Reviews (page 4 of 15)
Weird but great
Another classic
Quirky, but excellent. If I could, I would give this 4.5 stars.
Awesome
Good opening... good hook. Delightfully surprising and makes me wish I knew this album in college
¡Qué bonito!
I enjoyed this, the background music and all the nature sounds were really nice. His voice wasn’t the best and there were some really weird noises, where I couldn’t help but make a face to. Overall, pretty solid. 8/10
Perfect Imperfection. This is an album that probably will be a love it or hate it among the group so I have absolutely 0 issues with somebody giving this a 1 or 2. It's so weird, strange, ugly, a mess, gross, and sometimes downright disgusting....but... It's beautiful, emotional, soft, creative, addictive at the same time. The first 4 songs sound pretty different from the rest of the album but I love both parts equally. The first part is loud and strong with an electronic sound to it almost as to play to the robots portion of the album. After that it's almost a dreamy sequence of instruments that envelope your mind in a cloud. The best songs and books take you to another place and I listened to this album 3 times just to go back to that place it puts me in. I have never heard these songs before but I absolutely love them now. Probably the most surprising album we've had on this project so far. (Why did they strangle a cat on that one song tho?) 10/10
Was given a CD of this album from an ex’s dad when I was 15 and I’ve never forgotten it.
Amazing, one of the better albums of all time
The best
Never heard of this album before listening, what an album! Extremely detailed without feeling overcomplicated. Definitely an album I’ll be coming back to
What an album! Weird sounds, topics of beauty and death, and just absolutely beautiful music. Every track is great. Love this album.
This was a transformational album for me when it came out. From it I learned that music could be so much more than I had ever expected. The sounds that I head that day convinced me that anything was possible.
strange and beautiful, unique and sad, really promotes introspective thought if you let it. do you realize is one of the greatest psychedelic songs ever
I really enjoyed the album and style of music. I liked Fight test and In The Morning of the Magicians the best of the album. I'll definitely check out more songs by The Flaming Lips.
Great psych album
I really like this album. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart was my favorite
First time listening to the Flaming Lips and I love it.
Personally this album was like a gateway drug into a whole new world of sound, back in 2002 I randomly heard "Do You Realize??" on the car radio and it just instantly clicked with me, I knew I had to seek out the origin of it. What I found was a sonic soundscape that felt like a straight up rebirth, gone was my beloved 90s indie/alternative straight jangly guitar music and what replaced it was music with depth and crunch and searing screams of electronic madness. Sometimes I wish I could go back to that time, that post millennium haze, where life seemed simpler and find this album for the first time all over again.
just as i remembered them
I was captivated by the title and the band name. I'd heard of them thrown around in various conversations but I never sat down and listened. Don't regret this listening experience at all. I was expecting variation between tracks, particularly for "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" to go hard but also pleased that this album is sonically cohesive. I live for the punch in the gut on "Do You Realize??" I will definitely be returning to this time and time again; it's so gorgeous.
This is an insanely fun psychedelic pop album. A joy to listen to and very calming.
Huge fan of the psychedelic vibe. Love having an existential crisis while listening.
Beautiful Album
I‘d like to quote a German music magazine: „and then the gum bubble explodes“. 4,6
Timeless
I am deeply upset that I just heard this album for the first time. I knew of the Flaming Lips but I never got involved for some reason. This album captures something about the early 00's that I rarely rediscover these days. They carved out a sound that is truly imaginative, dreamy, and rare.
Probably the best from the flaming lips
Dreamy, somehow futuristic and endlessly replayable, this piece of largely low-fi electronica is right up my street. I first became aware of this album by hearing the Kleptones take it and fuse with classic hiphop tracks, which is (almost) better than the original, especially if it's the thing you heard first! : https://kleptones.bandcamp.com/album/yoshimi-battles-the-hip-hop-robots
Only ever really knew their hit song "Tangerine" Always ment to check them out more in depth. Today is the day.
One of my fav albums already. Great tracks and really cool sounding album sonically and production-wise.
Absolutely listen again, feels in the same realm as Radiohead. Beautiful composition of sound.
This album is a ton of fun. The Flaming Lips are at their best when their uplifting sound is juxtaposed by lyrics of regret and fear of the future. This album blew my mind when I heard it in high school and it continues to be a favorite. Will return to this album again soon, just as I have been doing for the last decade and a half. Favorite tracks: Flight Test, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, All We Have Is Now
5/5. A unique and weird collection of psychedelic songs that have an air of sadness and curiosity in each one. The album is the perfect length and there is not a bad song on this one, ethereal or pop. I feel like I cannot relate to any of the songs but they sound so familiar, like a friend is telling me about their life.
Loved this album since it was new It still holds up, in my estimation. Best Flaming Lips album. 4.5/5
Interesting psychedelic pop album. I’ve always known about this band, but never had a good listen to them. Reminded me a bit of tame impala which I love.
I don't know how you can hate this album. Just beautiful
Went back to this one a few times. Really liked it, just a sucker for Indie stuff sometimes. I'll be nice and give it a 5. Just super easy to listen to and better than some of the 4's I've given.
A perfect rock opera. Great production.
Love this album. It has so many influences pulled in- beeps and bloops and is so all over the place but pulls together into one big beautiful whole. It just really works.
Easy 5 all day!
Probably the best album by The Flaming Lips as a whole album, and certainly the one most open to influences outside of their normal well.
Classic - instrumental in my weird dad music development
I have this on vinyl and it is one of the great headphone records. So much going on in each of these beautiful songs. A remarkable record that rewards you with each listen.
Amazing album.
Absolutely love this album and have done since it was released. Just as fresh now as it was back then. Favourite tracks: Fight Test, Are You a Hypnotist??, Do You Realize??
easily one of the best albums i’ve listened to from this website. makes you feel like the main character in 2000s coming of age movie. bits of Sufjan Stevens, Gorillaz, Arcade Fire, and The Aquabats all coming together wonderfully
Wayne Coyne and his band The Flaming Lips have always been innovators. On Yoshimi they perfected their musical style and created a cross-over hit. One of the finest concept albums from the alternative side of music.
HAIKU REVIEW Do you realize this is the Flaming Liips’ best? You must listen NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Loving this.
An eclectic, atmospheric mix of indie/folk, electronic beats and weirdness - in terms of offbeat background vocals and sounds that constantly pop up. The song-writing is strong and Wayne Coyne is a rarity in that, he may not have the greatest voice but he’s easy to listen to song after song. The title track(s) and "Do you Realize" are great and there are no duds among the supporting tracks.
