Flaming Lips – “At War With The Mystics” – Warner Bros Records 9/10
Shortly after passing their 20th anniversary as a band – the last 14 or so spent teetering on the brink of stardom – the Flaming Lips still sound young, vibrant and full of the same wild energy that has gotten them a massive cult following and serious critical acclaim.
On their 11th full-length, “At War With The Mystics,” the Lips combine the dense, expansive sounds of 1999’s highly praised “The Soft Bulletin” with the futuristic, marvelous experimentation of 2002’s surprise commercial hit (relatively, of course) “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots.” “Mystics,” however, is far from a simple mashing of past glories – the Lips have again taken a fresh turn and created a whole new world for listeners to explore.
From the opener “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song,” filled with chattering vocal samples and a big chorus, it is clear that the Flaming Lips have a long, strange trip planned for the audience. Like “Yoshimi,” “Mystics” is filled with supernatural, space-age and bizarre imagery – references to wizards and magic abound – while Wayne Coyne’s whimsical vocals carry lyrics about life, death and everything in between. And while Coyne continues to wax poetic about the frailties and beauties of life, he manages more than a few hard lyrical blows. On “Mystics” Coyne is pissed in a way that he has rarely revealed before. Punches are thrown at suicide bombers (on the wonderful, funky and soulful “Free Radicals”), Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani (on the space-epic “The Sound Of Failure”) and George Bush (who generally gets a whole lot of attitude thrown his way throughout the entire album). “The W.A.N.D.”, with Coyne’s battle cry, “we got the power now, motherf***ers, it’s where it belongs,” sounds like it could be the soundtrack to revolution.
But Coyne doesn’t just preach on this album; “My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion” – which sounds like the perfect follow up to “Yoshimi’s” “It’s Summertime” and “It Overtakes Me,” with a simple vocal line that is both buoyant and catchy – is the perfect example of the futuristic funk that informs much of the album. “Mr. Ambulance Driver,” a decidedly soulful life-and-death meditation, is the perfect example of how the Lips can construct a dark song with glimmers of hope shining through.
“Mystics” is, as the Lips have garnered a reputation for, a truly epic album. They have become masters of both songwriting and studio techniques that allow their songs to sound truly one-of-a-kind. And while, at album 11 and the height of their career, the band could’ve easily churned out “Yoshimi 2” and gone straight to the bank, thankfully the Flaming Lips have made a career out of doing the unexpected and pushing their own limits. “At War With The Mystics” is another highly psychedelic trip from one of the most exciting bands around. It’s a wonder that 20-plus years in, the Lips can still sound as fresh and invigorated as ever. It’s rare for a band’s 11th album to be one of their very best; of course, the Flaming Lips are truly an exceptional band.
Prince – “3121” – Universal Records 6/10
In 2004 Prince achieved an unexpected – and very welcome – comeback with his “Musicology” album and subsequent tour. For the first time in a long while Prince was in both critical and commercial favor and he never seemed as invigorated. Fortunately “Musicology” was no fluke, proved by his latest album “3121.” Returning to a major label after an extended foray into complete independence – risking a fall into obscurity – Prince doesn’t sound like he is simply riding the comeback wave; rather it seems as if he is riding a peak, and it is a height that is draped in modern dance/pop technique, coating his funkedelic eccentricities in just enough sugar to make the whole world pay attention.
While it doesn’t match his best work, “3121” sounds like an artist that is still bubbling over with ideas. From the space-age funk of the title track, to the dance-club fervor of the first single “Black Sweat” to the Marvin Gaye inspired bedroom soul of “Satisfied,” Prince has loaded his latest album with a lot of great work. However, while there are a few great individual moments, the entire album doesn’t find Prince pushing too many boundaries. Rather, “3121” functions almost as an extension of “Musicology” – though arguably a more successful and filled out version. Bouncing between throbbing club numbers, tripped-out funk, pop balladry and candle-light slow jams, “3121” seems like a sleek, futuristic tour of Prince’s mind.
Of course, some of the lustier songs fall under the weight of the subject; “Incense and Candles” features Prince playing with an irritating vocoder and stale lyrics. “Love” isn’t quite as straightforward as the title would indicate but it never quite hits the zenith that it hints at. However, Prince finds himself doing better on the ballads. “The Dance” features a grand, almost majestic, sound and “Te Amo Corazon,” with its cinematic scope, revels in its shakers and pianos. Of course, it is isn’t all romance and lust; closer “Get On The Boat” may have kind of cheesy, feel-good lyrics but it matches the made-for-party funk feel of the music.
