But don’t let me short change the other songs, because they each contain several hooks (within one song) that are just…genius, really.
“This Here Giraffe” is also among the best, and most obvious should-be hit singles on the album. Brainville is key, with its handclaps (an auxiliary instrument in and of itself) and circus inspired music it creates a joyous parade like a convoy of hippies all travelling to this Brainville place. Each song on here, maybe minus “Lightning Strikes the Postman”, are all some of the catchiest songs I’ve heard this side of post-Beatles 60’s pop. The songwriting itself though is at an all time high for the Lips. It’s like the Lips chose the one or two best “minor” instruments and stuck them in perfectly with these songs. The triangle in “Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with Needles”, the steel guitar in “Placebo Head wound” (barely audible, but when you hear it, it’s so damn catchy it just gets stuck in your head), the jingle bells in “Christmas at the Zoo”. Lastly, the dozens of auxiliary instruments that solve the very problem “Hit to Death in the Future Head” had overstuffing. It’s the way they’re played, with bass lines that pop, guitars that play twisted yet genius hooks (Ronald Jones, wherever you are, you’re an amazing guitarist), and the drums that pound your head as well as any John Bonham groove. He’s the same breed as our Syd Barrett’s writing off the wall and quirky lyrics which paint us true desires and feelings.Īnd it’s not just the lyrics, but the way they are sung, with Wayne’s “guy next door” honest voice. And Wayne speaks about these things in a sort of child like wonder, a simple, yet effective form of universalism. I’m sure we would all love to drive around in fancy cars, live somewhere else (whether it be China or Mars), and kill our boss. It’s so odd how Wayne taps into these sorts of gruesome, yet true, desires we have. Well in your dreams you can blow his head off. But in your dreams you can buy expensive cars, or live on mars, and have it your way. A perfect blend of various instruments, Beatles-esc pop, and mind bending noise.
And so we come to this album, this culmination of all things “Lips”, so to speak. By “Transmissions from the Satellite Heart”, the Lips had shown just how good there are at writing pop music. With “Hit to Death in the Future Head”, they incorporated a much more 60’s pop influenced sound, and introduced a variety of lush instrumentation. “In a Priest Driven Ambulance” found the Lips adopting many of their trademarks Wayne’s Neil Young voice, quirky melodies, and a fetish for ear melting sound and feedback. When talking about The Flaming Lips I often look at their career as a constant evolution. "Clouds Taste Metallic" proves that it's not the drugs you take while listening to this album, it’s the album itself that evokes pure happiness. The Flaming Lips, while they ironically consist of a bunch of hippies (and a former heroin addict), don't necessarily rely on these substances for release. You don't need drugs to dull and numb your pain, expecting it to simply detach itself and fade away.
Let's get one thing straight: You don't need drugs to feel euphoric happiness. A true classic to any fan who's heard it, "Clouds Taste the Metallic" is the sound of pure happiness. The Lips reach the height of their "classic" sound, writing weird, experimental, yet catchy pop gems. Review Summary: The greastest pop album of the last decade.