Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

3/5

NOTE: Started listening to this, sort of lost interest halfway then came back to it after a few days and it actually grew on me a lot on the second listen. There are definitely bits of this that fall a bit flat — I think the instrumental tracks, while certainly interesting, border on straightforwardly unpleasant, and some of the main tracks are too polished and almost bubblegum-y for my liking in a way that feels strange for a concept album. That being said, there are tracks where I think the emotionality that underscores the project does really shine through and where they really nail it, and that's what I am ultimately left with at the end of the album; the highs are really wonderful and the beautiful soundscapes that they create on the album really help with that. Was going to give this a 4, but I do think the corniness of some of the tracks holds it back, and my first impression wasn't great, so a 3 it is. Favourited: Fight test, Yoshimi battles the pink robots vol 1 Least favourites: Yoshimi vol 2, do you realize

Dream Pop, which sometimes feels accessible (being melodic, having mixed in organic element, synth loops) being slow and whiny (dreamy or experimental part?) at other times. Interesting enough to listen trough once.

Dit is het enige Flaming Lips album wat ik ken en op een of andere manier kom ik hem eens in de paar jaar een keer tegen, luister er dan een keer naar en vergeet weer dat het bestaat. Een aantal prima chille nummers zoals Fight Test, Yoshima pt1 en Do You Realize?. De rest houdt mn aandacht minder en verdwijnt snel naar de achtergrond.

Weird and wonderful.. a good story

Okay, I like the sound of this a bit, going to get 3 stars for sound but lyrics not doing too much for me.

Some decent tunes. Not the worst I've heard.

Better than expected. A little odd in a good way. Some beats could be mistaken for Beastie Boys, but the tone of the vocals often don't match the up tempo pace. I expect that from the Faming Lips tho.

nice but for me a little too bland

I have tried to listen to this album before. I had somehow heard the title track and believed it was one of the best songs I’d heard in a very long time. It helped open my eyes to a lot of the indie/alternative from this era. Now, when I listened to the album I was disappointed, as at the time, nothing was even close to the tale of Yoshimi. Today is about second chances. Music is better as you listen to it more, right? Fight Test - Yeah, see what was I on? This song is wonderful. Yeah, it’s sugary, but the harmonies and melodies are wonderful, the alien gleebs and glorbs are a lot of fun. Sweet opener. One More Robot / Sympathy 3000-21 - This wasn’t too bad. Spacey and cool enough. Not blowing my mind or anything but continues to move the story. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1 - This song is just so good. The lyrics are ridiculous and when you mix them with this low-if/sci-fi nonsense rhythm? You’ve got yourself a major tune. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 2 - The sequel is never as good. Robot battleground solo. The composition is very interesting to be fair. In the Morning of Magicians - Gooood morning everyone and welcome to Magician radio. I am your host Big Merl, and it’s now time to relax and pull out your favourite false shuffle technique, as we allow the flaming lips to transport us to a time where magicians weren’t just confident nerds, but were actual mystical weirdos. At 9, we discuss the ethics of rabbits in top hats. Stay with us. Hey, this song isn’t too bad. It’s keeping me enthralled. Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell - What a song title. No I’M the most evil. I can’t believe you let that guy in but not me. Didn’t you see how I coveted my neighbours goods? I’m a million times worse than that guy. He donated his time to a charity and didn’t even post on social media. Me? I board planes before my zone is called. Alright alright, not so hard with the pitchforks. Aaaaand scene. This is probably the worst song so far. Shame it couldn’t live up to the song title. Are You a Hypnotist?? - Is anybody on this plane able to hypnotize people? I REALLY want to pretend I’m Abraham Lincoln but my damn inhibitions prevent me from hilly committing!! Please!! My childlike whimsy has been locked behind this gate of repression for decades. Ehh this song is kind of boring too. See this is what I was afraid of. The boredom. It’s Summertime - The worst time of the year gets longer each year. Why couldn’t it be global cooling? People would’ve fixed it by now because all the freaks intent on destroying the planet HATES the cold. God another song I don’t really care about. Whatever. Do You Realize?? - What happened to the robots?? What happened to Yoshimi?? This is fine. Actually, better than fine. It’s pretty good. It feels like a minor return to form, but I’m still missing the whimsy of the beginning of the album. All We Have is Now - Is this the Buggles? The cool start devolved into a repetitive nothing track. I’m really disappointed. Despondent, even. I didn’t remember that it was the back half of the album that housed the stench. Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia) - Cool instrumental closer. You know that meme where there is a beautifully drawn front half of a horse, with a crude, childlike drawing of the rear? This album is like that. I hate that I’m talking or even thinking in memes, but the end comes for us all. This should have been an EP. You put those first five tracks on an EP and then condemn the final tracks to some digital recycle bin, and you have an artistic victory. The final tracks weren’t all bad, but they lacked so much of the sparkle and punch of the opening songs. A spaceship where they forgot to add aerodynamics, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” could’ve shed about 25 minutes of weight. Not quite a challenger disaster, but certainly a challenge to get all the way through near the end. Some of the most interesting tracks of the early 2000s save this from the cursed scourge of receiving a low rating from me. The Flaming Lips can wipe sweat from their proverbial brow after dodging that bullet. 2.5-3 HIGHLIGHTS: Fight Test, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1

Awesome vibe

Nice album, easy to listen.

2,9/5

me he guardado la cancion “Yoshimmi battels”. ciertamente no ha estado mal creo q volveria a ecucharlo

A band that has this cool an album title should produce better music. It's meh and just kinda drones on, I don't really think he can sing.

I could have sworn that I hadn’t heard anything by the Flaming Lips before, until the track ‘Do You Realise?’ came on and I remembered it being a hit back in the early 2000s, probably because it sounded a bit like the Coldplay style that was practically compulsory back then. Fun fact! Justin Timberlake appeared with them dressed in a shark costume when they played this on Top of the Pops! Anyhoo, that track isn’t a good example of the rest of the album which starts with a four song sequence with a sort of sci-fi concept with nice bloopy synths and a narrative about the eponymous Yoshimi. I really enjoyed this bit, but the album lost a bit of focus after that. It’s still enjoyable in a vaguely shoe gazey style though.

Det høres helt aldeles 2002 ut, på et vis som på ingen måte appellere til mæ treogtyve år seinere, det føles for fikst og som coverversjoner av låter æ i utgangspunktet ikke va interessert i å høre.

Gotta like them Lips. They are either incredibly good at faking it - like Jim Morrison - or they carry the genuine spirit of psychedelia into the age of squelchy synths and jangle pop. This album (not even nearly their best) is filled with all sorts of random detail. Odd choices that gives rainbows of colour - like United States of America - and - like Paul Simon - the whole parade is led gently by a soft spirit in the form of one Wayne Coyne. You come out of this album with the precious feeling that you've been somewhere and experienced something.

Like the album not a fan of the live show.

It's fine.