“3121” doesn’t feel like a mere rehash of Prince’s best characteristics but it is not a very experimental album either. It seems more that Prince has taken some of his most well-known formulas and tinkered around with them, experimenting within pre-established confines. However, it works; “3121” is not one of Prince’s best albums, but with its futuristic sounds and tight songwriting, it is certainly fit to stand among them.
By Nick Romanow, Collegian Staff
Sonata Arctica – “For the Sake of Revenge” – Nuclear Blast 7.5/10
Looking at the covers of Sonata Arctica’s studio albums – which prominently feature sailing ships being chased by sea monsters and wizards in the act of casting spells – a casual observer would be forgiven for labeling them as a cheesy power metal band. Taking into account the cover of their latest live album, “For the Sake of Revenge,” which shows an angry looking wolf pouncing in the snow, it would be hard not to think that. Which is fitting, because Sonata Arctica is a cheesy power metal band.
This isn’t a bad thing, though. They manage to avoid many of the downfalls, the biggest of which is taking themselves entirely seriously. Most power metal bands probably recognize that they’re just a bit ridiculous – it would be difficult to choose the name DragonForce without just a hint of irony – but Sonata Arctica goes the extra mile.
This disc begins with four songs with intimidating titles like “Prelude for Reckoning” and “Blinded No More,” when lead singer Tony Kakko asks the audience, “Are you ready for some underwear music?” as the band breaks into “Victoria’s Secret.” Sure, the song is another power metal tune complete with flashy guitar solos and vocals that sound like a Finnish Geddy Lee, but it’s good to have a sense of humor.
The real coup of this album, though, is that Sonata Arctica is a really good live band. The songs on this album compare very favorably with studio versions. These guys really know how to play together – technical skill is definitely one of the genre’s stereotypes that they fit. The album’s production is very tasteful, too. Crowd noise is audible at certain points, and hints at the energy of their live show, but unlike a lot of live albums, it isn’t ever-present. Sometimes you just want to hear the music, and the crowd noise is low enough in the mix that you actually can.
As with all live albums, this is something of a fans-only affair. Casual listeners and those new to the band can still certainly enjoy it, but it’s usually a lot easier to get into a band’s studio work. That said, the band is tight and clean all the way through. If one had to be introduced to a band through a live album, this would be a good choice. This is how a live album should sound.
By Ian Jones, Collegian Staff
REED – “ONEinSIX” – Sophist Productions 8/10 < /p>
Typically, hip-hop is associated with big guns, fly girls, lots of green, more guns and nice rims. It tends to be about taking what one wants, screw the consequences. That is where REED breaks from the pack. His debut album, “ONEinSIX,” is a testament to love, peace and understanding.
Now, hardcore rap fans are probably balking after reading that, thinking, “If he isn’t a gangsta, he isn’t a rappa.” Well, that’s a bit of misinformation. REED successfully raps in a non-violent, positive manner. The banner on the Sophist Productions Web site has the definition of a “sophist” as, “one who teaches eloquence, philosophy, politics, and the art of successful living.” REED indeed does fulfill this mantra, as he is more likely to rhyme about marriage than a girl’s rear end. He is more concerned with raising healthy children than smoking lots of weed.
Sophist Productions is the record label started by REED himself. It is based in New York City, and REED is the CEO and main artist. It is a very young company; its staff is mainly comprised of recent college graduates.
Now, back to “ONEinSIX.” The album itself is quite strong, a melodious blend of hip hop, rap, reggae and R’B. One memorable track is “Pum Pum.” This song is about how “Ricky” disregards the skin color of his women, saying “I don’t discriminate, I participate.” This track – although edited, which seems a little too politically correct – definitely can attract the young male crowd that tends to be key in hip-hop marketing. Teenage guys love songs about the female anatomy.
One thing “ONEinSIX” falls short on is that it tries to be too many things. Like many artists with long lists of influences, REED attempts to incorporate all the music that is important to him. In doing this, there are times during the album where the listener feels like the idea is forced. Not to say that it is bad, just that there are spots where REED should’ve chosen a genre or two and worked with that, instead of mixing five together. It gets mushy. Innovative, yes, but still mushy.
This album has real quality to it. It has the crossover appeal that Kanye West cashed in on, and it is easy to remember the words to REED’s smooth rhymes. Given the opportunity, one should take the chance to see this artist when he’s is in town. And keep in mind that this reporter is not a rap fan, but he still greatly enjoyed it.
By Pete Corbett, Collegian Correspondent
