What is the attraction of 'Flaming Lips'
Posted by: garyi on 24 January 2003
The latest tune is utter shite.
I have seen them on the tele singing live a few times and the guys voice is frankly laughable, being worse than mine if thats possible and the music is at best copied.
I have their first album, I played it once, right through (well I did pay for it) but its never been played since.
So common, what is it with them? Because it sounds like shite to me, nothing new and a guy with a sore throut singing out of tune.
I have seen them on the tele singing live a few times and the guys voice is frankly laughable, being worse than mine if thats possible and the music is at best copied.
I have their first album, I played it once, right through (well I did pay for it) but its never been played since.
So common, what is it with them? Because it sounds like shite to me, nothing new and a guy with a sore throut singing out of tune.
Posted on: 24 January 2003 by seagull
Perhaps you're just getting old Gary 
Posted on: 25 January 2003 by Mike Hanson
There's a wistful melancholia, with a healthy helping of self-effacing fun. There are many great hooks too, along with interesting sonic landscapes.
That's enough for me.
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
That's enough for me.
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
Posted on: 27 January 2003 by Pete
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
The latest tune is utter shite.
Assuming airplay on R2 corresponds to "the latest tune", that'll be Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt 1. Not a great record in itself, but it really ought to be heard in the wider context of the rest of the album (and specifically alongside pt 2).
quote:
I have seen them on the tele singing live a few times and the guys voice is frankly laughable, being worse than mine if thats possible
Context, context, context... He won't get a job at the opera, but for the songs he's singing, it fits. Bob Dylan's voice is frankly laughable, but he can still carry a song with it.
quote:
the music is at best copied.
I have their first album, I played it once, right through (well I did pay for it) but its never been played since.
So you've heard a couple of singles and an album from quite a while ago? HArdly a good basis to write all their music off as unoriginal, especially since they're widely held to have changed quite a bit, certainly from their first work to The Soft Bulletin.
I've only got the last album, bought on the strength of reviews, and it's superb IMHO. It doesn't come across as at all copied from anyone, there's an evident sense of humour and some beautiful work. The voice fits fare like "Ego Tripping" as perfectly as a voice can fit anything.
And anything called "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" is certainly ahead in the terrific title stakes...
Pete.
Posted on: 27 January 2003 by matthewr
Its a very moving song about a dimuntive Japanese schoolgirl who saves the earth my battling a evil race of sentient robots using her special karate powers. I'm not sure what more you could want really?
Matthew
Yoshimi, They don't believe me.
But you won't let those robots eat me
Matthew
Yoshimi, They don't believe me.
But you won't let those robots eat me
Posted on: 27 January 2003 by woodface
You don't have to like them! I have a couple of their albums and I think they are pretty good if not quite the saviour of the civilised world.
Posted on: 30 January 2003 by greeny
quote:
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt 1. Not a great record in itself, but it really ought to be heard in the wider context of the rest of the album (and specifically alongside pt 2).
Yeh and it's still rubbish. I have the latest album and with the exception of "In the Morning of the Magicians" it is rubbish (IMO) as is "Soft Bulletin".
Although I've got to admit I would have thougtht it would appeal more to a Zappa fan than myself (discordant/tunless tinkering and all that).
Posted on: 30 January 2003 by garyi
Right greeny lets not get started on this again.
Flaming cak are not even in the same ball park as the late great Zappa!
Flaming cak are not even in the same ball park as the late great Zappa!
Posted on: 30 January 2003 by Not For Me
They seem to have no redeeming features!
I was grossly misled into buying the 'Yoshimi' single, because, as a loyal Kylie fan, it had a cover of 'I can't get you out of my head' I had to have.
Jeez, what pile of shit! (The Flips, not Kylie)
Once bitten, twice shy.
DS
OTD Pink Ellen - the electronic dreamplant
I was grossly misled into buying the 'Yoshimi' single, because, as a loyal Kylie fan, it had a cover of 'I can't get you out of my head' I had to have.
Jeez, what pile of shit! (The Flips, not Kylie)
Once bitten, twice shy.
DS
OTD Pink Ellen - the electronic dreamplant
Posted on: 31 January 2003 by greeny
Sorry Garyi, Yes that was meant to stir it a bit!
However I do feel there are some similarities between the two. Any other Zappa or Lips fans care to comment.
As someone who doesn't like Zappa (maybe I'm too narrow minded) it doesn't really suprise me that I don't like the Lips either. Someone with a more eclectic taste I would have thought might find them appealing.
However I do feel there are some similarities between the two. Any other Zappa or Lips fans care to comment.
As someone who doesn't like Zappa (maybe I'm too narrow minded) it doesn't really suprise me that I don't like the Lips either. Someone with a more eclectic taste I would have thought might find them appealing.
Posted on: 31 January 2003 by matthewr
I think you'd be hard pressed to think of someone less like Zappa than The Flaming Lips. The Flaming Lips are basically a pop band and their albums are crammed full of simple sing-a-long tunes.
The jarring rhythms and bleepy bits on Yoshimi are because they are (very loosely) meant to be about a distopian future society ruled by evil robots but they are mostly relatively superficial effects (as all their music is really) and they basically make pop songs.
"The Soft Bulletin" was also an album full of pop songs but this time dressed up in OTT orchestral stylings rather than bleeps and synths. I suppose both Zappa (at times) and the Lips (almost always) are obviously being ironic and playful and are not to be taken terribly seriously.
Matthew
The jarring rhythms and bleepy bits on Yoshimi are because they are (very loosely) meant to be about a distopian future society ruled by evil robots but they are mostly relatively superficial effects (as all their music is really) and they basically make pop songs.
"The Soft Bulletin" was also an album full of pop songs but this time dressed up in OTT orchestral stylings rather than bleeps and synths. I suppose both Zappa (at times) and the Lips (almost always) are obviously being ironic and playful and are not to be taken terribly seriously.
Matthew