Good psychedelia but a little too electronic & synthetic for me

Composition ok, arrangement kind of boring

Pleasant -- if not at times boring -- dreamy, optimistic, psych-tinged wallpaper music from OKC's best known non-country group. 3.5/5

Melodically surprising and lovely. Feels like what I assume an anime soundtrack is like. Love the production on the album. I feel like I’m walking through a video game. Surreal. Lead singer’s voice isn’t really pleasing to my ear, but musicality makes up for it. My two favorite tracks were the instrumental ones. Songwriting is hit and miss, but definitely a few little diamonds sprinkled throughout.

Didn’t hate it but kind of felt like the soundtrack to a cartoon?

ok

Decent, best track: In the Morning of the Magicians

Okay I expected that to be complete shit and actually made it through the whole thing without skipping. It’ll never be in my playlist but it didn’t make me angry either.

I was pretty sure I had never heard the Flaming Lips before but then Do You Realize?? came on and I was like I Do Realize!!

good shoegaze/psych rock. I liked the chll vibes good to play in the eve at home for chill vibes. Nothing stood out as amazing IMO, but I enjoyed and would relisten. Nice vocals. 6/10

honestly would be better if it wasnt so odd? which is like telling elmo not to be silly or whatever

I honest forget what I listened to in this album. I just remember it didn't move me, which was disappointing since I've heard the name "The Flaming Lips" thrown around here and there prior to listening to this.

nice enough

a couple good songs

This feels like a restrained version of The Flaming Lips. While “Yoshimi” is a cleverly dynamic and shorter follow-up to The Soft Bulletin. Even though despite its shorter run time, it cannot be labelled concise. The album somewhat struggles to uphold the quality of its first songs in the second half and overall has some lengthier moments (In the Morning of the Magicians, Are You A Hypnotist?, It’s Summertime). Yet, for every slight dud, there is a clear standout moment: One More Robot/Symphony 3000-21, Ego Tripping At the Gates of Hell, Do You Realise?? and the overall sound and feeling of the record is cohesive and oddly upbeat psychedelic with pulsating drums and bass front and centre (cf. Are You A Hypnotist?). The production is punchy but sometimes ideas get buried in the mix (the flute and trumpet in Ego Tripping […]) and you will miss them if you’re not paying utmost attention. The lyrics cryptically evolve around motifs such as Karate, robotics/machine learning and - how could it be any different - death. It seems, however, that Wayne Coyne did not aim to make this a concept album strictu sensu, which is a good thing in this case.

I haven't listened to this album in years, it used to be on repeat for me. I went to a Flaming Lips concert once in 2008, their live shows are amazing and full of energy. I remember them crowd surfing in giant balls, and there were lots of pyrotechnics. "Do you Realize" is a classic but overplayed. I noticed a "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" quotation in "It's Summertime." Psychedelic, with a lot of great imagery, I'll happily listen to it again though it is no longer on my list of favorites. The pacing of the album is quite slow, especially after the first half.

A bit slow to get going but quite enjoyable, if a bit forgettable overall. "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" is the standout track for me. The music's psychedelia is what really keeps it interesting through the rest of the album but it doesn't quite reach the heights of better albums with a similar sound.

I forgot just how weird The Flaming Lips were. While I didn't really enjoy this albums melancholy vibe, I respect it when an entire album is themed around a one premise. It shows commitment to the bit. I dug the instrumental "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 2", which will make the playlist. ~ 3 stars for creativity alone.

Con excepción de la utilización de algunas sonoridades electrónicas, los beats de batería estilo hip hop, y algo de la melancolía en la armonía en la voz, este es otro álbum que no destacó a mi gusto en la escucha.

Not that crazy. I appreciate that it's pretty much the indie blueprint for the last 30 years or whatever. There is a little peice of DNA in the new fortress and the walls or whatever dumb name they got. But this was nice nothing that blew my mind but the albums namesake is great. Everything else is fine

I have mixed feelings about this album. There are some songs which I really love, others who I cannot listen to. But overall the feeling is more postive though the songs are really weird at times. Do you realize is a classic - a beautiful song.

This album sure as hell *feels* like a concept album, but one that wasn't as fleshed out as it could've been. I guess I just don't see the Yoshimi story tying into the over-arching themes of this album; themes that seem to be built upon a search for meaning within one's life. Still enjoyed the lyrics, and the lead vocals were charmingly clunky (for the most part), but I was still really confused about what exactly I got out of this experience by the time the album was finished. Small thing, but some of the titles also felt completely unrelated to the lyrics of some of these songs (from my shallow perspective), which I'm 100% sure was intentional, but can't say I entirely understand why they decided to do it. The music is solid all around. I've heard some Flaming Lips before, but it's been a while. They sound just as I had remembered them sounding. Very grand, orchestral, and easy to digest psychedelic music in some parts, while mind-bogglingly experimental and industrial in others. I really liked the instrumental song 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt.2' for that exact reason, brain melting stuff, easily the best sounding thing here. It also felt so randomly aggressive at its point in the album, which made me love it even more. The big single off this album, 'Do You Realize??', is maybe the most emotionally potent track, and also plays into the band's pop sensibilities. I also felt the same way about the opener, whose core vocal melody sounds very much like 'Father and Son' by Cat Stevens/Yusuf. 'In the Morning of the Magicians' has this gorgeous yet subtle instrumental progression, maybe the best one here. So yeah, some solid moments here, but idk, it feels like something's missing here that could've rounded out the entire album experience better. If anything, it fees like the album just sort of ends abruptly. Hey maybe it's a metaphor for life or something.

Not terrible, more chilled than expected

It is an unique album. I personally dont fuck with it too much, but there is not much i can critique it for. That is why i still gave it a 3/5 because it was an interesting listen with nice sounds i was glad to have heard, but at the same time i didnt feel much while listening. I have listened to it twice and 2 extra times i had gotten halfway before bailing on it. It is not to my tastes but it definitely is artistic and creative.

I want to like this band, and this concept album, but the songs i do enjoy are so few are far. On this one I was consistently annoyed, primarily with instruments and sounds that were just distracting. They definitely didn't mail it in, which I appreciate, but not for me.

I dont have a strong FL background, so this caught me a little off guard (especially at first). I now see how a lot of contemporary alt is heavily inspired by them. I definitely hear Cage The Elephant, Tame Impala and MGMT Overall, this is somewhere between a 3 and 4. My main gripe is that there isnt a mega, standout hit(s), but its also equally charming that the album itself is a full work to listen to. I think what pushed me over the edge is some of the farty synth stuff (e.g. Yoshimi Battles part 2) that sounds a lot like dub step and not like alt, but hey, its an interesting style. I loved In The Morning Of Magicians, Are You A Hypnotist and Do You Realize?? The wiki was also fun to read. The Flaming Lips put out SOO much music

I know of this band and know of a couple of their tracks. Never really checked out an album of theirs. Not really my vibe. I definitely have respect for what they bring.

Lots of filler. Not bad for ambient noise. plateaus and didn't keep me entirely interested

It was very soothing and calming

One good track and the rest is background music for a video game

A good listen but feels a bit like the tame impala of 2000s.

Heard this one a few times before. Psychedelic, atmospheric, but just a couple of standout songs for me. Will revisit. Embryonic is still my fav Lips record.

Lives up to the title. Stand-out: Do You Realize??

