The Flaming Lips-At War With The Mystics

Oh yeah: The Flaming Lips have a new album out this year. As usual, it was on the list the day it was released, right after “Update Work Spreadsheet” and right before “Pick Up Bread.” As unenthused as I was when listening to “Yoshimi” the first time, I set the proper expectation for “At War With The Mystics” because, to be honest, I hate feeling letdown.
But alright, far out, and aw yeah, this new one is right up my classic rock alley. They’ve be nodding to and occasionally covering the classic rock stalwarts they grew up with for twenty years now, but “Mystics” is the first time they’ve had both the studio wizardry (read: Dave Friddman) and a band member (read: Steven Drozd) capable enough to pull off a prog-rock statement.
I say statement because, apparently, there’s some correlations between the content of the songs and our current political situation. Forgive me if I don’t really know for sure; I was too busy admiring how “Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung” totally rips off Floyd circa ’71.

It’s not as good as “The Soft Bulletin,” and some may argue not as good as “Yoshimi.” But I’m playing it more than “Yoshimi” and I understand that “Bulletin” may be the Lips last truly incredible album.
Whatever. They still have it in ‘em to make consistently good-on-the-verge-of great albums which, by my calculation, puts them in the top five most important bands around today. And like Pink Floyd’s “Meddle,” The Flaming Lips’ “A War With The Mystics” will also sound really good on the years thirty years from today.