Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

Product Information

A prominent bass line from Michael Ivins pounds throughout "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell". Musically, it has that feeling of a migraine coming on. The character at the centre of the song is waiting for someone to return their love, but it remains unrequited. Whilst they are fixated on this person, other possible opportunities may pass them by, even better than the one they wish for. The song reminds me a little of early Morcheeba, which is by no means terrible. While the album itself absolutely holds up 20 years after its release, the expansive, 4-disc reissue is more of a mixed bag. There are demos here that unveil an interesting side to the band’s creative process but also sound odd given how intricate their recordings typically are. But this reissue isn’t as interested in showcasing the songwriting process of the Flaming Lips as it is in reinforcing the image that the Lips crafted for themselves around this time. So, rather than Yoshimi rarities, we’re treated to a barrage of covers, two concerts, tons of radio sessions, and the song they did for the Spongebob Squarepants movie. Some of these are larks that are hard to get annoyed with, but one can see the beginnings of the band’s shift from a creative force to a band for whom spectacle trumps everything. I’m not in a position to read Wayne Coyne’s mind, but it’s hard not to hear his pretty limp cover of Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and not think that it exists as a small attention-grabbing stunt that precedes things like doing a full-album cover of Dark Side of the Moon and recording songs with Miley Cyrus. What’s more, while the live material sounds great, it also misses the point of the band’s live shows. Visuals are a crucial component to what made the band such a compelling and joyous live act around this time, and while some of that comes through on the recordings, it ultimately feels incomplete. Selected items are only available for delivery via the Royal Mail 48® service and other items are available for delivery using this service for a charge.

CD1 of the box set is Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, with some additional demo versions thrown in for good measure. "Fight Test" starts proceedings with a healthy dollop of techno noise, immediately highlighting the embracing of electronic music on this album. A song about personal struggle and love, it helped earn Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) a few quid. An unintentional similarity in vocal parts of the song to the Cat Stevens hit "Father and Son" saw a settlement made with Stevens. However, in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Coyne alluded to knowing there may be comparisons made. Please don't ask me; I'm not a music lawyer. In the Morning of the Magicians" takes us on a dreamier and more wistful journey. The song feels like an autumn breeze washing over you, accompanied by the occasional emergency services siren passing by. The song touches on the power of the universe and the fate that awaits us. Is life preordained? Is our journey written at birth? Coyne croons, "As the dawn began to break/I had to surrender/The universe will have its way/Too powerful to master." There are also some demos on CD1. They may not appeal to everyone, but it aids in painting a picture of how the album evolved. For example, the "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1" demo sounds awful in places (mainly because it is not recorded in the best audio quality). Still, it enables you to appreciate the process which led to the final cut. When you look inside, all you'll see is a self-reflected inner sadness" is sung by Coyne with an airy, wafty quality to his voice. The last forty seconds of the song bring you a feeling of sadness that slowly dissipates as you become detached from the summertime and wander into your own hard winter. The Flaming Lips will celebrate two decades since their 10th studio album ‘Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots’ with a deluxe reissue, as well as anniversary shows in London and Washington, DC.

Credits (16)