The Flaming Lips. The Worlds Most Frustrating Band?

The weird thing is this: I would normally avoid albums with such high levels of compression and low DR scores on the 'Dynamic Range Database'. I know the DR values are just a guide and you should use your ears... But a DR value of 4/5 is LOUD and a good indication it is going sound bad at any playback volume...

...Yet. I don't hear this in the Lips releases. By rights the cd/downloads should sound atrocious!
I listened to all 70 odd minutes of Embryonic yesterday at moderate volume through full size open headphones (Koss UR55s) without wanting to stop for a rest at ALL.

Yet the 2011 remaster of Nirvana - Nevermind, which has 'dynamics' by way of comparison with Embryonic had me turning it off within 2 minutes when played through the same amp using similar headphones.

I must be immune to heavy compression and loudness when it comes to the Lips

 

They have so much untapped talent and it’s really frustrating to hear snatches of stuff that is genius but gets lost in trying to fit too many ideas into one place.

This is the same with their live show, which has been super disjointed every time I’ve seen them. They build up a bunch of momentum with some great songs and great props, then blow it all by dicking about for five minutes with squawks and bloops.

And without sounding like a big gossip, I know people who’ve hung around with Wayne Coyne, and don’t have pleasant stories about him.

 

I'm good with just knowing they're out there doing their "Hey gang, let's put on a show/record something crazy/make a movie, etc.!" thing. I've sampled some of their covers projects and it just sounds like they're trying to do something willfully strange to something that's damn-near perfect to begin with. I'd rather hear them tackle something that's not-so-great to begin with & make it their own.

 

Damn, sounds like irritating live experiences. At least UFOS at the Zoo is pretty good to watch at home.
Though it would be nice if they'd put out a Blu-ray at some point.

 

I have their Dark Side attempt and don't love it...
Though I do dig their cover of Bohemian Rhapsody, from the Mystics bonus material.

 

Wayne comes across as a pleasant, well spoken and intelligent man in interviews and on the 'Fearless Freaks ' documentary. Yet internet articles exist indicating a new found 'nastiness' and perverted nature following his divorce from Michelle and overly close attachment to Myley Cyrus/Keisha. I am in no position to judge based on what may only be rumours.

Yet the stories don't paint Mr Coyne in a positive light. The Kliph Scurlock accusations against him and Wayne's riposte also had me disappointed as I used to view the Lips as a group of best buddies. Heck, look at what they went through with Steven when he was on heroin; Wayne and Michael and their respective spouses did all they could to get their friend clean.

 

Apologies to anyone who is offended by this post. I am only repeating previously published views and documented news articles. I have no right or evidence to say wether they are true or not.

 

It's hard to square the 'post-Michelle/post-Kliph' Wayne with the person who must be 'the boss' of this group...
Something tells me, I don't wanna know what's going on behind-the-scenes.....

 

A number of the Zaireeka tracks were given legitimate stereo releases as Soft Bulletin era b-sides.

 

You dislike the albums I love and love everything after the point where I checked out! Yay, Flaming Lips!

 

Yes, big fan of their MC releases here...Some of the most adventurous and exhilarating surround mixes out there. I wish they had continued to mix their albums in surround after Mystics.

 

So my question is: Are The Flaming Lips the most reassuringly imaginative band ever?
Or
The most frustratingly elitist band ever who dilute their 'core' catalogue with TOO much 'other stuff ' including material exclusive to releases so limited that it's almost impossible to become a Flaming Lips completist?

Neither. As a solid fan of Flaming Lips, it is a mere trial run for trying to follow the ten albums a year of Robert Pollard/Guided by Voices. I am very cool with Warner Brothers raising up their hands and saying "fine, we give up trying to understand it. Do what you want, don't make it cost too much to us, and keep doing what got you a rabid global fanbase in the first place."

 

...now,
I'm waiting for them to change again!
They're due....

 

Neither, I’m a solid lips fan, a little frustrated, but the stuff I don’t like I just leave behind. Steve Drodz is an awesome musician, and together they have some great ideas. Not getting much love for Transmissions in this thread though

 

Like their good songs when they do them, less keen on all the time-wasting rubbish

 

Transmissions is fantastic.

 

My single favorite is “Are You a Hypnotist?”

 

I’d echo that. They put on a fine show here last month, but at a small venue. Not complaining, but a band with their talent should have been in a “better” theatre. That they don’t really qualify tells you something, at least.

 

To me, the Lips had a great 11-year run (1999-2009), featuring four terrific albums, and most of the rest is material I have little to no use for.

 

I have the Race for the Prize single and they're not stereo down-mixes of the Zaireeka tracks though - you're still supposed to play dics 1 and 2 of the single in order to hear the complete b-sides.

 

No, there are different releases with official proper stereo mixes...

"Riding to Work in the Year 2025" and "35,000 feet of Despair" can be found on the Waitin For A Superman single
The Flaming Lips - Waitin' For A Superman

"Big Ol Bug is the New Baby Now" can be found on it's own promo single
The Flaming Lips - The Big Ol' Bug Is The New Baby Now

"OK I Admit That I'll Really Don't Understand" and "A Machine in India" (albeit a 4 minute edit), as well as the previous three mixes, can be found on the "official bootleg"/"unofficial promo" The Soft Bulletin Companion
The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin Companion

There was another bootleg with rough mixes of Zaireeka/Soft Bulletin tracks and outtakes, some different from above, but that is fairly hard to find now. My own copy won't play anymore.

 

Yeah, I loved Soft Bulletin and about half of Yoshimi (the half that was fairly melodic and Soft Bulletin-ish?), and that's about it. I'm sure there's a few decent tracks on the other albums, but most of it just feels like weirdness just for the sake of being weird. It worked for Zappa, because he was such an amazing musician (and surrounded himself with equally mind-blowing players), but it doesn't really work for indie rock to me.

 

Saw them open for Tool in 1994, saw them open for Beck in 2002. Seems like I saw them another time too. I think Wayne is a great and forthcoming guy. I'll listen to or read any interview he gives.

Could never get into them though. Plus all these weird-for-weirds-sake releases have become kind of predictable.

 

There also seems to be a lot of mystery surrounding the Lips too. All there weird activities and releases make the music press. Yet I can't find any info on the four newer members aside from their names. Nothing online about what instruments Michael Ivins plays on the studio recordings (most studio recordings from 2000 onwards are said to have Steven Drozd on bass). Nor any info about the newer members contribution to recordings.

The Flaming Lips now seem to be the Coyne/Drozd band with other members who 'help out' on stage. Michael Ivins also receiving the 'additional engineering ' credit.

 

Have you seen the doc about them, "The Fearless Freaks"?
Definitely makes you wanna 'root' for them...