When I first heard this album over 20 years ago it knocked my socks off and it continues to be one of my favourites to this day. Their previous album Soft Bulletin was also excellent, but this is just a notch above. Wayne Coyne, the brilliant crazy genius behind this band claims that this isn't a concept album but it sure sounds and looks like one. Individually the tracks are very good indie/pysch/rock songs, but taken together as a whole, they transcend the genre and this album becomes something truly special. I don't think I will ever get tired listening to this album.
This is a classic, and Do You Realize is one of the best songs ever written.
Great melody writing, interesting blend of acoustic folk themes with electronic and big production ideas. Didn’t pay too much attention to the overarching concept but the musical ideas carried enough of a related strand to feel cohesive.
I think one of the better albums of the 2000s, especially out of the indie genre. Such a unique sounding album.
Catchy tunes, and thought provoking lyrics. It’s quirky but deep at the same time. Would listen to this entire album again.
Spacey funky ass shit. Some soft flowing songs. Nothing to abstract in lyrics. Some interesting instrumental only songs. Lots of boing-y synth sounds. Raspy odd voice. Certainly interesting. “Do You Realize??” is a slapper, brings it up to a ?
I really enjoyed this. I think the crazy concept mixed with earnest singing, and the acoustic plus electronic gave something 1969-1971 experimental about it, in a good way.
I was again surprised at how much I liked this album. I would not have thought that I would be a fan of The Flaming Lips even after the positive experience of the other album. Why do I have this notion, I don't know...ignorance... I really enjoyed the entirety of the album!
I have realized through this project that I really love The Flaming Lips. After listening to The Soft Bulletin months ago for this project, I saw a reference to this album in some of the background material and listened to this and loved it. I was pleased to see it here. Terrific!
VERY FUNKY I LOKE
Bought this album on cd when it was released at the time, on the strength of its predecessor. Yoshimi was certainly not disappointing, but always rated Soft Bulletin a bit higher. Now after 20 years I am not so sure anymore. Yoshimi has a very relaxed atmosphere, is even more accessible than Soft Bulletin, but in particular has a very relaxed sound and lots of really good pop songs. I would say both albums are 5 star and the best FL albums, so agree with the list on this occasion.
Really fantastic. Great listen 4.5
The instrumentation on this album scratches an itch in my brain I didn't even know I had; it feels as though every instrument breathes life.
I thought I had listened to this before but I guess not. Fight Test is such a good song and strong opener, it was great to hear the rest of the album.
great storytelling and some of the coolest sounds
Whacky indie weirdness
First record I ever bought. Nothing they've done since has touched this.
As an Oklahoman, this is one of our only worthwhile exports
I have seen this album several times but had never listened to it before. It was very dreamy and enjoyable. I think it requires a certain mood and setting to enjoy it properly, though that does not detract from its quality.
Pretty dank album.
"I don't know where the sunbeams end and the starlights begin; it's all a mystery." I really got into this album around 2010 when I was doing my undergrad in Seattle and it brings me back every time. Since then I've probably listened to this over 100 times and still love it just as much now as I did back then. Perfect complement to my sunny walk this afternoon.
Standout: All We Have Is Now. 5/5.
I really liked this
Really enjoyed this album. Best tracks: Fight Test, In The Morning of the Magicians No bad tracks. 4.5 rounded up.
Can’t believe I pretty much forgot about this album. 17yo me would be disappointed.
This album is a masterpiece. Headphones, or a good sound system and no distractions is recommended.
Old favorite. Forgot how much I loved it.
Clicked with me in every way.
Thank the lord they added an edit button! I don't know what I was thinking at the time of the original 3 rating and part of me wants to preserve that snapshot of time but I had rediscovered them some time later and absolutely LOVE this now.
Great album. Weird without ever being ugly. Emotional without being dumb
Fdjne
Do you realize That you have the most beautiful face? Do you realize We're floating in space? Do you realize That happiness makes you cry? Do you realize That everyone you know someday will die? And instead of saying all of your goodbyes Let them know you realize that life goes fast It's hard to make the good things last You realize the sun doesn't go down It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round Up there with Dark Side. No shit. 5/5
Amazing.
Fantastic album start to finish. cohesive story and super multi versatile. 10/10 will be listening again. would love to see a rock opera set to this.
Loved it obviously
I've already heard this one too
beautiful
je vais arrêter de tergiverser
8.5/10 masterpiece notes in notebook
love it
Yoshimi is a great and classic mid-00's indie rock album. The main strong points of this album are the amazing songwriting and the great instrumentation choices. "Do You Realize ??", "Are You a Hypnotist??", "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" and"Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1" are the hifhlights here in term of songs, but there are no weak tracks. superb album. 9,4/10
Brillante
First of all, love the cover sooo much. Had no idea what this was coming in. Don't think I've ever heard anything by The Flaming Lips for that matter. But it starts off great, really enjoying the dreaminess and the addition of electronic bits and subtle piano. Saved songs: Fight Test, One More Robot / Sympathy 3000-21, In the Morning of the Magicians, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, Do You Realize??, Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia)
Yoshimi is the sweet spot between the reserved Soft Bulletin and the utter batshit crazy of the rest of The Flaming Lips catalog. It had an amazing structure and some of their strongest songs. Nature versus machine being told against a backdrop of audible maturity and pure creativity. It’s all pretty much perfect.
What an album, what a band. Loved their stage shows in this era. Some truly brilliant songs. Stand out - Yoshimi (of course), Do You Realize??
Such a weird, fun, unique album. Really a slice of my past. I still have that CD floating around here somewhere. I was totally one of those people who had never heard Flaming Lips before this album, even though it was their 10th and absolutely fell in love
Obvious 5 and anyone who disagrees is silly.
Yes, now this is great.
Brilliant
Obozavam
One of my favorite albums
pretty good album
Nice indie with surprising elements of psychodelia. Instrumentals are good with interesting parts, also very soothing at moments. Lyrics definitely add to the experience, they are mainly simple and smart thoughts and reflections on life.
I remember the first time I heard this album I was sitting on my friend Mike's stairs and over the chatter of the conversations in the other room this album was playing above that. I was completely blown away and had to go out and buy a copy the next day.
Lots of nostalgia for this one. It's trippy and weird and catchy and existential and hopeful. Love it. Do You Realize is maybe a bit overrated. Still love the message of it.
It's just freaking brilliant. All the fun bits of prog, but none of the fluff, wild ideas, big emotions, odd questions. And Do You Realize? Is one of the greatest songs ever written.
I haven’t heard this in a few years and I’m so relieved it holds up. Maybe the messages are pretty simple, but they still resonate. We all need to feel sometimes that the struggle is worth it, just to make it through, or if we’re really lucky to try to actually build something. The mix of electronic sounds and more traditional instruments in psychedelic pop felt new and exciting at the time. It might feel like it’s of a time now, but I don’t think it’s dated. This album helped define a sound that feels familiar in retrospect. Just because one of the most popular current reviews is someone trying to appear cool by dismissing the whole album by saying “plagiarism,” let me just say, “Shut the fuck up.”