Soft and nice. Somehow you just can tell it's american music. I wonder what gives it away

First song really good. A few good songs but not enough to justify a higher score. Felt like there were a lot of filler tracks. But deffo worth a relisten.

this was fine, a bit like the parts of tame impala that I don't love though

Not my slice of bread

its aight

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots It’s weird thinking back to the abrupt popularity of this album. It seemed to just suddenly be the album of the moment, coming out of nowhere. I suppose it hit the zeitgeist with its themes of humanity and technology, just after the millennium and right at the advent of the internet becoming a normal part of everyday life. Being a very suggestible person of course I bought it at the time, being so easily swayed by critical opinion. I remember quite liking it, but aside from a few songs I never really loved it. Although I did really enjoy seeing them at Lowlands. Listening now it starts off strongly, despite Fight Test being a direct copy of Father and Son. I must have realised this at the time with Boyzone’s cover being in the recent cultural past but I feel like I only noticed it now. One More Robot is great, lyrically and musically, and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt 1 is still excellent, a lovely dreamy/nightmarish bit of psychedelic pop. It starts to lose me a bit after that - although I do like their hazy experimentalism, it sometimes feels like they aren’t always experimenting with particularly interesting ideas, or that the artfulness is slightly too deliberate, or that the songs aren’t always that strong, and the run from Yoshimi Pt 2 to Are You a Hypnotist?? feels very samey. Do You Realize?? is superb though. As with the first few tracks, when their hazy soundscapes and squiggles combine with a great lyric and dreamy melody it is excellent and you can see why people latched on to this. I Like Approaching Pavonis Mons too, again the dreaminess and atmosphere come together and it creates a great track, and the horns are particularly great. It’s been nice revisiting and I can see why it got picked up on, as some of the highs are great, but I don’t think it’s a particularly strong record overall, landing it as a solid 3. 🤖🤖🤖 Playlist submission: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt 1

J’aimais la direction que ça prenait au début, puis je m’en suis vite lassé, tombant dans le background de mon intérêt

Nice gentle melodies but a little bit boring.

ok

I enjoyed this album.

Got a real Beatles vibe form the first song with the vocals. long songs. Not bad but also not really something I would listen to.

I have listened to this album when I was teenager. Yoshimi Battles is a classic song although I have never loved it. I really enjoyed One More Robot though.

It's not bad, but it's not great, just meh

# Album Name: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots # Artist: Flaming lips # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Not much to say on this one if im honest. Was pretty average. The techincal capability of the band is there but the songs didnt hit me. Do you realise was the only song to strike a chord. # Top Tunes: Do you realise # Would I listen to it again? Doubtful

Interesting music

I've never ever listened to a full flaming lips album. This was my first. I recognized a few songs on it. I have seen them live before which is a cool experience. But they aren't overly my favorite

A pretty nice album. I was already familiar with some of it from way back when it came out, but didn't remember anything outside of Fight Test & Do You Realize?. Found a few new-to-me gems on this listen, and then a good few tunes that were just kinda ho-hum samey. Not bad. 3

solid 3/5 album, most of the tracks are pretty serviceable, and the title track is pretty good, do you realize is also a classic

It was alright, but nothing really stood out to me. It's not something I'd listen to in my own time, but it has a very beachy relaxed bonfire feeling. It's nice rock, just boring. "Fight Test" was my favorite song off of the album!

Pretty fun over all, but not exactly my cup of tea. 3/5.

This was surprisingly fun!

Fight Test is really nice. One More Robot - not bad; fairly dull but atmospheric ending. Yoshimi Battles Pt 1 - cute. Yoshimi Battles Pt 2 - I mean, 'tis not a song. But I'm sure they had fun. In the Morning of the Magicians - cute. Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell - cute and WHAT a great song name. Are You a Hypnotist - I like the drumming, and the key changes in the chorus. It's Summertime - positively ponderous! Do You Realize?? - adorable. All We Have Is Now - I like the lyrics. Approaching Pavonis Mons - not bad.

Pretty cool album, I remember the buzz when it came out and always love a good concept album. Psychedelic, electro influenced indie at its finest. Not an album I go back to regularly but always enjoy it when I do

My first “Oh shoot, I’ve heard this song before!!” moment. I had no idea “Do You Realize??” was by these guys. That song actually makes me more sad than anything, and I don’t know if that was the intended result, but in general it’s clearly the best song on the entire album. This album isn’t something I would want to constantly listen to, but it’s very soothing and melodic. I’ve heard the titular song parodied before as well, but outside of that, this is my very first time listening to this band. This would be a great album to listen to during a drug trip, for better or for worse.

After the start this album had I was a little disappointed that it felt like it overstayed its welcome. I generally enjoyed the cover to cover listening experience but it definitely has some skips. I am interested in exploring their other albums to see if I will like their other work more. Favorite Songs: One More Robot / Sympathy 3000-21 / Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 2

Really feels like an album a 40-year-old dad would be disappointed to learn their son enjoyed. It's very odd and almost in a way that feels too performative. I won't say it necessarily crosses that line, but I could see the universe in which I find myself annoyed by someone who really enjoys this album. It seems like I'm gearing up for a terrible score, but that's not the case. It clearly avoids the cardinal sin of being boring (for the most part), which at least puts it above a 5. I can say with certainty I enjoyed a lot of the musical ideas, but for whatever reason my reflexive feelings for this album conjure hypotheticals of disappointment and loathing. I suppose the most neutral way to express this sentiment is that it struggles to transcend the greatness found in its fanbase. 7/10 Favorite Song: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1

7.5/10 This was my intro to the flaming lips. I can tell this is very well done of course. But I just don’t know if it’s for me. Some songs I enjoyed others less so. I found it enjoyable over all but to me they’re just doing a worse version of their predecessors. Favorite song: Are you a hypnotist

I mean. I kinda liked this but it was silly.

The first listen I wasn’t too into it, didn’t know what I was getting into. But the second half of the album caught my ear. Gave it another run and started to like it more. Felt like a journey of sounds. More enjoyable as a whole album than its parts. Feels cinematic, spacey, and new age

Great basswork. That's the first instrument that really stood out to me. The basslines are simple yet quirky, warm yet alien. Kind of psychedelic, fitting in with the spacey otherworldly feel of the album. Unusually for the 2000s, the production has that warm early 70s production that was the signature of bands like King Crimson and Pink Floyd. There are touches of more modern techniques too - such as the ultra-electronic percussion in Pt. 1 of the title track, and the synths being omnipresent rather than intermittent. The Flaming Lips reminds me of ELO in an alternative universe where they went in much harder with their "electronic" feel. The problem I have with this music is that it's too unmemorable. The melodies are just not very strong - which is a shame, because it really seems like they were trying in that regard. The singing isn't exactly bad, but it's not trained or powerful enough to distinguish itself. I don't see myself listening to this record again. There are better iterations of "alien rock" elsewhere, though I'll give this group credit for being reasonably big in the genre (judging by Spotify numbers). But if I ever want to spin something thematically and musically like this, I'll put on Aladdin Sane and pretend there are a few more synths and a lower value on the cheerfulness scale. 3/5 Key tracks: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, Do You Realize??

