I recently heard Yoshimi by The Flaming Lips when I was in a restaurant in St Andrews with Mrs CC and her mother.
Given the context it took me a wee while to place it. Somewhat inexplicably Part 2 did not feature.
Uncut declared Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots to be the greatest album released in the magazine's lifetime yet only lists it as the 11th best album of the 00's. Go figure. Rolling Stone has it at number 27.
To me it is like the curate's egg - good in parts and I feel that The Soft Bulletin is pretty much on a par with it.
It does however contain the great pop song Do You Realize??. I heard this played at a funeral which was incredibly moving given it's subject matter.
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt 1
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt 2
I always thoroughly enjoy the Lips when I hear them on the radio or out and about, though rarely feel the urge to play them at home. You're spot on about 'Do You Realize?'
ReplyDeleteAye, agree all round. Do You Realise is stunning. I loved The WAND off the next one too.
ReplyDeleteSwiss Adam
To me, Yoshimi is the middle album of a great trio. I completely lost interest after that... to the point where Wayne has started to annoy me. I saw them on the tour where they opened for Beck and then the Lips backed him when it was Beck's turn to take the stage. Come to think of it, I wish I had mentioned that one at Spools Paradise the other day when Scott posted about best gigs.
ReplyDeleteYoshimi and The Soft Bulletin are both great albums, but still feel that they are a tad overrated. One of those bands I really want to like more but just can't seem to...
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of the earlier loud fuzzy records. There is no beating In A Priest Driven Ambulance.
DeleteAh, The Flaming Lips - very close to my heart. 'Yoshimi' is great but I'll take 'The Soft Bulletin' over it. Erik is spot on about the earlier stuff - quite wonderful. They've lost their way for about ten years now, I fear.
ReplyDelete