Flaming Lips.. always classic.
YAAASSSS!
I adore this album. I acknowledge that it's not for everybody and don't judge anybody for not being into it, but it hits all my buttons despite being mad corny. Best track: I can't decide. Probably Yoshimi Part 1 because it gets super stuck in my head
Very good album.
One of the classic records from my past. I used to absolutely love this record, and haven't listened to it fully for a while. It's still almost perfect.
I fucking love this album
This is such a good album!
Psychedelic fluff but I like it. Not sure if I like Flight Test so much because I can't not hear Father and Son every time I listen to it
flaming lips greatest band of all time
I love this album, always have.
That's a big ol' 5 from me. Been very fond of this album since it came out, and seen them live a couple of times, and they put on an AMAZING live show. Fave track - I mean, it's gotta be "Do You Realize??" really - that song never fails to hit me in the feels. There are a bunch of other excellent tunes on here too, though....
every single song blew my fucking mind, holy shit perfect album - 10/10
5 stars, no notes.
I didn’t think I liked The Flaming Lips. I was wrong! I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Just so good. Loved the production's bizzare uncomfortable, but often gorgeous feel and the style of songwriting, the narrative, while loose, was brilliant and the songs could be absolutely nuts ("yoshimi battles the pink robots pt.2") or stunningly beautiful ("do you realize") without felling out of place in the context of the album. I could see myself revisiting this album for many days to come. An essential record.
this was really excellent. a mix of classic flaming lips song styles and some delightful weirdness. i thoroughly enjoyed it
So good. Weirder than I thought.
An enjoyable warm bath of an album
I absolutely love this album. Today was my first time listening to it, and it will be stuck in my head for the foreseeable future. Genuinely very fun, interesting music. Flaming Lips will be in my rotation henceforth. Favorite track: Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell
Yoshimi and Do You Realize are fantastic, this whole album is super chill
I always saw the flaming lips as a sideshow oddity almost - so when this came on I was a bit ‘sigh here we go’. But. BUT this album is a work of art I wish I had listened to before. It takes the very definition of the album form and uses it to the full - it’s an end to end piece that in context of the other tracks is better than the sum of its parts. Not to say the songs themselves aren’t great standalone - they are awesome too but they sound better as part of this album. Also it must be the first time I came across a Joseph Campbell hero’s journey in an album format. This is probably the best discovery for me so far from the list.
Unexpected gem. Crazy good!
Almost as good as The Soft Bulletin. Do You Realize is one of their greatest ever songs.
Loved it. Horns, good melody, funky sounds, good variety of songs!
10/5 I love this album
Wow. The sonics on this are ridiculous. Never heard it before except the single.
This is a fantastic album. Etherial sounds throughout. Themes of love and self reflection. It's a trip from start to finish. I want to listen to it again, and I want to listen to it again with my mind slightly altered.
Love it, probably my fave Flaming Lips album
This is one of my favorite albums of all time and was a real changing point for me in music in general. 'Do you Realize' is still one of the most beautiful songs ever written to me.
One of the greatest albums I’ve ever heard. Blown away the first time I heard this.
A beautiful, warm, lush album full of melancholy, wonderfully constructed songs and dreamy soundscapes. This is an album I know well and I've listened to many, many times going back years and it just resonates with me. The attitude and outlook are spot on and the music is consistently strong.
cool
Yoshimi battles the pink robots and picks up 5*s in the process.
Absolutely loved it, only 1/2 skips but overall amazing
Loved it
Delightful
A personal favorite. All tracks are interesting, distinct, full of emotive lyrics, and the overall sound is upbeat, electronic-tinged rock.
Creative poppy brilliance!
Fuck. Yeah
A beautiful and weird album. You obviously have the hits, and while that's often enough to carry any album, this album not only delivers on the above but makes sure every track is a fun and unique journey.
Muito bom! Não conhecia! Fiquei encantada!
2/03/22
4.7 + What a delight revisiting this album that was a mainstay of my early 20s. It centers around an epic battle between a Dragonball-esque superhero (Yoshimi) and a villainous robot army, set against an interstellar Japanimé backdrop. By the middle of the album good has prevailed over evil and the hero is seemingly pondering her place in the universe and the nature of existence. At least that's my take. This album has the most vastly cinematic and philosophical sweep of any other record of recent memory. So many terrific tracks here: "Fight Test", "Yoshimi Battles...Pt. 1", "In the Morning of the Magicians", "Do You Realize??" My only nitpick is with "One More Robot" - such a terrific song made worse with too much noise and blip-blurp-gurgles.
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Unfortunately I never got into any of the other Flaming Lips releases as strongly as this one. But this one is just incredible.
Fantastic experience, can’t wait for more Flaming Lips
A baby’s smile. A litter of sleeping puppies. Your lover’s heart. Years ago, solely on the basis of Radiohead vocalist and lyricist Thom Yorke’s raving recommendation, I gave a listen to the Icelandic group, Sigur Ros. In addition to being every bit as wonderful as he had suggested, it also touched something much deeper in me than almost anything else I had ever heard before or since… until now. This is rarified air for me, reserved for the music of the Taize monastery in France, Russian Orthodox liturgical chants, John Lennon’s first two solo albums. These are works of musical art to whom I open my heart- no small thing. They always find me, and not the other way around, because they are looking for a heart too, to endure. ‘Joy is in the ear that hears, not the mouth that speaks,’ claim the race of giants in author Stephen Donaldson’s magnificent Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series. When the student is ready the teacher will come, say the Buddhists. The Flaming Lips’ 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' have found me like a grace. “Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die? And instead of saying all of your goodbyes, let them know you realize that life goes fast. It’s hard to make the good things last. You realize the sun doesn’t go down, it’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning round.” Ok, I’m not going to quote anymore lyrics, because they really need to be heard with the music: tender, trippy, soulful, lovely. Just three of ‘em, these Lips: guitar (often acoustic), minimalist drum kit, bass and synth (incidentally, I have never heard a bass ‘flutter,’ until ‘Summertime.’ And then it gently, mysteriously just transformed into something synthesized. I’d call it remarkable if it wasn’t so… effortless? No, screw it, it’s remarkable. Just something that simple. Ok, I just said I wasn’t going to do this, but I changed my mind. Kindness, please. I’m still somewhat in a state of rapture. The lyrics conclude on the second to last song (the closer is an instrumental): “As logic stands, you couldn’t met a man who’s from the future. But logic broke; as he appeared, he spoke about the future: ‘We’re not going to make it,’ he explained how the end will come... I noticed that he had a watch and hat that looked familiar. He was me, from a dimension torn free of the future… ‘You and me were never meant to be part of the future.’ All we have is now. All we’ve ever had is now. All we have is now. All we’ll ever have is now.” ‘Ego Tripping From The Gates Of Hell’ (the title of the 6th track and, incidentally, sounding like a title ELP would’ve been comfortable with on any of their LPs)- the consequence of missing all the other gifted moments of life because of one’s desperate search for the one moment they want so badly to control. Or, surrendering victoriously into the eternal now, the eternal here, and being given every moment, out of control. This is the choice offered on 'Yoshimi.' This is music getting close to beyond music. This LP has no use for stars (rating). It lives among the stars already. But for our purposes, I’m giving it five. Five squared. Five to the fifth power. Add five more to that.
