The Flaming Lips – At War With The Mystics

Review

Strap in for "At War With the Mystics," The Flaming Lips' eleventh studio escapade that zigzags between the profound and the outright bizarre like a mad scientist at a music mixer. Released in the spring of '06, this Warner Bros. Records installment sees the band dabbling with a gutsier guitar vibe while dipping their toes into politically tinged lyrics—a noticeable shift if you think about their path since "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." With tracks like the poignant "Mr. Ambulance Driver" and the power-packed "The W.A.N.D.," the album delivers moments of emotional heft and fist-pumping anthems.

Yes, some say the album feels as coherent as a cat herder's daydream, but isn't there something endearing about a record that refuses to walk in a straight line? Critics have had their quibbles, calling it patchwork, but let's face it, the Lips aren't ones for playing it safe. With Grammy nods for their instrumental prowess and sonic finesse, it's clear they've spun straw into their own kind of gold. This record might live in the shadow of its older, more acclaimed siblings, but "At War With the Mystics" charts its own offbeat course through the universe of sound, inviting fans to join in on its astral plane of continual musical rebellion. - Leo