I've owned "Yoshimi" on CD since high school and have listened to it countless times. This is one of those albums where I wish I liked it more than I do. There are some great songs on it like Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt.1, In the Morning of the Magicians, and Do you Realize? However, I would rather just listen to those songs as singles than get to them by trying to get through the entire album. 3.5/5.

Melodic and interesting

chill to the point of exhaustion. 2 or 3 stars idk.

I'm sorry. I just don't think this band is that great. People act like they are amazing. It's average indy rock. I must be missing something.

I was gonna give it a 4 but there was fucked shite of a scream in the middle that ruined my mood. The rest was cozy and good times.

Fun!

Nice tunes that I hadn't heard before thanks!

Apparently I like the flaming lips. Who knew?

First reaction; I could dig this. Maybe something to add to my playlists. Second reaction; Decent, but I'd need a joint before I could enjoy this fully. 3,7/5

Pretty good listen.

Started out really liking this, but as each new song sounded exactly the same as the last, it became stale.

What a special album. The best way to describe it- I wish I knew it since I was 10 years old. For now I can say that I will need some more listens until I say for sure, but from first listen it's quit great. I like the acoustic electronic mixture and the lyrics are thoughtful and mysterious. The flow is great too. It's a sweet album. I'll be going back to it, and in summer I think it will be a 4, but for now it's 3 1/5.

The Flaming Lips aren’t for everyone. There is so much music that I want to love but they just make it weird enough to ruin my enjoyment of the songs. This isn’t a bad album, far from it. It’s just not for me. If they got out of their own way, it would be a fantastic album. As made, I don’t find it all that great. It’s disappointing because all the talent and elements are there. They just need to edit their strangeness down to be truly timeless.

Can a sombre note he struck brightly? The space opera theme and overall sound I like, but the only song that stuck with me is the clear homage, Fight Test, which I wasn't surprised to find that Cat Stevens picks up royalties for.

This was a tough one. They have some interesting music design and themes going on. They sound like the band Air asked Neil Young and Jean Michelle Jarre to join their band. The bits I liked, I really liked. The bits I didn't, were avant garde pretentious wank

i like the song because of the beat and i think it is funny how it sounds. I don't like the second song and the third song as much because it is sad. i dont recommend this album

the first song is good I like the way they use the sounds and stuff. I like the next song. and the last. I recommend .

Y’know what? Fuck you *un-spaces your space-rock”

It was a very well recorded psychedelic album and pleasant to listen to if you like psychadelic albums. I don't really care for psychadelic music too much. There were a few songs that i did really enjoy like Test Fight, Yoshimi Part 1, Do You Realize? It made me smirk as i listened to the Do You Realize? has been featured on a car commercial recently but they only play the "Do you realize" part and none of the actual lyrics about what you should actually realize. I'll add some of these songs to my relisten playlist.

Solid album with more hits than you realize

Well-put together album, but the vibes are more interesting than the music.

As an album this one succeeds in following a general theme, but at times was a bit hard to listen to. Its complex in its delivery and not in a great way. 2002 is early for this sound and there are some great tracks on here. 6/10

the music doesn't fit the album theme at all

I liked the first album of theirs I had on this list but wasn't sure how this one would follow. Overall, I liked the chilled vibe - the second half was much better than the first!

This is an ok album. I prefer their earlier stuff

No me impresionó nada. Mucho escándalo y...nada

Generally fun, groovy beats with high vocals but not my taste generally

Vaaaaaaaseline! Oh it’s the other one. Much more pleasant to listen to . Dad rock for mowing the lawn on edibles. Better than I expected.

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is... fine. It's quirky, weird, and sonically creative—but also very, very indie rock, which isn't exactly a selling point for me. The Flaming Lips definitely have a unique sound, and I can respect the ambition here, even if it’s not something I’d ever go out of my way to listen to again. Points for originality and the occasional cool instrumental moment. But overall, it just reinforces that me and indie rock are not meant to be.

Fascinating but not my style

Buen disco, chill. Es medio indie, pero el de antes, de earlys 00s, no tan insoportable. Buenos arreglos, muy llevadero.

Saw a review saying "music for vegans who vape" - that used to be me. I like "Fight Test" and "Are you a Hypnotist", but it is a bit floppy. It sort of feels like a tribute to "Fireflies" by Owl City. So yes, disappointed. I'm a pescatarian who's quit smoking (and vaping) so I guess it's just not for me anymore.

das zehnte Studioalbum der US-amerikanischen Band The Flaming Lips, das im Jahr 2002 veröffentlicht wurde. Die Aufnahmen fanden größtenteils im Tarbox Road Studios in New York und in den Studios der Band in Oklahoma statt. Die Produktion war eine Zusammenarbeit zwischen den Flaming Lips und dem Produzenten Dave Fridmann, der bekannt für seinen einzigartigen Sound ist, der auch auf anderen Alben der Band eine zentrale Rolle spielte. Das Album kombiniert Elemente aus Indie-Rock, Psychedelic und Electronica und besticht durch seine atmosphärische Dichte und experimentelle Herangehensweise an Klang und Struktur. Besonders hervorzuheben sind die Songs Do You Realize?? und Fight Test, die zu den bekanntesten Tracks des Albums zählen. Letzterer ist ein eingängiger Song, der sich mit Themen wie Veränderung und der Suche nach Identität auseinandersetzt. Do You Realize?? wiederum gilt als eine der emotionaleren Kompositionen der Band, die mit ihrem melancholischen, aber zugleich hoffnungsvollen Ton viele Hörer anspricht. Ein weiteres bemerkenswertes Stück ist Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1, das sowohl inhaltlich als auch musikalisch die Dystopie thematisiert, die sich durch das gesamte Album zieht. Es verbindet elektronische Klänge mit klassischen Instrumenten und schafft so eine einzigartige Klanglandschaft. Das Album ist stark von der Persönlichkeit des Frontmanns Wayne Coyne geprägt, dessen Vision das gesamte Projekt durchzieht. Die Themen des Albums – insbesondere die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Verhältnis von Mensch und Technologie sowie der Kampf zwischen Menschlichkeit und Entfremdung – werden durch die Produktion und den Gesang von Coyne klar vermittelt. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots ist ein faszinierendes, vielseitiges Album, das sowohl musikalisch als auch thematisch viel zu bieten hat. Die Mischung aus Rock und Elektronik, gepaart mit tiefgründigen Texten und einer außergewöhnlichen Produktion, macht das Werk zu einem Höhepunkt der Flaming Lips-Diskografie, der vor allem für Fans von experimentellem Indie-Rock und Psychedelia interessant ist.

Ok

Highlights: -Fight Test -Do You Realize??

I know the first half of this album well. The second half drags and feel overall much longer than 47min.

не мое( do you realize норм

It’s ok. Some of it was a little funky and had too many sound effects for my personal choice. Some of it was chiller and more trance like. I don’t know that I really gave the lyrics a listen but I also just didn’t really connect with this. I also felt a lot of existential dread while listening to this. I personally wouldn’t say that I felt warm and happy. I liked the keyboard sent stuff, but that’s about it.