This album was a constant companion freshman year of college. It helped ease my angst especially with my shyness and awkwardness around cute girls. I could not get enough of "Fight Test" and "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell." Lots of other great songs here, "Yoshimi" (obviously), "Are You a Hypnotist", " Do You Realize"... This album is really a gem.
My favorite The Flaming Lips album. This feels like the perfect encapsulation of their style: an interesting narrative concept (whether intentional or not), melancholia but whimsical sounds/lyrics, and a lust for life. I remember first hearing this my junior year in college and just being filled with hope for both the world's and my own future. I may be ignorant, but there still isn't much out there like this. I could type out things about every track on this album; they are all good which is also a rare feat. I'd say the highlight is Do You Realize?? which most people likely already know. It's still extremely pure and beautiful and I've prob heard it over 100 times. It's very impressive that this is also the 10th album for them, most bands start produce shit at this point but the fact that they could make this after so long is a testament to their artistic acumen, not to mention the really great production work here. One of the most human albums of the 00s. A rare straight 5 for me.
Own. Thanks for reminding me I have this on CD and not listened to it in its entirety in ages.
Great album
Loved it, very melancholy
this was the album that made me like the flaming lips...starts out so beautiful with fight test
I am digging this two sings in. I have heard of this previously but didn't know much about it other than it existed. Continued to really like it. It is a very cohesive and the songs really tell a story. Would definitely listen to it more. Final verdict is it is a cool album ahead of its time, it sound like it could have come out this year and I definitely dig it.
Listened to it just a couple weeks ago, what a fun trip. Such an interesting story that coincides some great production.
Fight test, yoshimi battles the pink robots part 1, do you realize??, are you a hypnotist??
Glad I had time to listen to this!
Amazing. One more Robot/ Simpathe 3000-21 Is my favorite song now.
i've never heard about this band before, to be honest. anyways the album is nice, sometimes chilly, sometimes a bit weird. AND i love their album covers favs: yoshimi battles....pt.1, do you realize?
Bangs
Whoa my second 5 album of the week. The best Flaming Lips album.
One of my favourite albums, five stars all day long
Classic
great
Love this album. Was in Japan when it was released and it felt the perfect place to listen to it.
Euphoric loveliness
Гениально
Some beautiful music on here. I really enjoyed Fight Test, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Are you a Hypnotist, and Do You Realize. But all of the tracks on here were great.
Long time favorite!
How is this only from 2002?! This album is so cool. psychedelic, indie, odyssey, experimental fusion. "Do You Realize" was the only song I really knew from them and it's so cool to hear how it fit into the rest of the album.
So good. Took a couple listens to understand the world they built :)
One of my favorite psychedelic albums of all time. The drumming is excellent as usual for Flaming Lips, and the lyrics and themes still feel futuristic to this day. Highlights: 1, 3, 6, 7, and 9.
This is the first album that was generated that I already have. I love this album.
such a magnificent album. the lush production, beautiful vocals, and overall sound just make this project very enjoyable for myself (not an avid flaming lips listener). i highly recommend this album. will be purchasing vinyl.
Awsome
This is one of the most important albums to the development of my current taste in music.
Solo conocía dos canciones de The Flaming Lips (ambas de este disco), pero qué gusto que la vida me haya dado la oportunidad (?) de escuchar el álbum completo porque lo disfruté mucho.
this album brings me intense happiness.
One of my favorite albums of all time. I listen to this at least once a week.
Fucking brilliant
Classic
One of my all time favourites. Amazing live band too. Easy 5
Lovely, unique sound.
Me gustó. Muchas vibras de las aventuras de Fionna y Cake de Adventure Time XD, desde la portada hasta los sonidos de las primeras canciones del disco. Sobretodo la producción de soniditos y texturas variadas fue lo que me agradó. Creo que no me quedo con ninguna canción para mis playlists pero 9/10 igual por la experiencia. Top 3: Fight Test, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots P2 y Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon. Creo que a andrugkr le guatrian justo Fight Test y are you a Hypnotist porque tiene vibras radiohead. Mood: en la víspera de enfrentar al Lich (a.k.a. Sweet P.) en un atardecer postapocalíptico creado por Studio Gibli.
Smooth and mellow. I've heard several of the songs before on their own but they sound even better listening through the entire album.
A long time favourite.
Love this album. Psychedelic, Nostalgic, and a hell of a time.
Aw h*ck yeah
Nunca había escuchado este disco completo, pero qué bueno haberlo hecho ahora. Me dio mucha paz (?), con un toque de ternura, incluso aunque a veces las letras tiendan más hacia la depresión. Supongo que tuvo un efecto relajante, por así decirlo. Y me conmovió. No tengo skips en este disco, pero diría que "In the Morning of the Magicians" fue mi canción preferida, quizá le sigan "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1" y "Are You a Hypnotist?", pero todas tienen algo que me gusta, el cierre instrumental también está padre. ¿Es una actualización de lo psicodélico? Asumo que sí y sobre todo porque los Flaming Lips siempre son asociado a eso, lo que sí sé es que para mí todo está en su punto. 10/10
Loved this album - love a theme love the sound
Dope! Really liked the titular songs and "Do You Realize??"
Excellent album! I definitely need to pay more attention to The Flaming Lips, and will sure do.
That was a beautiful story phenomenal band and instruments overall
Love this album. Fun, creative, quirky.
i was gonna give this 4 stars but that's only relative to soft bulletin so i'll give this 5 too.
Glad I finally got around to listening to the Flaming Lips. Such a fun album, even the campy tracks.
Oh shit!!! Yassssssssssssss
I've probably listened to this album 1000 times but not recently. Holds up so well - definitely captures the vibe of that time for me.
Great stuff.
Dug it. Dug it real good.
Great album, listened about 4 times, will be returning to this. Some familiar songs.
Pleasent surprise and unique. I felt so good listening to this album.
Love this spacey/trippy album. Own it on red vinyl.
Love this album, find the music so otherworldly and hypnotic. Yoshimi pt 1 is a Jam
trippy but sounds incredible
Easy listening indie rock
Really liked the technical fusion sound.
