This one has a little bit of back story (and you could probably use the whole album, because it’s catchy as hell). When I was in my second senior year of college, I lived with a guy who would sit around and play guitar all the time. He’d invite all his stoner friends over and they’d hang out downstairs, doing whatever it is drug users do when I’m not around, and listen to music. One of the revelations was this particular album by The Flaming Lips, Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. I was just blown away, because I’d not paid any attention to The Flaming Lips since She Don’t Use Jelly came out in 1993. I had no idea they had gotten that interesting!
I won’t say I got really into them, but I love how layered the music is, and how everything seems to work together so perfectly, be it live instruments or weird sound effects. I also like Wayne Coyne’s spacey delivery and just how science fictiony the whole album feels. Anyway, that’s beside the point.
One day I was driving my mom somewhere (the store? bail bondsman? who knows.) and I put this album in the car on low. She actually made me turn it up so she could listen to it, laughed, and asked me just what in the world it was. I had no idea how to describe it, so I said, “Uhh… Space pop love songs for robots.” So there you go.
And now you know the rest of the story.
Other Friday Feel-Gooders: Ginger, SQ, Sharon on the Cobb, Left Wing Saltine, NewsComa, Badger, Scout, Brains, Jag, Moral Metamucil.
Tags: feel good friday, flight test, Music, the flaming lips, videos, yoshimi battles the pink robots, youtube
Subtle Bluntness 
August 1, 2008 at 8:41 am |
Cool. “She Don’t Use Jelly” was one of the 1-2 FL songs I mentioned knowing the other night. It’s the one I always bring to mind, but thanks for the exposure to their extended canon :).
August 1, 2008 at 10:52 am |
[…] Others joining in the Feel Good Friday vibe today include Left Wing Cracker, Ginger and Hollywood Ron. […]
August 1, 2008 at 11:31 am |
That album is probably one of the better things any band has ever done, and it’s so completely different from their early grunge-ish work. Like they’ve always been odd, but this is pretty spectacular.
August 1, 2008 at 12:08 pm |
[…] Feel Good Friday at Ron’s Place, LeBlanc’s, the brilliant Jag’s, le Squirrel Queen, Russ McBee’s, the […]
August 2, 2008 at 7:34 pm |
“When I was in my second senior year of college…”
Hah. A fellow super senior, I see.
August 2, 2008 at 7:44 pm |
It was my fault for double-majoring.
August 7, 2008 at 11:05 am |
I kind of like the mellow feel of their music but it was a little hard to keep my interest. I have a friend that plays that kind of really mellow guitar music and unfortunately he took his band site down because I would’ve loved to share it with all of you. I think he might still have it on his MySpace so I’ll share that and you can take a listen. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=41141184