This is the most dumb and petty complaint, but I can’t stand the way this guy leans into his Rs

not my thing but pretty easy to listen to and nice! the songs feel very full

I could see enjoying this more in the right environment but alone in my car wasn’t it.

I liked this album while I was listening to it but almost none of it stuck with me for very long. I love their next album, At War with the Mystics, so I hoped for more from this, but there's definitely cool stuff on it and it's absolutely worth listening to. One More Robot is a big highlight.

Good psychedelic rock album, but its just missing that special something IMO. There's a lack of hooks and soaring moments for the songs itself and they don't really leave an impact. Its a pleasant listen nonetheless but I wish there was a bit more to it. The mixing and mastering of this album sounds great though, very clear at conveying what it wants to and emphasis is put on the right instruments at the right time.

Experimental indie rock ish

Fun start. Songwriting is lacking. Again, too mellow. Interesting synths. It was alright, had its moments but nothing special. I expected more from the album cover.

Interesting

Seems fine, kind of annoying

Ahhh

achei daora

molto particolare.. ma piacevole da ascoltare

This album/band has been a blind spot for me, but I have to say I'm underwhelmed on first listen. It's mostly pleasant, though I'm not a big fan of some of the squelching synths. I think if I had grown up with it, it might be more emotionally resonant with me, but the sentiment of e.g. Do You Realize?? comes across as platitudinous. It is a decent song, but not mind-blowing. My first listen was sober on speakers, my second listen drunk on headphones after winning £100 at a pub quiz raffle and being devastated by the loss of David Lynch, and the album still doesn't really do it for me, sorry.

Man, on paper I should love this but I just don’t. There something missing on every song. It’s strange because there were times this album made me think of Grandaddy’s Sophtware Slump, which is very similar in sound and theme, but I really like that album and this one just didn’t connect. I dunno. I think Sophtware Slump is better at having the music match the theme? I didn’t feel the excitement of a robot fighting.

Is the first song father and son? Is the second song Tame Impala? Very sexist, I assumed Yoshimi was male, based on absolutely nothing Bit more tame Impala mixed with bill Withers. The Supernaturals?? Oh the do you realise song! I realise Flaming lips predate tame impala. Liked it

Spokojna, indie muzyczka, ale sporo jest tam halasu i jazgotu, dla zaskoczenia sluchacza. Calkiem ciekawy album.

de vierti song (yoshimi battles the pink robots pt. 2) findi zimli schrecklich, sehr vill electronic lärm und immer wieder di glich melodie.. s restliche album findi zwar nöd bahnbrechend, aber s gfallt mer, s isch no cool und spannend zum lose. d songtitel und lyrics sind amüsant. ha biz naglese: d inspiration für de name und s thema vom album chunnt vonere musikerin yoshimi wo tönt als wür si geg monster kämpfe wenn si singt. mich wür mega wunderne, wie d band uf die assoziation cho isch, wie si entschiede hend, das ines album z packe, und wie de prozess vom musig schriibe und produziere gsi isch.

Good album from a presumed one hit wonder. Still not great.

Pretty good

to to my taste but was passing time thing

A few standouts but a bit far out in general.

Chill psychedelic vibe listen. Probably wouldn't put it in a shuffled library but I could see somebody wanting to put it on and listen. The standout tracks to me, Fight Test and Do You Realize?? mostly reminded me of other songs that I could listen to instead. Not bad just not really for me.

Pretty good album, positively surprised.

Varmt sommeragtigt album at lytte til på årets første snedag. Kan godt lide vibesne i musikken, men er ikke solgt på forsangerens stemme, der får sangene til at lyde som bandene i 90-00'er romantiske film.

Not the most entertaining Flaming Lips album in my opinion but still listenable. A bit more atmospheric than my regular fare. Interesting

Interesting, nothing bad, but not that into it.

Meh.

cool

Habs ehrlicherweise nur nebenbei gehört aber irgendwie fand ich einiges echt nervig. War sber auch cooles dabei. Insgesamt bleibe ich unschlüssig… Rating: 2,5/5

- ebenfalls moody und entspannt, lädt zum Tagträumen ein

I was never really a fan of The Flaming Lips. This album was better than I expected, but not something I'd listen to again.

Good background music, would listen to some songs again. But nothing too special in total.

I can’t figure out if I like this or not. It’s decently interesting, but the singer’s voice isn’t very pleasant.

expected more

The Flaming Lips were never really on my radar apart from radio plays. I did watch their NPR Tiny Desk and that wasn't the best. Anyway always happy to give an album a go, the opener was really good and it kept going very enjoyable listen. Stand out tracks: - Fight Test - One More Robot / Sympathy 3000-21 - Yoshimi Battle the Pink Robots, Pt1 - In the Morning of the Magicians - Are you a Hypnotist?? - Do you realize?? - Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon

Primer disco

Nostalgi. Men för ojämnt. Två-tre kanonspår men resten är lite slätstruket. Plus för att akustiska gitarrer och att andas tidig Bowie, men då är orginalet bättre. 3+

Robot apocalypse art pop.

Fight Test feels like a modern take of ‘Father & Son’. Much better than the boyzone one anyway… On the whole it was good

#430. This album is kind of depressing to me. I don't mean that in a bad way, I swear, but listening to this gives me the big sad. Maybe that's just me, but that's what I got from it. Also, this album was way better in every way than Soft Bulletin. 3/5: acceptable

3.5

Probably a record you need to really listen to and give is a few goes, but I still enjoyed it.

Some great songs, and some absolutely awful songs. Pt 1 is my favourite.

It’s a fun album

Perfectly acceptable record. Nothing to go crazy over.

Przyjemny album, ale taki, o którym pewnie niedługo zapomnę (aczkolwiek czytając o nim dowiedziałem się o istnieniu japońskich zespołów Boredoms i OOIOO, które spróbuję obczaić z czasem). Niemniej cenię go za bardzo dużą spójność, która na początku wręcz skłaniała mnie do opinii, że jest to album konceptualny, opowiadający spójną historię od początku do końca. Potem to się trochę rozmyło i z tego, co przeczytałem po przesłuchaniu, to sami twórcy raczej się odżegnują od tej kategorii. Muzyczno-wokalnie to nie są moje klimaty, usypia mnie to i utrudnia skupienie. Gdyby nie to, że ta grupa wymusza na mnie uważne słuchanie, to pewnie by ten album przeleciał bez żadnego śladu przeze mnie. Kojarzy mi się trochę z shoegazem, który jest strasznie beznamiętny. Niemniej jestem zdania, że ten album dobrze przewiduje pewne bolączki XXI wieku - samotność, odosobnienie, apatię. Miłość, o którą się nie walczy i głównie płacze w kącie do niej. Plus oczywiście umaszynowienie naszego życia. W każdym utworze czuję rezygnację i apatię. I choć rezonują one ze mną, to zobojętniają mnie na ten album i jego treść. Osobiście chciałbym w tym usłyszeć więcej życia.

Enjoyed listening to it, but nothing to make me listen again

Huh. Not bad. Not great. Kinda liked Yoshimi Battles…parts I and II. Everything else was just kind of there.