In the morning of the magicians is my favorite song on the album
Hauntingly beautiful
Large Air 24/7
Very decent album from very decent band
Venían nada menos que de The Soft Bulletin, y con este siguieron en rcha entregando otro disco magistral que incluye una de sus mejores canciones (Do you realize??) pero hay muchas otras que no le andan lejos: Fight Test, One more robot, Yoshimi I... Uno de los que más me gustan junto con American head (2020), The Terror (2013) o Embryonic (2009). Pon, al menos, un disco de Flaimg Lips en tu vida.
Nice weird electronic sounds. The melodies keep it quite warm and approachable.
Wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised! Had a good time with this one
tykkäsin j muistutti gorillzista j tuli kiva samanlainen olo ku sillon ku rupein kuuntelee niit
Actually kinda baller
This is tough. Before relistening, I would've said this was a 5. More like a 4
I loved this album. Do You Realize was truly great. And the title track (part 1 in particular) was very good. Shocking this was a groups 10th outing and still this strong.
Another good album.
8.0/10 One of the coolest albums ever :)
Great album
yoshimi battles the pink robots pr 2 it’s summertime
This is a good record; not their best nor my favorite but I love it (even if I’ve always hated the actual ‘battle’). I understand its importance both to music history and my own. When Fight Test started, I had to fight back tears because it took me back a specific place in time. The frankness of Do You Realize? has always hit me hard, a lot of my friends died young and it’s a beautiful reminder…that we’re all goners. And somehow that’s uplifting?
I liked it
This is kind of a cozy sound. I used to listen to Do You Realize?? so it's kind of fun to hear it again.
This one was good, but I feel like there could have been more.
- fight test being the opening song is a BANGER it’s SO freaking good - i like the glorp opening on yoshimi battles the pink robots pt 2 -
RATING: 8.5/10 HIGHLIGHT: Do You Realise?? LOWLIGHT: It’s Summertime
This is such an amazing album, wouldn’t have appreciated it before this year, but a friend recommended I see them at a festival, and wow, fucking amazing stage show, and I’ve been playing them ever since.
surprisingly I liked this album. I had heard a couple of other flaming lips songs a didn't like them. I enjoyed the mix psychedelic, rock, and instrumental stuff. overall a very good album, likely putting this into a regular rotation, not sure about the purchasing but a solid 4 stars
4/5 - Good Job Flaming Lips :) They are REALLY tryna get me to like Rock, aren't they? But I think it's finally worked. This album is one of the most conceptually interesting I've ever listened to - and it felt more like a musical journey then an album because of that. In short: The speaker hypes Yoshimi up to fight a robot, the robot KILLS ITSELF after falling in love with Yoshimi, the speaker has an existential few songs, learns from future him he's gonna die soon, and we're on a hot air balloon to heaven. It is really interesting, and learning that the pink robot may symbolize cancer adds another tragic yet beautiful layer to this album. The fact that this album can be interpreted in so many ways is just amazing for me Favourite Songs: Do they realize?, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt1 / Are you a hypnotists Overall, will I spin this afew more times? Definitely. Does is mean I love rock now? Hell no. Its not my thing but its pretty fuckin good. 4/5 for me.
Pretty quality quirky album that told a story with some excellent tunes Abit different to what i'd normally listen to, like the theme though
very cool album sonically and conceptually, I really like how all of it melds together
This is a great album and I do really like it. My problem with it is that I massively overplayed it about 15 years ago after seeing them at Primavera, and now sometimes I get a bit sick of them. They occasionally get grate on me. My wife also plays quite a few Flaming Lips songs a lot, so I feel like I've definitely overplayed them, which has dampened things a bit. I think this has to be one of those quintessential indie psych-pop records (I don't know what you call it) that is incredibly influential, really good, and really well thought out. You cannot really knock it. You can clearly hear the influence on a lot of other bands as well, which I always think is a good sign. Really good. At one point, definitely 5, probably more of a 4 for me now. One things for sure though, they created a very unique sound!
I feel like I'm on the peripheries of really liking the flaming lips as they are one of those bands where I really like this album but made no effort to listen or anything else by them. Though I liked soft bulletin on this list, should give that another spin. It's got an off kilter feeling, reminds me of light indie crossed with some sort of spacey electronica such as Air. Title track part 1 is the standout but whole album has that nice dreamy feel. It doesn't excite me enough to give it a 5 I'd say, it's good without being essential, but definitely fills a niche when I'm in the mood for it.
Very good. Do you realise is great. Reminds me of Gintis. Not sure I've heard this album before though. Enjoyed it, but maybe not as much as I thought it would given it's cult status. Still very good though 4
The "squelchy" noises in Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt 2 do something to my brain and make me feel uncomfortable. Other than that, this is a great album.
I’ve heard this before and I own it. I played this a lot when it first came out and I liked it but thought it was a step down from Soft Bulletin. A lot of people will say this was their peak but my opinion they peaked between Clouds Taste Metallic and Soft Bulletin. Although I haven’t really kept up with them since Embryonic or The Terror, and it looks like they’ve put out a lot of new stuff since then. So I got some additional listening to do after this. I think I’ve listened to this within the last few months but I’ll go through it again listening closely. This has more instrumental tracks than I remember, although they are more of a follow up or sequel to the previous song. They do a lot of cool stuff with electronic instruments on this one but it’s kind of at the expense of the cool analog instruments in previous albums (orchestral instruments as well as things like the mellotron). Altogether it’s still a great album, though it’s missing a little something that the earlier Flaming Lips albums have.
I thought this was going to be so weird, but I really enjoyed it!
very close to a 5/5.. more like a 4.7, listened a couple times n couldn't put a finger on what was missing, overall his voice didn't grow on me but there r some songs that have been / will be all timers for me. I do remember thinking something along the lines of "this is what music should sound like" but the flaming lips are very critically acclaimed so maybe im biased bruh who fkn cares anyway great album closer to 5 than 4
Vet album. Heel melodieus en vertellend. Gek genoeg kan ik dit album alleen niet te vaak luisteren voordat het me tegen gaat staan...
beautiful
surprise banger
Pretty good album, unique sound.
