There is only one band that could write a song for pop songstress Gwen Stefani and call it I Like To Masturbate and Think of Outer Space. This band is Oklahoma’s own The Flaming Lips. Thankfully, The Lips decided to record the song themselves as a space-rock stomper and retitled it It Overtakes Me / The Stars Are So Big and I Am So Small … Do I Stand a Chance?
At this point you may be asking, why should I care? Well, the reason you should care is because this song is the centrepiece of one of the most blindingly brilliant albums you may ever hear, and it’s just been released. At War With the Mystics (Warner Brothers), The Lips’ 11th album, sees the band chartering new territory, creating another psychedelic classic that is sure to stand the test of time.
Many would have doubted The Lips’ ability to better their last album, the masterpiece that was Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, but that is just what they have gone and done. Gone are the swathes of lush synthesisers and songs of computers learning to love, replaced by a funk/prog/pop odyssey.
Buried deep beneath the album’s sonic weirdness and existential lyrics of love, loss and pain emerges a dedicated affection for the original acid-rockers, Pink Floyd, none more so than on Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung.
Also evident is a fondness for Midnite Vultures-era Beck, who the band toured with after releasing Yoshimi. Head Lip Wayne Coyne has chosen to branch out on this album, writing some of his most overtly political lyrics yet. Obviously targeted at United States President George Bush, Coyne’s lyrics remain loose stabs at the corruption of power, while still maintaining their focus on the personal. What more can you expect from a band that performs on stage among numerous Santas and Scientologist ninjas? As Coyne explains, the Santas represent the Christian Church, the ninjas the Scientologists and the band, in the middle, are the voice of reason.
ALSO ON THE SHELF
Andrea Bocelli
Amore (Universal)
On Amore, blind tenor Andrea Bocelli strays from his classical hunting grounds and performs Italian, French and Spanish songs dating from the 1920s to the 1980s. Some of these were English-language hits for stars such as Perry Como, Elvis Presley and Bing Crosby, but love always did have more feeling in French. A subdued Christina Aguilera, Kenny G and Stevie Wonder guest-star (a shot at winning over new fans from three different audiences?) alongside a roster of veteran instrumentalists, and the legendary David Foster co-produced: with a recipe like this, Amore was bound to rise to the occasion. It won’t please the cynics among us, but it’s hard not to warm to the sensuous sounds and Spanish guitars. — Riaan Wolmarans
Corinne Bailey Rae
Corinne Bailey Rae (EMI)
This British singer-songwriter is now being heard on South African radio singing the low-key, bluesy Put Your Records On. Her eponymous first album debuted in the top-chart spot in her home country; here it might take some time, but listeners are taking note of her soulful charm. On sparse opener Like a Star, Enchantment (which could, slightly tweaked, be a trip-hop fantasy) and other tracks, Rae sounds like a tasteful and presentable version of Macy Gray, despite her indie-rock background. Altogether, though, the album needs more variation, or more backbone: by the last track one has had quite enough warm feelings and mellow moods. — RW
James Blunt
Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions (Gallo)
Listening to a recording of a live performance gives a true indication of talent — and James Blunt has it. No surprise then that he went from muso hopeful to signed artist in six months. Live in Ireland CD aside, the DVD component of this business-savvy package provides an interesting glimpse into the life of Blunt, from his childhood days moving around Europe with his military dad and family to his own days in the army. His lyrical appeal lies in the everyday stories behind his songs — situations anyone can relate to — and the complete honesty with which he tells them is rare. He’s not prone to using instruments simply for the sake of sound; each track is composed to enhance his distinctive voice, whether it’s just a piano on Goodbye My Lover or a full musical complement on Billy. And that’s where Blunt’s success lies. — Kelly Fletcher
Placebo
Meds (EMI)
Placebo shoots. Placebo scores. Again. They’ve carved, created and captured a niche with their punky rock sound, and collaborating with the infallible Michael Stipe (on Broken Promise) is a sure sign of the greatness to come. And come it does, throughout the trio’s fifth album. Their versatility is on full display once again with sharp switches from hard, menacing and completely infectious on the title track to creepy and catchy on slightly disturbing love song Post Blue to haunting and melodic on In the Cold Night of Morning. Placebo don’t play a note wrong on this tightly produced album — just another factor adding to the appeal of the offering — and Meds takes the band a few more rungs up the ladder of rockdom. — KF
Tidal Waves
Muzik an de Method (Tidal Music)
Add one part roots reggae, one part rock riffage, one part maskandi, one part dub groove and one part mbaqanga, then stir. This is the mouth-watering recipe for the new album from Yeoville quartet Tidal Waves. Originally hailing from Klerksdorp, Tidal Waves have just released their third independent album and it is a sure-fire winner that doesn’t so much push the envelope of South African reggae, but mail it into outer space. Recorded in Pretoria’s Wolmer studios under the watchful eye of producer/engineer Lanie van der Walt, the album is a melting pot of influences and sounds, including a cover of Koos Kombuis’s Hartseerland, a boere-sokkie dub anthem Lekker Lekker Dans and a folky Kia Ora (thank you in Maori), a message to the locals of New Zealand following the band’s warm reception during their tour in 2003. — Lloyd Gedye