Fine, nothing crazy but I liked some of the tracks

This band is very creative in most of their endeavours but some albums just feel a bit too forced. Annoying like Jared Leto albeit talented. The is one of them.

If I would have been born 15 years earlier I would have loved this Album. Anyways, it's kinda nice sometimes

some song are ok but boring

I enjoy listening to Flaming Lips in small doses but find their overall sound a bit too quirky. An overall cool & trippy album but can't help to think Fight Test is a blatant rip off of Father & Son by Cat Stevens. In the Morning of the Magicians is a really cool track and I enjoy the hits, love the interludes in between the songs, nice bass lines throughout but this album doesn't quite hit the spot for me.

I tried this once and dismissed it at the time, partly because I couldn’t stand Wayne Coyne’s vocals and his overall zaniness. 20 years later I’ve given it a fair shot and enjoyed it more. There’s a lot of careful craft and a vast array of ideas crammed into the dense, dreamy layers here and it’s actually quite lovely in places. I still found it pretty weird and don’t like his voice any more than I did before but I appreciate it’s a great work of art and have been happy to keep it on rotation for a few days. I’m also happy to be moving on to the next thing now.

Meh

Thought I would hate this because "She Don't Use Jelly" shat me to tears, but I was pleasantly surprised. 3/5

This gets kermity and grating by the end but the title track does go very hard I fear

Hyggligt.

Unique album whilst still being inoffensive, good background music but not the same level as a deliberate listen.

The last few songs really killed this album for me.

A strong narrative first half followed by a more existential second half. I like the former more. Instruments and vocals sell the swelling of dramatic tension leading up to the confrontation well. But why not follow through?

Very different kind of music and very interesting. Never heard of the group before. Definitely one of those albums that I would recommend to listen to that’s outside of your music taste.

UNDOVER

Pretty middle of the road rock. 3/5

Musicianship is very high - not my vibe tho. Hard to explain - lots of expansive, rises and crescendos making it feel dreamy. Would make good background music, but so much going on that you’d have to be on a lot of drugs to make sense of it in isolation. I give it a 3.9, but the scales don’t work like that.

szép ez, jó ez, aztán kicsit nehéz megkülönböztetni a számokat egy ponton túl. pedig alapvetően szeretem/szeretném a hangzásukat, csak lehetne benne több élet na.

Not unpleasant but found myself getting a bit bored the longer it went on. Some decent stuff and fairly laid back vibes. Completely different to the only Flaming Lips album I own which had a bit more life to it. I think I preferred that album.

Pretty good album. I like that it was about a robot.

I enjoyed this. It's not going to set the world on fire, but it is very listenable, and I enjoy the vocals.

Sploinky frog music - and I'm not a frog.

Ég hlustaði á þessa plötu í göngutúr og var bara nokkuð hrifinn. Mér finnst ég samt ekki þurfa að hlusta á hana aftur en mér fannst húb ekki leiðinleg. Bara ekkert meira en prýðileg plata

I'm not really into that experimental electronic stuff. The record has its moments and some good ideas. I know the electronic elementd are the special thing about this album, but for me they ruin the otherwise okay-ish album. Apart from this the sound is very monotonous and most of the songs sound very similar. No melodies that stay in my head.

Pretty good i like it

This is #day46 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... in a parallel universe, Tame Impala has gone Pink Floyd, creating a concept album full to the brim with psychedelic noises and sounds, telling a story about A Girl, the Pink Robot Battler... The girl in question happens to be the drummer for a Japanese noise rock band, Boredoms, and is credited among the additional personnel for the album creation. Well, at least this way I learned about Japanoise (the term denoting the noise music scene of Japan). It was quite an enjoyable listen, though. But, as I doubt I'd be returning to this music anytime soon, this is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day47.

Chill good psychedelic album. Should probably listen to it more.

I found this one more tolerable than the other album of theirs. I still would not seek out to listen to this again but I did not dislike it. Instruments were well played, but vocals are meh.

I'm absolutely shocked i'm doing this but I'm giving this a 3. At first I was thinking this was a 2 at best but I think that was mostly because I really didn't like The Soft Bulletin. This I liked a whole lot more. The only thing holding this album back from a 4 or even a 5 is the fact that Wayne Coyne cannot sing. He always sounds out of tune. It sucks. Seriously if almost anyone else had been doing the vocals (besides Bob Dylan) I would have had no problem giving this a 4 maybe even a 5. But instead we have dear old Wayne yodeling away for 47 minutes. Loved the ethereal feel, the psychedelic feel, the storyline (especially at the beginning that was fun), and way they kind of switched between serious and kinda silly with the lyrics. Great album, shame that their frontman can't sing.

Pretty solid, some of the songs meander a bit but good to be exposed to them

It’s aight

A few good songs, but a bit boring too. It gets an extra star for do you realise

Decent background music.

10/10 for fun

Generous 3 Some of these songs were pretty cool but overall bored

Mellow yellow vines, but the tunes were not bad

Will have to listen again

Soothing music but felt similar to Radiohead at times

A couple songs I already had saved that I really loved, the rest was a little out there for me.

Ok, time for me to perform a U-turn. Last week I said I don’t like musicals / rock operas as the vocals seem crowbarred in to tell the story. Well, this is a bit of an exception! The songs transcend the need to enjoy the story. I’m not sure Japanese-anime-robots-meaning of life-stories are my thing at all so I’ll swerve the musical. This album is really good. Lovely melodies and harmonies. Quirky and interesting. A very high 3 stars.

Rating: 7/10 Very good album overall, but can't help to feel a bit disappointed. The concept, instrumentation, and genuine nature of this album are so unique but the execution is severely lacking on the second half, which feels incredibly boring and dull compared to the first half. Favorite songs: Fight Test, One More Robot, Part 1, In the Morning of the Magicians, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell. Worst song: Part 2.

Pop psicodélico. Ni fu ni fa.

I really liked "Do You Realize".

had 'do you realize' saved before listening to this, was expecting a 4 but it let me down a little bit...

I love "Do you Realize??" <33

spannende reise durch verschiedene atmosphärische klangbilder.

A classic. I enjoy the music but not a huge fan of the band.

Not the first time or second for that matter that I've tried to get into this album. Maybe third times the charm? Nope. I still don't get the hype. Still it's not bad but I don't see the greatness.

Still can't believe they ripped off Cat Stevens. A good album nevertheless.

Jeg er faktisk i tvivl her. Det er første gang jeg høre albummet i sin helhed, og pludselig fremstår det mindre underligt med robot temaet, end når radioen har spillet en enkel sang. Jeg var underholdt nok til at lytte det igennem 2 gange. 👌

This a group who I have tried to get into a few times. They produce some good songs but a lot of what I hear is a bit meh. I actually bought this album in a charity shop recently but after copying it I can’t say I’ve listened to it completely until today. I can understand why it’s on the list as it is very different but not in a way which floats my boat. Don’t hate it and glad it’s in my collection for random occasional plays but that’s it. 3/5 19/8/24

Meh

Feels like a 3 to me.