They just don't know how Yoshimi is pronounced lol. It's all kinda twee and cutesy but unfortunately I'm a sucker for that shit. Mixed feelings for sure but overall I enjoyed (?) it
já conhecia uma das músicas do álbum mas nunca tinha parado pra escutar o resto o tema e a sonoridade do álbum são bem atuais, eu facilmente diria que ele foi lançado depois de 2020 as músicas instrumentais cumprem um propósito narrativo e ainda permaneceram interessantes pra mim (o que as vezes não acontece quando um álbum quer servir um momento conceitoh não sei se a voz do cantor me agrada muito mas não sei dizer o que eu mudaria pra achar melhor
Caramba, esse aqui eu reconheço demais a qualidade, realmente durante boa parte do álbum meu pensamento era "puts isso aqui é bem legal, qualidade total" mas infelizmente nao me viciou em nenhuma musica especifica. Tenho vontade de voltar nele e ouvir mais vezes para dar mais chances de alguma me pegar mais, porem no momento ele vai ficar com 4. Instrumental muito pica, destaque pro baixo nesse álbum que foi muito bem aproveitado e tem protagonismo em muitas músicas, junto com a percussão, o que é um ponto muito positivo pra mim. No momento, destaque para: - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, pt 2 - In the Morning of the Magicians - Appaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia)
I love a few of the songs on this album, especially "Fight Test," "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1," and "Do You Realize??" There are several other tracks I really like as well, and as a whole, this is a really good album. The only thing holding it back for me is also what makes it so unique. It's a little too experimental to be something I can just throw on in the car with my wife and kids. It's an album that demands a certain mood and attention. Still, when I'm in the right setting, I really enjoy it.
Really enjoyed this, weird floaty indy music, melancholic and hopeful, will listen again
Cool unique sounds with scifiy lyrics
I saw Flaming Lips play this album live in its entirety at Brixton Academy last year. Always wonderful live. My favourite album of theirs is the later ‘American Head’.
Owned this album when it came out and I remember it the same as I hear it now - some amazing songs and a lot of slow, unmemorable dirges. Fight Test, Yoshimi, and Do You Realize are classics, but overall not as great as The Soft Bulletin.
I've always thought this was a fun album. It's kind of cartoonish, but I don't mind that at all. It's just as much "good entertainment" as it is "good music." I got to see them perform this live all the way through once and that was tons of fun. Wayne Coyne is a weirdo and it's delightful.
I really enjoyed this and definitely want to relisten to unpack it more. It's an unusual blend of sounds. I liked the absurdity of the lyrics and content. Musically, the blend of electronic and rock/pop ballads was super fun. Epic stuff. Electrical synth layered pop for the first track, it's alllll a mysterrryyy I love how he sings that. It's groovy and poppy.
4.5 Have a feeling these guys enjoy anime :/
Fiiiiiiinally. My first Flaming Lips album. I was wondering when these guys would present themselves on my list. It only took them 613 albums to get here, after all. Truth be told, I was hoping to pull The Soft Bulletin first since I'd be able to recount my experience of getting into this band, though the story works in reverse as well. The Soft Bulletin was one of the first albums I listened to when I was getting into music. I used to peruse /mu/ among other oddball music sites in search of quirky offbeat 90s music, of which The Soft Bulletin usually ranked highly. I have a certain fascination with albums I listened to during the early stages of my music-listening career. I do think teens hear and experience music in a way which is different from adults, and as a result I've always been interested in returning to how these albums sounded when absorbed through juvenile ears. Fortunately for me, I remember exactly how The Soft Bulletin sounded when I first hit play. It was some weird-ass dork shit. That is, except for "Race for the Prize", which I thought was fantastic. That song had a sense of scale which was completely unheard of for me at the time. I abandoned /mu/ not long after and quickly found my own methods of discovering music, though I'd be pulled back into the Flaming Lips' discography years later when I pulled the title track of this album on YouTube autoplay. I remember scrambling over to my phone to see what the mystery tune was, only to be surprised by the discovery that it was The Flaming Lips. I'd eventually get around to hearing the album it hails from in full, which I was admittedly quite middle of the road on. From there, I'd dust off The Soft Bulletin, which I had a similar level of enthusiasm for at the time. I'd occasionally return to this rotation of two Flaming Lips albums for about a year until it all just suddenly clicked for me. First Yoshimi, then The Soft Bulletin. I'd eventually voyage through most of their remaining discography (barring their 80s releases and most of their 2010s albums), and I can now confidently call myself a lifelong fan of this band. What's great about The Flaming Lips is how truly inventive they are and how much that creative process is reflected through their music. While the Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi are more or less completely distinct from one another, there's a lingering thread that binds many of their other albums together. As a result, The Flaming Lips have had a much longer shelf life than other acts whose work I hold in higher esteem. Their boundless experimentation has always resulted in music that is interesting and good, whereas other artists usually only have a handful of years where they're putting out good material. For every decade that The Flaming Lips have been active there is one album of theirs that I really like. For the 90s, it's The Soft Bulletin. For the 2000s, it's Yoshimi. For the 2010s, it's The Terror and for the 2020s, it's American Head. Anyways, time for some Yoshimmying. Allow me to saunter over to my CD player so I can put on an album that I legally own for a change. Here goes. Yeah. It's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. All of Them Together. It's a classic. A classterpiece, if you will. Truth be told, I feel more mildly about this album when compared to the other albums that I consider favourites, but it's a favourite album nonetheless. I'm very fond of records which have a gradual arc in their sound, and this album manages to go places at a surprisingly steady, yet wildly varied pace. You have the fun, character-centered intro tracks, the lingering, autumnal free-flowing mid-points and the profound, lofty closers. Like all of the other times I've listened to this album, I am left scratching my head over what it could all mean. It would probably pay to take these songs at face value because of how varied they are, but I love me a good mystery. Speaking beyond vague conjecture and miscellaneous aesthetic musings, the music of this album is good! Real good. While I do favour the Soft Bulletin over Yoshimi for how unique, challenging and frenetic the music of that album is, I can appreciate the more streamlined, accessible approach of this album. I enjoy the repetitious, yet steady percussion, the warm acoustic/electric guitars which guide many of the melodies and the distinctive, blown-out trumpets which fill the gaps in between. Like The Soft Bulletin, much of the appeal of this album rests in the unique electronic sounds that linger in the background. The synths are much less bombastic and varied on Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, though they do carry a more cohesive, soft and sentimental sound that has its own appeal. Overall, I enjoyed returning to this album. I always have room in my heart for Yoshimi. "Fight Test" is a great opener, even if The Flaming Lips were rightfully sued out the ass for ripping off Cat Stevens' "Father and Son". Or perhaps not. Fuck copyright laws. Anyways, good song! Those lethargic, blown-out synths are very endearing, the songwriting is fluid, the acoustic guitars guide the song along in an adept manner and the horn instruments underscoring the piece bring it all together. All in all, the song is a very adept opener and I do enjoy it as a prelude to Yoshimi's shortlived conflict with those evil-natured robots. I like to think of this song as Yoshimi preparing for a cage match against her robotic adversaries, even if the song is sung from the