Ok, so I just finished listening to this album all the way through and must say I did not get much out of it on first listen Obviously it's an album that will demand multiple listens. I'd say a good portion of it borders on Psychedelic Avant Garde, of which I've never really been a big fan. I appreciate the experimentation and I could foresee this album having future influence on a new generation who may adapt its sound into more of a pop setting, but a lot of it just sounds like half-complete songs that have one or two ideas at their core with barely any melodies or hooks to speak of. I'm definitely going to listen to it a few more times before I make a final assessment. The album appears to have received very good reviews. I was wondering if anyone else has listened to it yet or has any opinions on it? If nothing else it definitely pushes the envelope.
I haven't listened to it yet and it is definitely on my list of CDs to pick up (but then again so has "Wilco (The Album)", so who knows when I will get around to getting it). I do know that BMoney has it and his first listen through it was similar to your experience, DC. I have really gotten into experimental and avant-garde stuff so what you are saying will probably mean I'll like it a lot. As long as it isn't like Zaireeka where you have to play it on 4 CD players at once to get the full effect, I think everything will be alright!
Haven't had a chance to get this, but I made a mental note about it. I've heard nothing but good things. Excited to hear it!
I've had a copy for several weeks. My initial thoughts were: Wow, this really evokes a Flaming Lips from an earlier era. They have brought back some rock/balls into their songs and tempered the "orchestra sound" of the post-Soft Bulletin era. After multiple listens over a relatively long period of time, they really have expanded on the psychedelic aspect of their (Steven's) song-writing while maintaining a "rock" base. I like it a great deal. Conan: <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5iDjANWsnuc&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5iDjANWsnuc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>
That was my favorite song on the album after the first listen (and also the last song on the album). That performance is incredible.
listened to it yesterday. i will preface my comments by saying that the flaming lips are one of my all-time favorite bands and i have been a fan of them for almost 20 years - ive seen them probably 10 times. i witnessed the 1st 'tape experiment' during sxsw 1996 or 97 - 50 cars in a parking garage - wayne hands a cassette tape to each car and has them all start at the same time, blasting as loud as possible. that stuff all culminated in the zaireeka album. i kept hearing how this album was a return to their early psych-freak-out roots - it kind of is, but its definitely more refined and 'safer' than their 80's/early 90's stuff. imo, its really just a continuation of what they were doing on at war w/ the mystics, which i think is their worst album. i just found myself pretty bored listening to it. i agree w/ dckid's comments that there arent really any memorable hooks or melodies - alot of it sounds like half-assed ideas that they didnt flesh out. the album was written via long jam sessions, so thats kind of understandable. hate to say it, but i think that there is a correlation b/t their main songwriter/multi-instrumentalist quitting heroin and their music getting increasingly lamer.
