The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin

[Warner Bros.; 1999]

Rating: 5/5

Styles: experimental rock, psychedelic rock, noise pop, neo-psychedelia
Others: Butthole Surfers, Mercury Rev, Spiritualized, Grandaddy, Secret Machines

The Soft Bulletin is absolutely stunning. Zaireeka was a massive breakthrough for them, but Soft Bulletin is the true gem in their catalog. They have definitely perfected the sound that makes up the present day Flaming Lips. Every note is perfectly crafted;  from the slightly reverberated guitars to the distorted mechanical drumming, The Flaming Lips have fused together the raw sound of the past with the futuristic sounds of the present. Brilliant lyrics and beautiful soundscapes shape the album into a musical orgy. Wayne Coyne's distinct voice slices confidently through the mix with tales of spiders and mosquito bites. The song structures on Soft Bulletin are close to where they left off on Zaireeka (in fact, some of the songs are leftovers from the Zaireeka sessions). The songs are often unpredictable and full of crazy tangents.  Each song is epic and inspiring -- I listen in awe every time "The Spark That Bled" shoots through my ears. "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate," "Suddenly Everything Has Changed," and "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton" are equally amazing and will leave you with drool dripping from your chin. The only downfall is their choice to put two alternate versions of songs at the end of the album. But despite this minute imperfection, The Soft Bulletin provides an exquisite soundtrack to have blasting in the car at night.

1. Race for the Prize [Remix]
2. A Spoonful Weighs a Ton
3. The Spark That Bled
4. The Spiderbite Song
5. Buggin' [Remix]
6. What Is the Light?
7. The Observer
8. Waitin' for a Superman
9. Suddenly Everthing Has Changed
10. The Gash
11. Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
12. Sleeping on the Roof
13. Race for the Prize
14. Waitin' for a Superman [Remix]

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