perspective of a man. "One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21" is another good song. It's kind of a black sheep as far as The Flaming Lips' discography is concerned. Very methodical and stripped-back thanks to the interplay between those subtle, blinking bassy tones and the persistent percussion which guides the piece. Admittedly, the song does kind of dismantle my cage match theory from earlier given that this robot is something more than a machine and would presumably resist fighting Yoshimi. Perhaps Unit 3000-21 was confused by the sudden reality which was thrust upon him and instinctively engaged Yoshimi in self-defence. However, upon observing Yoshimi's passion and drive as a gladiator, 3000-21's empathy would lead to him accepting his demise, but not without having permanently injured Yoshimi over the course of their battle so that the recurring theme of finding new meaning makes sense. There's the title track. It's very cute, innocent and quaint, throwing my already shaky running narrative into complete fucking disarray. Rather than extreme life-or-death gladitorial combat in a cyberpunk dystopia, the vibes I'm picking up from this song resemble that of a children's play at a mall. I don't know. I like thinking about the theatrics and aesthetics of this music over a complex, interwoven plot. Anyhoo, good tune. Big fan of the preppy sound that comes through in the plucky, warm guitars and punchy percussion. The synths are also very good, particularly the twinkling embellishments that linger in the background as well as the soft, sensitive synths that appear during the "it'd be tragic" stretch of the song. Perhaps Yoshimi has aspired since childhood to place herself in perilous situations for profit. You never know with people these days. There's Yoshimi Pt. 2. I'm not a song skipper by any means, but I gotta be real: I always skip this thing. The first minute and a half is good, but the screeching Damo Suzuki vocals during the second half bug me. "In the Morning of the Magicians" does a good job at setting up the radically different remainder of this album, though it never goes beyond being quaint to me, particularly because of how long it is. Still, it's a decent listen. "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" is my favourite song of the album. To me, it's a synthesis of all that I liked about their previous tracks. It has the rolling vocal melody of Fight Test, the funky bass of One More Robot, the cute, earnest lyrics and punchy percussion of Yoshimi Pt. 1 and the atmosphere/theming of In the Morning of Magicians. Yet, rather than being a simple homage or a halfhearted extension of these ideas, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell goes all in on blending these disparate ideas together, creating a truly complete whole. The instrumental is remarkably fluid despite how busy it is, and the gradual build-up in the instrumentation culminates in both a satisfying crescendo with the horn instruments and a strong outro with the beautiful pianos and strings. I'm a big fan of those oddly-timed bass guitar stings as well. They mesh with the established sound and inject their own rhythm into the piece. Whenever I listen to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots I can't help but think of the calm following a storm. That's obviously by design considering the narrative arc and themes of this album, but still. I can feel the rainy mist and see the golden evening glow whenever I listen to this song, and I think that's special. "Are You a Hypnotist??" is good, though I don't have much to say about it. The dense atmosphere, wavy synths and delirious vocal melodies that feature most prominently on this song appear to have been one of Wayne Coyne's key takeaways from Yoshimi. It persisted all across their 2000s and early-2010s discography. You can hear it most prominently in the case of "If They Move, Shoot 'Em" from their Peace Sword EP, though I'd argue that it's written all over Embryonic and parts of At War With the Mystics as well. "It's Summertime" is pleasant. It has a very good mid-point and outro, though I admittedly think the beginning is a little shaky. "Do You Realize??" is fantastic and it occupies a pretty perfect place in the track list. Of course, It's Summertime doesn't do much to build up to Do You Realize??, though in its defence both songs are about recognising and I like how the understated nature of the former tune leads into the sudden epiphany of the latter. The succeeding tracks also do a good job at winding down the album, as I don't think this song would work nearly as well as a closer. Shamefully, Do You Realize?? took a while to click with me, though it ultimately felt really good to finally see the merit in this song. It's just so nice, particularly that beginning. The poignant strings. The strained, burgeoning guitars. The scope of the song. Perhaps the lyrics and songwriting are a little lacking and the final quarter becomes a bit directionless, but still. A very nice song that channels the intimate quality of Yoshimi Pt. 1 while also being sentimental and passionate in its own way. "All We Have Is Now" was an early favourite of mine from this album. The dreamy, surreal lyrics end the album on an interesting, ambiguous note along with seguing from Do You Realize?? in an effective way. Those soft, muted guitar riffs during the chorus are pretty glorious, too. "Approaching Pavonis Mons By Balloon" is also very nice and further segues from All We Have Is Now. Big fan of the lofty guitar riffs and the discordant trumpets which send off the album. They're both very pleasing. Once again, I see no need to rummage through the book for reasons as to why this album is in here. I think two list albums is about right for The Flaming Lips when considering how varied and wildly experimental their discography is, and The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots are their most noteworthy and acclaimed releases by a landslide. That being said, I've also submitted Clouds Taste Metallic and The Terror to the list as replacement albums along with heavily considering the addition of Zaireeka and Embryonic, so I'm kind of a nepotistic, hypocritical lil fuck if you wanna know the truth about it. Anyways, Yoshimi's great and I am going to proudly slam my fist on the big red album approval button which sits on my desk. I cosign this inclusion.
Part folk singalong, grief counselling session and rollercoaster this album pushes all the buttons. The lyrics and instrumentation make this a classic.
A dreamlike album.
Sonically all over the place but I had fun?? Also, I’m a huge fan of punctuation in track titles, so bonus point for that! I think Do You Realize?? was my fave, it really grabbed me
Don't know about this one! Thought it would be better than it was. I remember a day when I was home sick in year 8 and for some reason listening to songs from this album (my dad had it on CD) and especially getting really into the trio of Fight Test, Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1 and Do You Realize??, each of which still stands as amazing songs in my eyes. I remember reading discussion about Do You Realize?? as one of the most uplifting songs of all time, probably around when they toured here for Splendour and were using those giant inflatable bubbles at their shows. Anyway, three great songs but all sonic outliers from the rest of the album, which I gotta say sometimes got so tedious and annoying. Also shocked to hear this was already their 11th album???? I think I have to give it a 4 for those songs which I do love but feel like it's really a 3.
I'm a meat eating non vaper and still loved this album
A great record. Glad to see The Soft Bulletin is on the list because that one's better.
Un buen álbum, es bastante adictivo y me recuerda mucho a A flock of seagulls
I'd like to give it a 3.5 really, or maybe a 3.75. Am giving it a 4 since it still occupies a special place in my heart and the intro to Morning of the Magicians is still the best. Not as brilliant as the Soft Bulletin and I'd say the second half lags but this was an important record for the early 00s and introduced some weirdness to the mainstream, which was important. Unfortunately, it was also the last really good FL record after their late 90s heyday
An interesting listen until we got to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 2, where it lost me. It did get back in the swing, but most of the songs sound like variations on a soundscape. "Do you Realize" is really good, head and shoulders above the other songs on the album.
