Though At War With The Mystics had some heavier moments, 'Convinced of the Hex' very much sounds like a statement of severance from the gosh-isn't-everything-magical-even-death? tack of recent years. Whether or not it's the numbly repeated line "it's the distance between us" or the bloodcurding screams at the end that'll freak you out the more, it's indisputably not music destined to be sung while smirking from the middle of a hamster ball. It's a record that splutters, stutters and then stomps into menacing life with 'Convinced of the Hex', the song’s colossal bass figure spitting rusty sparks as it spins murderously over a Coyne as sinister as we've ever heard him, his Neil Young-ish high register ditched entirely. Though Dave Fridmann was about somewhere, it's primarily self-produced (though it should be noted that 'produced' is a pretty relative term here). If you've read anything about Embryonic (or heard any songs bar horrific lead single 'I Can Be a Frog'), you'll doubtless be aware that it represents an abrupt change in direction for the band, a cackling assault on the slickness of recent years. somewhere along the line the band stopped being viewed as unpredictable weirdos and became something more in the ballpark of lovable eccentrics, defined by the Fridmann-pop of their latterday singles. Given that they effectively toured with the same show up until this year's ATP NY, that's perhaps not really a surprise but still. The Soft Bulletin had made them the most acclaimed band on the planet, but by the end of the At War With The Mystics tour people seemed more familiar with the Lips' insane arsenal of live gimmicks than the record itself. The closest the Flaming Lips come to producing another mass audience hit like “Do You Realize?” is the serene and no fuss ballad “The Impulse,” even though its attraction may reach only the more familiar fans.īut the futuristic, spacey sounds continue with the album closer while Coyne and Karen O duet to end “Embryonic”.Ĭonsistency and keeping interest could be a difficult ambition on an 18-song album, but somehow, The Flaming Lips do both while making “Embryonic” a creative piece of music.While it would be wrong to suggest The Flaming Lips have fallen out of favour over the last decade (the ever avuncular Wayne Coyne has precious few challengers for his 'most beloved man in indie' crown), it's perhaps true that familiarity has led to the first creeping signs of contempt. Karen O provides background animal noises for “I Can Be a Frog,” lending her animated persona to one of the more entertaining and childlike songs on “Embryonic.” To mix it up, Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O makes a guest appearance on “Gemini Syringes”, “Watching the Planets” and “I Can Be a Frog,” one of the more fun songs of the album. Much appreciation for the instrumentation of the album, mostly thanks to guitarist, percussionist, bassist and keyboardist Steven Drozd, is definitely in order. On this album especially, The Flaming Lips are not an easy-listening band. Halfway through “Embryonic,” listening to each song becomes a tricky thing to do. Ringing guitar strings set the pace, and not much else on the song becomes important. “Powerless” is another marvel on the album. Delicate background voices sounding like they are being recorded over a telephone and heavy bass lines are paired together perfectly. Songs such as “Evil” and “Aquarius Sabotage” draw out the feeling of the album. “Embryonic” quickly develops into what the soundtrack of a trip to some intergalactic destination would sound like, complete with subtle synthesizers and eerie vocals.
The band’s more recent followers may not identify with this album, but veteran listeners are more likely to see Coyne’s methods of imagination. Their latest album encompasses all that is The Flaming Lips: experimental noises, spontaneous outbursts and cosmic lyrics. Known for their outlandish stage performances with lead singer Wayne Coyne walking over the audience in an inflatable globe, The Flaming Lips are shocking fans once again with their 12th studio album, “Embryonic.”
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