Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots [LP]

by The Flaming Lips

Overview

After the symphonic majesty of The Soft Bulletin, the Flaming Lips returned with Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, a sublime fusion of Bulletin's newfound emotional directness, the old-school playfulness of Transmissions From the Satellite Heart, and exciting expressions of the group's emotional and experimental style. While the album isn't as immediately impressive as The Soft Bulletin, it's arguably more consistent, using a palette of rounded, surprisingly emotive basslines, squelchy analog synths, and pristine acoustic guitars on songs like "One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21," a sleekly melancholy tale of robots developing emotions, and "In the Morning of the Magicians," an aptly named electronic art rock epic that sounds like a collaboration between the Moody Blues and Wendy Carlos. Paradoxically, the Lips use simpler arrangements to create more diverse sounds on Yoshimi, spanning the lush, psychedelic reveries of "It's Summertime"; the dubby "Are You a Hypnotist?"; and the barely organized chaos of "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 2," which defeats the evil metal ones with ferocious drums, buzzing synths, and the formidable howl of the Boredoms' Yoshimi. Few bands can write life-affirming songs about potentially depressing subjects (the passage of time, fighting for what you care about, good vs. evil) like the Flaming Lips, and on Yoshimi, they're at the top of their game. "Do You Realize??" is the standout, so immediately gorgeous that it's obvious that it's the single. It's also the most clearly influenced by The Soft Bulletin, but it's even catchier and sadder, sweetening such unavoidable truths like "Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die?" with chimes, clouds of strings, and angelic backing vocals. Yoshimi features some of the sharpest and most complex emotional peaks and valleys of any Lips album. "Fight Test" seems whimsical on the surface but packs a bittersweet punch, while poignant songs like "All We Have Is Now" and "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell" are leavened by witty lyrics and production tricks. Funny, beautiful, and moving, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots finds the Flaming Lips continuing to grow and challenge themselves after delivering a masterpiece. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	02/14/2012
Label:	Warner Bros.
UPC:	0093624952176

Tracks

1. Fight Test
2. One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21
3. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1
4. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 2
5. In the Morning of the Magicians
6. Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell
7. Are You a Hypnotist??
8. It's Summertime
9. Do You Realize??
10. All We Have Is Now
11. Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Flaming Lips   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Sparklehorse   Primary Artist
The Chemical Brothers   Primary Artist
Steven Drozd   Drums
Wayne Coyne   Guitar,Vocals,Lead Vocals
Michael Ivins   Guitar (Bass)

Technical Credits

Trent Bell   Tracking
Andy Taub   Tracking
Syd Barrett   Composer
Steven Drozd   Composer,Performer,Instrumentation
The Flaming Lips   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Recording
The Chemical Brothers   Producer
Irving Berlin   Composer
Ed Simons   Composer
Mark Linkous   Musician
Wayne Coyne   Composer,Instrumentation
Roger Waters   Composer
Mark James   Composer
Richard Wright   Composer
Scott Booker   Producer
Radiohead   Composer
Michael Ivins   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Performer,Instrumentation
Scott Minor   Musician
David Gilmour   Composer
Daniel Johnston   Composer
Dave Fridmann   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Musician,Producer,Mastering,Recording,Programming
Tom Rowlands   Composer
Yoshimi P-We   Musician,Performer
Cathy Dennis   Composer
Jack White   Composer
George Salisbury   Design,Layout Design
Rob Davis   Composer
Beck Hansen   Composer
Yusuf Islam   Composer