Search - Flaming Lips :: 20 Years of Weird: Flaming Lips 1986-2006

A Pyschiatric Exploration Thru Time!

SLIMMORTAL | Salisbury, NC USA | 04/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An awesome CD for the true fans, '20Years...' features a rare chronology of live cuts that span the LIPS career. You'll enjoy oldies like WITH YOU as well as JELLY-ERA favorites such as MOTH IN THE INCUBATOR and WHEN YOU SMILE, showcasing the noisy dexterity of ex-guitarist Ronald Jones (love that slide guitar). PSYCHIATRIC EXPLORATIONS... even shows up as an unlisted track at the end of WHEN YOU SMILE which is a treat, being the slamming opener to their '97 album CLOUDS TASTE METALLIC. But the jewel of the recording would have to be ENTHUSIASM FOR LIFE DEFEATS EXISTENTIAL FEAR, a non-live track which brings about a feeling of serenity with its RaiNY-DaY-BacKdrOp. As Wayne's frail voice mopes over a bad dream, it is accompanied by warm washes of lo-fi synth and the slow pluck of a reverberating banjo. This CD is a re-cut version of a recording which was originally handed out at the South by Southwest festival in Texas as a sort-of soundtrack to their FEARLESS FREAKS rockumentary, and in my mind, is well worth the money. Fans of strictly post-SOFT-BULLETIN material be weary, as SLEEPIN ON THE ROOF & THE OBSERVER is all you'll get besides the new MYSTICS track, FREE RADICALS. Enjoy-"

Complete waste of money

cflpaul | Orlando, FL | 05/25/2007

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The live portions of this CD, which is most of it, sounds like someone was holding up a tape recorder in the middle of the audience while the band played. It's been a long time since I've heard such poor sound quality on a CD. Only the most die hard fan should consider purchasing this."