels like a shoe in somehow.
I remember this from the time, but it passed me by then and now. It's OK
I think I'm becoming a fan of the flaming lips, and I really enjoyed my time with this album. fun, cookie, all around solid psychedelic Rock. I can see myself enjoying this album a lot more on subsequent listens, but as it stands right now, a lot of good songs but nothing here that totally blew me away. the two instrumental tracks were fine, but not totally my thing. and I could have done without the songs about bugs. but otherwise, a good time!
This is awful. I've never purposefully listened to the flaming lips. The guy cannot sing to save his life... there is hope for me yet!
A quavering voice that tries too hard, but I also somehow find it endearing. The music sounds older than it is, or maybe it's just me getting older.
Un autre album indie rock insipide, avec un chanteur au talent vocal douteux. Ô grand générateur, combien d'albums indie me reste-t-il à affronter pour atteindre l'illumination?
1001 tone deaf vocal tracks continues.
I’ve heard great things about this band that I’ve never listened to. This was a disappointment. Maybe I should have started with a different album.
Exasperating, as there were some decent songs spoiled by the drum mix. It sounds like they're back in the garage but not in a good way.
Shitttt i got Flaming Lips again LETS GOOOO. that's 2 in like 3 weeks. This album is amazing, tracks 2-4 aren't my favourite but they are still solid, but once What is the Light? starts playing I'm hooked again. Not to mention that Race for the Prize is brilliant and Feeling Yourself Disintegrate is a masterpiece. The live version is even better. Fav songs: - Race for the Prize - The Spiderbite Song - Buggin' - What is the Light? - The Observer - Waitin' For a Superman - Suddenly Everything Has Changed - The Gash - Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
This album is full of really nice sounding songs, however the drums and the bass are rather loud and distorted at the start of the album.
It took me a while to get into The Flaming Lips outside of Yoshime, which is a masterpiece of an album. After being obsessed with Yoshime, The Soft Bulletin was the second album I listened to from them and it just didn't hit as hard. I'm glad I got to revisit this years later, now that I can truly appreciate FL because this is an incredible album. So much going on as far as instrumentation and production, and melodically it's some of their best work ever. There are grand moments followed by cathartic, introspective passages. Weirdly my favorite moment was the closing track "Sleeping on the Roof" which sounds like it could have been the starting point for countless YouTube lo-fi channels. Masterpiece of an album from a band who, to this day, continues to put out stellar work.
Thought I might enjoy more. But no.
Wow this polarize people in their reviews. Brilliant quirky indie.
I need to listen to more tbh
Listen to the Eels Novocaine for the Soul...could have been the same band/record. The whiny vocals are nails on chalkboard for me.
Trippier yacht rock. The Flaming Lips should be in your face punk, but The Soft Bulletin is a perfect rainy day album. I kinda liked it. Not sure it should be album of the year, but 1999 was a weird time.
I can't lie, I find his voice really annoying and don't have the patience to get through the whole thing... Such good tracks and I didn't realise the extent to which the band was so orchestral. I'll give it a 4 in terms of talent appreciation but a 2.5 personally. Actually, going to start again. Phenomenal - voice still tad annoying but get used to it. Just beautiful music, 4.4.
Really great
I hadn’t listened to this album of theirs before. It’s not in their top three albums and lacks their usual epic-ness.
Soft rock. Really good actually 8/10
The lead singer's voice is annoying to the point of distraction. It's like a joke I'm not in on. He sounds like Daniel Johnston or the lead singer of Dr. Dog. One he was probably influenced by the other he probably influenced. I want to write this off but there's a whimsical quality to it that is kind of endearing. It's growing on me, there's a sadness behind the happy vibe that is appealing. There's a similarity to The Shins. I listened to it 30 minutes ago and I cannot tell the difference between Race for the Prize and Race for the Prize (Remix).
The Soft Bulletin isn't the greatest album in the world but what it does, it does well. Most of the first half of the album, while fine, wasn't all too interesting with that part probably being the most forgettable one but the second half did one-up it with more interesting songs. The music could actually be pretty sad sounding at times as it fit with some of the lyrics and that i can appreciate in an album like this. There also are not any egregiously bad songs in this album so that's cool. I don't really know what else to say about this album so all I'll say is its good. Best Song: What Is The Light? Worst Song: The Spark That Bled
R.E.M. if the took more drugs, better drugs and had less quality control. I saw the Flaming Lips once back in 1994 at Sydney's Alternative Nation. They came on just after the tab of very strong acid, fittingly called a Superman. I can't be sure what was them or an hallucination. Anyway, it took me a while to want to listen to them again fearing a full on flashback. So this album is lovely weirdness of the kind many second tier indie bands try to emulate with unremarkable results. Four stars but only because you really have to be in the right mood to spend an hour with Wayne Coyne
I have a strong aversion to The Lips in general, but of all their highly acclaimed 'classic' albums, I've always thought this one was the worst and never understood the hype.
Soft easy music but the vocalist can't sing for the life of him. That said, a few tracks were really immersive. Stand-out: What Is the Light?
Turns out if you add extra fuzz on your soft-spoken indie rock it makes all the difference.
Es un disco bien particular. La primera canción me gustó muchísimo, es un sonido muy particular, no sé si me gustó o no lo hizo. Para escucharlo una segunda vez.
