In terms of genre, the Flaming Lips have remained unclassifiable throughout most of their career. Their early days were spent creating a uniquely psychedelic sound that was perfect for oddballs on college campuses that drew comics and regularly dropped acid. Their first full-length album, 1986's Hear It Is, was a sloppy record at best, but it was something different, and something to contrast with the harder, more structural beginnings of classic alternative rock. Twenty three years on, the Lips have acquired a reputable place in music as prolific, lovable nutjobs who manage to surprise us with every release (or really, nearly anything with their involvement). From Wayne Coyne's live spectacles to the surreal 2008 flick Christmas on Mars, it's hard to say what's actually expected from them. Embryonic, their well-anticipated album released on October 13, continues this trend in a fashion that is sure to strum a chord in the hearts of those who long for what the Lips were before they won those Grammys.
Those individuals looking for duplicates of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots or At War with the Mystics (and the people who only know the Lips through those albums, for that matter) will be disappointed. Embryonic not only surpasses these albums by a longshot, but it resurrects the original spirit of the group's material. The tracks sound as if they were conceived in a futuristic, silver suit 'n jetpack era, with the space age twangs and astrological imagery taking their place as dominant elements that pick up where Christmas on Mars left off. The album's surreal nature and obvious science fiction influences are two of the things that give it its appeal, thus making it one of those Lips' releases that helps us remember how innovative, surprising, and pleasantly unorthodox Coyne and his boys really are.
Embryonic is, quite simply, a majestic collage of sound. Everything from “Convinced of the Hex,” the meteoric first chapter, to “Watching the Planets,” the grandiose conclusion, is cohesive to the album's theme, yet each individual track is capable of providing some testament to the art of noise. “Aquarius Sabotage” and “See the Leaves” serve as part of the album's bombastic and eclectic intensity with an array of unconventional instruments, while “Evil,” “If,” and “Sagittarius Silver Announcement” take a slower turn with less grandeur and more emotion. “Silver Trembling Hands” is also made notable through its echoing, iconic vocals and thumping bassline, furthermore making it one of the best candidates for a single. However, Embryonic's excellence makes it difficult to dissect and critique, as there is not one track containing an ounce of filler or disappointment. All songs are significant in their own way with regards to the out-of-this-world concept, and pull together to form a truly impressive mixture of instruments, voices, and otherwise irregular and eccentric sounds.
There's no denying it. The Flaming Lips have reverted back to the more appealing craziness found on their first few albums, which is far better than the mere image of indie rock gods they've acquired over the past decade or so. But while Embryonic may revive their previous insanities, it still signals a new era in the group's career, one that looks to be even more promising than their pinnacle. And hey, the album art is pretty awesome too.
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