Quite enjoyed this, 3*

Il sito mi aveva già dato un album dei flaming lips che è uno dei miei preferiti. Mi aspettavo un'esperienza simile ma non regge il confronto. Comunque piacevole

I knew Flaming Lips was a band. That was the extent of what I knew about them. LOVED Fight Test and I wanted to give it bonus points for the Yusuf Islam sample, but Coyne's weak lie about using Father and Son is off-putting. Nothing else on the record really got near that song for me. Don't really love the Yoshimi Battles the Pick Robots with the screeching, nor how repetitive it is. I am also reminded of Monae's ArchAndroid (which is obv. 8 year's later). I like Monae better.

En tiedä, miten tämä on oikeasti näinkin sympaattista, mutta onpahan vain. Taistelu nro. 1 jää toden teolla soimaan päähän, ja vaikka bändi nauttiikin omasta laahauksestaan, myös melodia kiinnostaa sitä.

Cara muito legal o album. Diferente, viajado, alternativo e gostoso. Ouviria de novo

Nothing special..but pleasant enough

Mixed for me. A couple of these pieces I LOVED and have listened to several times already — Do You Realize?, Are You a Hypnotist?, and It's Summertime are the exact kind of moody, dreamy thing that I like. But a lot of the others were too ballad-y for my taste, and some outrightly discordant and unpleasant to listen to. But I'm really pleased to have discovered the ones I do like, and I'll listen to The Soft Bulletin soon.

Really loved this, such great storytelling and inspiring. 7.8/10

Yoshimi and Do You Realize are fantastic. Most of the Flaming Lips stuff is so weird. This is no exception. I saw them live in my early 20s and thought it was one of the strangest shows I have ever seen.

Cool music. The production keeps my interest. Like it a lot.

Alright, but not as good as I remember.

It's pretty good, I liked its diversity and the instrumentation. I'd listened to a few tracks from it before and was familiar with Do You Realize. Would listen again.

It's okay. 3/5

Lots of interesting sounds and vibes here. A little self-absorbed in that way only indie rock can be, but it has some good melodies, some nice bass, and some cool ideas. Best song: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1

gechillter elektropop 3/5

Some great songs, but not all good songs.

Never heard this before. Surprised I liked it considering how much I disliked The Soft Bulletin, their release prior to this one. Strange but engaging. It will likely take a few more listens to finalize a rating, but giving it a 3.

I know of the Flaming Lips, but I don’t know the Flaming Lips. Is this some kind of concept album, they made of video fame inspired music? The title tracks sound like the inspiration for My Singing Monsters It’s not bad, but probably not something I’ll go looking for again.

while i have dismissed the flaming lips in the past as being too weird, i will admit that this album has grown on me over time. it’s hard to explain, but this album has a certain groove to it, the rhythm section really cooks in a way that you wouldn’t necessarily expect with this type of music. and while i still admit that wayne coyne’s vocals and lyrics are an acquired taste and he is beyond weird, the band in a live setting is quite the spectacle. highlights: “in the morning of the magicians” “ego tripping at the gates of hell” “do you realize??”

The second album on this list from The Flaming Lips doesn't quite reach the heights of the former. Standouts include Yoshimi Fights The Pink Robots and Are You A Hypnotist.

3.5/5

I don’t know what I expected The Flaming Lips to sound like but it wasn’t really this. Vocalist much whinier than I expected. It was fine, but nothing particularly special.

Hadn’t heard this before- not bad, but probably wouldn’t listen again.

This album is not bad. It's quite good, and has a couple stone-cold classics, though as a millenial of a certain age it's a bit ubiquitous and overexposed; and the Lips' continued milking of it and their back catalog mars my understanding of it as Essential and not simply A Good Thing We Can All Agree is Good. I bought The Soft Bulletin (more deserving of its spot on this list) and Transmissions From the Satellite Heart. I went to War With the Mystics and tried to herald Embryonic as a posible magnum opus (like many magnum opi, it's a good single album bulked out into an interminable double album); I have synced up Zaireeka and listened to the demos on that polka-dot toilet album. The Flaming Lips are a garage act which leveled up with a more refined sound, only to dash themselves upon the rocks of the festival circuit and have remained there, in a hermetically sealed mylar globe walking atop the audience in an all-too-literal metaphor. I like them! They're overrated!

I have this one. Interesting album.

3*, last track saved it.

Hella weird journey this takes you on. I respect the ambition that you can. Hear in this album, but it was certainly just a concept album. It ended up being quite monotonous, and was rough around the edges. Regardless of that, i enjoyed the vibes and the peculiar journey it gave

Funky No words only vibes Eh

An enjoyable quirky and melodic album

I like their music, but Wayne Coyne's voice annoys the shit out of me. So I can't take too much.

Not really my style, the lyrics were nice, but the vocals were not something I expect to replay often

There are some good tracks in this but not more than a good listening experience overall

Started out rougher than I remember? Last half of the album is better. Felt like I was in a 90s movie

Good

Eclectic, weird, easy listening, but nothing that really grabs my attention.

Fight Test // 3.5/5

Great album. Solid three and a half stars, Hope Yoshimi wins at the end.

Solid

I've listened to this countless times since it came out, but it's been a while. I do occasionally get the title track stuck in my head. I have a memory of listening to this on the bus on the way to class and thinking that a woman was actually screaming during Yoshimi Pt. 2. The blood curdling scream was very realistic and scared the shit out of me because I thought I was going to turn around and see some scarring shit. I like this album alright. Do You Realize?? is still a great love song. Title track is good. There's some catchy stuff in here. That said, I think it's kinda muddy at some points and I just want to skip a few tracks. Every one of these reviews eventually turns into me indirectly critiquing the album itself by questioning the spirit of the list. I really think a lot of albums edge their way onto this enormous list by having a couple of good songs. I was hoping to be introduced to some albums that are good from start to finish, but I think at least half so far have been questionable in that regard. I could have done without listening to this album as a whole again. I think even back in the day I didn't love this one start to finish. These ethereal psych albums end up sounding so self-indulgent to me. This is Dark Side for Millennials - and that's not a high compliment coming from me. This gets a soft 3 only because I can't give it a 2.5.

Liked the first track then it went a bit funny but still quite enjoyed. 5/10.

I really want to like this album for the concept alone, but I didn't really enjoy the music. Well, at least it is memorable.

I've never owned a Flaming Lips album, but I've always liked what I've heard from them. I definitely like some of the groups they've influenced. This album is good. It doesn't grab me by the ears and kick me in the crotch, but it's worthy of a listen every now and again. I am impressed with the size of their catalog, and I will be giving it all a listen. All We Have is Now is a favorite on here.