6/10. It is an indie album. Unfortunately, some of the tracks stood out as particularly...bad. Sorry.
Not for me 2/5
Don't like singer's voice
Wow this vocalist is annoying. Musically it's decent which is why I guess it's 2 stars.
I had a friend who's taste in music had me completely stumped. He was big on classics like The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Queen. He even recognized talent in Badfinger! Reversely, he praised garbage like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and The Flaming Lips. The whiplash is unreal. "The Soft Bulletin" has no real arrangement, the vocals trip over themselves, the pacing is a train-wreck, and the band seem to be tone-deaf. I'm not sure I want The Flaming Lips to be lumped with other alternative rock acts like Neutral Milk Hotel and Radiohead.
Kinda surprised it came before the Yoshimi album. It sounded more refined and more rock-ished, albeit less heartfelt that that one. Pretty nice.
Experimental Rock? Some songs are quite weird and stressful. Others are okay, but nothing that hooked me.
Extraordinary. I sometimes find the production too clipped and bright but I guess you could argue that's also a big part of what makes it unique*. The opening three songs are particularly great. Form, lyrical content, performance; superb. *Not to hate on it, I also feel that way about some other Fridmann productions, e.g. the Delgados and some Mercury Rev. Would love to hear a remastering of some of these records.
Amazing!!!
the intro track was okay, everything else was very very boring NNN
4.0
Significantly worse than Yoshimi, even if "Race for the Prize" is the best song they've done. Wayne Coyne's vocals sound like he's a Victorian child, begging on his knees with big bulbous eyes, for just a tiny nibble of a Snickers bar, that I brought with myself back in time with the sole purpose of poisoning King Louis Philippe I of France (who famously had a nut allergy).
Weird voice man sings obscure lyrics fun
Awesome album, not quite their best but this is where The Flaming Lips moved up a gear.
A phenomenal piece of work. Lovely stuff. I wish I had the time to write articulately about how much I enjoyed it.
Listened to this a few times last year, it's an enjoyable album... if you like The Flaming Lips that is; it's out there!
Never heard this album. I wasn't prepared for lyrics written by 2nd graders or music created by AI. Wait, this crap was created by grown-ass adults? With 8 previous albums under their belt? Also, no more mentioning Superman in a song. That should have been outlawed in about 1990. But here we are, songwriters can't help themselves. "I stood up and I said, yeah".
Another one that I was happy to see appear on our list. As I expected, the lyrics are overly simplistic (I know them better for "She don't use jelly, she uses vaseline"), but I enjoyed the sounds.
I've never listened to this before. At the surface level it sounds like coffee house music, particularly fitting for Portland. But then if you listen closer, the music is composed of strange sounds that mix to form the melodies. It's interesting and I enjoyed it while working. Also, a new song for the Viridian playlist: What is the light That you have Shining all around you? Is it chemically derived?
Surprisingly good... and hilarious. Still no dancing!
Didn't like it...can't really put my finger on the reason.
Probably a five star album that I like at a 3-4 star level
Inoffensive but uninspiring.
There are some interesting aspects to this album, but its hard to look past the singing and mediocre lyrics...
I must have been in exactly the right mood because I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Dreamy and wistful. Unambitiously pretty.
Nice
whiny ass bitch
I've never been a particular fan. Was Investing that I recognised the first track.
STANDOUTS: n/a OVERALL: 1.5/5—won't return to ANYTHING here.
Yoshimi is better, bit this is still good. Yeah, still good. 4/5
Meh, it’s ok but not for me
I honestly didn't know what I would be hearing. To my ears it's enjoyable but didn't knock my socks off. Good vibes and blends of indie rock, psychedelia, trance etc
Always a great pleasure to listen that album
Oh my god. No hope for America. LOL!!!
better than I remember!
2.5 it’s alright. I feel like their goal was to just make cool sounds rather than make good songs
endless whining lyrical loops may work for most, and when it comes to the lips they do. While no Yoshimi, the Soft Bulletin is one of those albums that makes me wonder what makes this band so popular? Obviously, their live shows are the answer. 3/5
Pretty groovy vibes. 4.5
3.5 rounded up. some great songs on here but I don't love it as much as I once did
3 pq esta buena la iniciativa yqs
This definitely wasn’t the best Flaming Lips album for me. The music was nice and chill, but it didn’t draw me in the way the "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" album did. The main thing that really lacked in this album was the vocals and the singing. The singing wasn’t the best, and the vocals felt very simple and weak compared to their other works. While the instrumentation and production were pretty solid, the overall impact was diminished by the vocal delivery. Despite this, it’s still a good album to have on in the background, but it didn’t quite capture my attention as much as their other releases.
Ok
..
Eh, it's fine.
Enjoyed this. Not my favorite album of theirs, but still good.
It’s kind of like a being in a swimming pool—an immersive but gentle cacophony of noise, but organized into the shape of a more traditional pop/rock songs, all held afloat but the earnesty of Wayne Cohen’s vocals. Sometimes playful, sometimes heart-wrenching, always a good listen.
Such is the warmth, humanity and good vibes that there is no pretension, despite the considerable ambition. Fun, sweet and vaguely uplifting as this is, one still slightly prefers Yoshimi as FLs' masterpiece.
typical flaming lips record. not a fan of the vocals but cool band.
3.5 stars
An album is great when you and your six-year-old daughter sing along song after song.