Сначала показалось чем-то приторным. Но на лайв-треке про роботов (часть 2) от синтов меня разъебало. Надо будет вернуться к этому альбому когда-то ещё
That was quite good, but a bit uneven, and sometimes even messy in its execution. I think one key aspect that keeps this record from achieving true greatness is how the creativity of the music is at odds with the very tame, pop songwriting and vocals.
Tiene un estilo medio experimental y eso me gustó la verdad pero habían sonido que para un oído medio sensible dolían jsjsdj, pero me gustó, me hacía sentir en un videojuego
Really enjoyed this
Remember listening to this a ton in college and love the atmosphere of it. Title track is my favorite but Do You Realize? became a monster in its own right and deservedly so. Love the layers, the production, Wayne's sort of offbeat-but-not-too-offbeat vocal style. Certainly the Flaming Lips album I know the best and like the most.
Another album that I am shocked I have never heard before. This would be a great album to throw on if you are inebriated and looking for a chill, psychedlic, mysterious vibe. I enjoyed the experience of the albm of a whole, but there were only a few tracks I feel like I would actually reach for outside of the context of the album. Given that, I would rate this a 3.5, veering towards a 4. Favorite Tracks: Flight Test Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1 It's Summertime
You Won't Let Those Robots Defeat Me 1001 Albums Generator 323 (8/9/2026) The Flaming Lips are so interesting to me. What I know about them is that they released a 6-hour song on a psychedelic toy (which is actually really good - you can find it on YouTube, and listening to the whole thing is quite a rewarding experience), they released a 24 hour song in flash drives sold in real human skulls, they released an album that consisted of 4 CD's that needed to be played simultaneously to hear the album, and they made Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1, which is an adorable indie pop song. I'd never listened to the whole album, and I was surprised at how rockin' some parts were. It's also all washed over in this psychedelic haze that feels like it must have inspired Tame Impala. Listen to the bassline in One More Robot for the most obvious example of this. The production is fantastic; the sound of the drums especially stands out to me. Do You Realize?? has this melancholy about it that is just beautiful, in both the music and the lyrics. 4.5/5, rounded down to 4. Favs: Fight Test Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1 Do You Realize? Least Fav: All We Have Is Now
I had randomly stumbled upon Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1 a long time ago, and liked it. And I am pleasantly surprised the whole album is so good as well. This is definitely another one of those "reason why I am doing this journey" albums.
A great alternative album. It feels fresh and interesting even 20+ years later.
Absolute banger album. Such amazing electronic instrumentation and melodies, and great world-building.
This album is not flawless, but it is such a wonderful sonic experience. The duality between organic sounds and the melodic, almost whispered vocals, and electronic sounds as well as the hip-hop inspired drums is amazing. It could not work at all, but there is some great taste, and it feels very dreamy as well as futuristic. Also, this psychedelic sound is really enchanting. It drives you through the songs very softly. It almost feels cinematic, which, in some way, is the intention of the album as a conceptual piece, to become a whole. Although some elements are a bit uninteresting or reiterating, or even feel bland at times, making this album feel less grandiose than what it actually tries to be. However, it flows very well, being an album that, even though is quite experimental, very psychedelic and a bit strange at some parts (which is something I have really liked), is still very easy to listen and such a pleasant one too.
Genuinely happy for all the white dudes who were going through their Japan phase when this came out
New album A solid album held back by inconsistent vocal performances. I had already listened to The Soft Bulletin and I loved it a lot, but it lost some of its appeal over the years because I found the singing subpar. Listening to Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, I feel relatively similar. The instrumentals are great, especially the downtempo/trip hop inspired drums, but the vocals could definitely be a lot better. I can forgive the vocal performance for the most part and still appreciate the songs for what they are on the catchier and more immediate tracks, such as Fight Test and the first part of the title track (the second part is also banging!), but the slower tracks that place more emphasis on his singing just don't do it for me, which is pretty much the rest of the album. I actually found this album to be rather front-loaded, with Do You Realize?? being one of the only tracks from the second half I can see myself coming back to. Also, I noticed most of the song transitions were unfortunately pretty janky, which might have just been Spotify's fault. Even if it didn't fully click with me, there's still plenty here to appreciate, and I can definitely see why so many people love this album!
Pretty chill rock music with some beep boops. I liked this more than I thought I would.
Back in the late eighties, it’s doubtful that anyone predicted that the shambling Flaming Lips would outlast most of their contemporaries to become venerable art rockers. What sets them apart from fellow indie-statesmen Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth, is how remarkably bad the band was initially when it first started in 1983. As much-beloved live performers, the Lips’ shows consisted of nearly incoherently psychedelic originals and sloppy, intensely noisy covers of bands like Led Zeppelin. Their evolution was so gradual and smooth, no one blinked an eye when 1999’s The Soft Bulletin not only incorporated homages to late sixties Beach Boys, but also Yes’ Close to The Edge. More sonic architects than rock band now, The Lips have nevertheless rounded out their revolutionary arc by eschewing an impenetrable, convoluted version of Tales Of Topographic Oceans and have instead produced a more modest, emotional album. https://fastnbulbous.com/flaming-lips-yoshimi-battles-the-pink-robots/
There’s nothing I dislike about this album. It just doesn’t have the secret sauce that would bring it to a 5.
Very strong first half, second half is pretty good too but man that first half is insane.
Very "out of this world" production with very "down to earth" vocals.
Somehow, this album brings back memories from childhood while being a constant reminder of our most valuable treasure, which is now. Maybe we all are Yoshimi throughout the whole record trying to tackle the real life.
Honourable 4 star. In truth, its a 3/3.5 for me today but I just know its an album which if you really sit down and get to know it will become a firm favourite. I love the stories and the textures throughout the album. It feels like its own little world.
The only Flaming Lips album i don't mind. Saw them live at T in the Park in 2003 and it was a good show.
This was a big album for my friends and I in High School - so I have some real nostalgia for this record of simpler times, just getting high and vibing to the record. The album had an absolutely massive impact on indie music in the decade (or two) following its release, so it’s definitely culutrally important.
It was weird but I loved it
There’s so much to uncover in this album - it’s got a lot to say and a weird way of saying it (which I like.) The simpering Neil Young esque vocal gave me the ick slightly but in a way (like with Neil Young himself) it sort of worked. The melancholic absurdism is right up my street - perfect for strolling round the backrooms to whilst silently crying. There are some songs on this I really don’t like (In The Morning Of The Magicians, It’s Summertime) but it’s possible even they will grow on me. I’ve wanted to rate this a five but I’ve also wanted to rate it a two at various times for various reasons - right now for me it’s a four.
I wasn't sure if I'd like The Flaming Lips, but I ended up pleasantly surprised.
8/10 on relisten