I actually liked "She Don't Use Jelly" when it first came out, but I've been burned too often before by that one single that was good while the rest of the album sucked . . . so I stuck to my rule that I have to like at least two songs I've heard on an album before purchasing it, and I haven't heard another song. So my love for The Flaming Lips was delayed until I was in Wax N' Facts in Little Five Points and asked if they had any freebies while I was checking out (do this at Criminal Records too!); I got some stickers and a demo tape where one side was Cibo Matto and the other side contained narrated excerpts from The Flaming Lips "The Soft Bulletin." I couldn't believe the lush and psychedelic sounds I was hearing on the drive home! I listened to it over and over again and made it mission to return to the music store and pick it up. I've been a huge fan of theirs ever since, seeing them live numerous times and purchasing almost their entire catalogue (which is quite the undertaking at 16 albums where many contained maxi-single EPs with additional songs); they were one of the main reasons I flew to Coachella in 2004, and subsequently got to see the first time Wayne tested his "Space Bubble" walk-out over the audience which has since become a live staple. It's nice to have an American band on my list of favorite artists when so many others are from England. After getting familiar with their work before and since, I see The Soft Bulletin (and its experimental predecessor Zaireeka) as beginning the "third wave" of The Flaming Lips with a synthy noise rock three piece incarnation of the group, and with Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots comfortably surfing smack in the middle of its wake. Much of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots seems like they wanted to quickly capitalize on the success of the critically acclaimed (and better) The Soft Bulletin. Compared to their other albums, it seems a bit more spoon-fed to a wider audience as if really striving to be more commercially acceptable while staying true to what they do. "Fight Test" establishes this approach right out of the gate; it is a conventional pop song that uses unconventional sounds. The same is true for the title track. There is still some experimentation on the album, but it seems a little unfocused; noodling about for the sake of it vs having something to say. "Do You Realize??" is the crossover here, where everything is gelling correctly: the writing is good, the soundscape is lush, and the drum beat keeps shifting around a bit but continually grooves. The liner notes on "It's Summertime" are noteworthy. They tell of their translator on their Japanese tour, Yoshimi (not directly the character from the album, but they took the name). Some time after returning to the States, they hear of her being sick or possibly dying or dead; with the distance and language issues, it took a couple of months to get the facts correct that she had passed. Described as a 'slow devastation' as the news was foreboding but slow coming, Wayne writes that he looked outside and noticed the flowers in bloom, the bee's buzzing about, all of these signs of life; he acknowledged the sad weight of death but also that life continues and thrives. I wish the song conveyed this more, as it adds meat to the bones of an otherwise simple lyric. I believe some of their weaker songs are on this album. "Are You A Hypnotist??" has a great chorus, but the verses are lacking. Though not favorites, the opening lines of "In the Morning of the Magicians" and the bass line of "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" replay in my head randomly over the years. They have so many more albums that are better from start to finish, but this project is not about where an album fits into one's discography as a whole; it is to take each album at face value. I sure hope they have more deserving Flaming Lips albums or 2 on this list, but for this one, it's a 3.

Mellow, muted, Burt Bacharach melodies combine with glitchy trip hop beats, laser zorps and robot farts. Soft, yearning, sad boi. Cinematic and orchestral, retro-futuristic. Could be the score to a film…a Wes Anderson film where the robots are evil-natured but also wear hand-knitted hats made from the fleece of alpacas gently raised on a lunar pasture. I am surprised this came out in 2002. My mind can't seem to work it into my memories of that timeline; I would have guessed closer to 2008. 3.5

I have memories of driving around in a 1990 Honda Civic Wagon and listening to this album back around 2015/2016 or so. It was my first time really giving Flaming Lips a good listen. I don't think I have listened to this album much since then, so it was cool to give it a listen again. There is a lot of emotion and introspection feel on this one. Its the only Flaming Lips album I've ever really listened to, so I don't know how the others sound, but I'll have to check them out. Wayne Coyne has a sort of melancholy sounding voice that goes well over some really interesting song structure. I like the combination of psychedelic sounds over hip hop sounding beats. It brings to mind Tame Impala and Temples on some of their later stuff. I'll be giving other albums a listen.

6/10

veit ekki en ætli þetta eigi ekki skilið 3 stjörnur

Vocals rely a little bit on a resemblance to Neil Young. Some novel rhythmic passages and the drums are up in the mix which I like. In fact the production of this album is interesting throughout. It takes risks. There is a definite early to mid 2000s alternative rock sound that this fits in with. Like Arcade Fire, maybe Interpol, etc I mean it’s not unpleasant , just a wispy psychedelia that I won’t remember well tomorrow. Floydian spaciness in Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon

It's something I'd probably never listen to again. I do find some of the experimentation on it to be really fun. The vocal melodies are interesting enough that I want to pay attention. I don't hate it, but it does not rock and its seems wildly incohesive

Props for executing a solid concept album. I do like a lot of the instrumentals and there’s some solid emotional beats. Couldn’t really take it seriously front to back as 🗣️🗣️ITD BE TRAGIC IF THOSE EVIL ROBOTS WIN🗣️🗣️ is mad corny im so sorry

I have long felt that Do You Realize?? is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. Outside that and Yoshimi, I don’t really love a ton of the album, but I find it serviceable. I love the high whispy vocals and dreamy production of the album.

No pas mal...

There are some truly good moments and songs, but times on this album that I really disliked... One of the songs had a woman start screeching... and I just hit skip. Like nails on a chalkboard.

Clairement à réécouter, ya de quoi la-dedans.

Heard a couple of FLs albums now and they are interesting sounding but I wouldn’t revisit them.

I feel like I should have liked this more than I did. They are way too mellow and chill to dislike. But something just didn’t click for me.

Pretty good.

If Middle School boys got together to create an album, this would be it!

Better than radiohead but that isn't saying much.

First track was great. Easy to listen to but again, not many I’d race to listen to again.

Representative of the indie rock sound of the 2000s

I know I’m supposed to love this album. I dig other Flaming Lips stuff! Clouds Taste Metallic? Fantastic! But this one has never worked for me. It always feels too gimmicky and uneven. Maybe it’s my general distaste for concept albums, I don’t know. Anyway I recognize this is a massively popular album, it’s just not for me.

Best song: Yoshimo Battles the pink robots pt 1 Vibes: drum machine white psychedelic Themes: robots

Es lo que le recomendaría a alguien que le gusta Gorillaz pero más tranqui. Esta muy bien para 2002. Hoy día ya le dieron demasiada rosca a este estilio...

It was definitely a new experience for me since I don‘t usually listen to this genre/type of music. But it wasn‘t bad. Felt a bit like being on another planet at times. I liked the second half a bit better than the first.

2024-04-24...

Quirky. Other worldly. Surreal. Psychadelic. Interesting themes. Science Fiction rock? Interesting.

Interesting, may require a re-listen. Knew the hit.

Some solid tunes and Melodie’s here

I kind of liked it! 3 stars

Not bad, a slight hint of having heard a lot of the tracks before though

They had me at the beginning and then it kind of fizzled. 3.

This album seemed to drag on.

- sounds like Radiohead but less edgy - a fun journey that had plenty of cool sounds - solid 3.5

- this was a much more enjoyable album for me - I like the concept over the first few songs - Do You Realize?? is a solid song -3.5

Il sito mi aveva già dato un album dei flaming lips che è uno dei miei preferiti. Mi aspettavo un’esperienza simile ma non regge il confronto. Comunque piacevole

This was an interesting one. I think I liked it. I’m not sure. I know I need to listen to this one multiple times to get it but not sure I will. Instead I will likely listen to some piece of crap this app generates tomorrow morning. Maybe another obscure moods and tones album.