Search - Flaming Lips :: A Collection Of Songs Representing An Enthusiasm For Recording...By Amateurs [ENHANCED CD]

For Completists Only, pretty much

happydogpotatohead | New Orleans, LA USA | 10/11/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Wayne Coyne's self-deprecating liner notes on the inner sleeve are pretty much proven true by the music on this disc. Much of it sounds like the Replacements if the Replacements had taken too much acid instead of drinking too much beer. That being said, there are some good songs on it, like "One Million Billionth Of A Millisecond..." and "God Walks Among Us Now," but largely this is the sound of a band in search of a clear identity. It's not comparable to the band's classic CDs like "Clouds Taste Metallic," "Hit to Death..." or "Soft Bulletin," but it is an interesting glance backwards. The song choice on here is remarkably poor, as well, but Coyne says in the liner notes that some of what he considers the "best" of the early Flaming Lips songs aren't included here. We could all have done without the ultra-lame cover of Led Zep's "Thank You" and the completely aimless "Michael Time To Wake Up" and "Hell's Angels Cracker Factory." In short, this shouldn't be anyone's first exposure to the Lips, but it's OK for fans who want to complete their collection. Not great...just OK."

Early Greatest Hits Typically Idiosyncratic Flips

alex lumaghi | Maryland Heights, MO United States | 04/27/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a rather bizarre collection, mixing a handful of the better songs of their early albums (Unconsciously Screamin', God Walks Among us Now) with live covers (such as a truly miserable take on LZ's Thank You-the bad band I was in in high school played it better) and various curiosities. Early songs like Jesus Shooting Heroin and One Millionth Billionth... hint at the conceptual and stylistic heights of originality the band would reach in the next decade, but there is throughout an amateurish quality to them most will find jarring. Flipsheads who already own most of the early albums will find little of interest, although Strychnine/Peace Love and Understanding, a sloppy, unholy alliance of the Sonics' and Elvis Costello songs, alone was worth the price of the CD for me. If you are going to sit down and listen to this one all the way through, be sure to alter your brain chemistry accordingly or you might get lost."

So very cool!

sparkyboy@hotmail.com | Birmingham, Alabama | 06/08/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Flaming Lips deserve so much more than their 15 minutes of MTV/radio fame permit them. Sure, "She Don't Use Jelly" is a good song, but they are capable of so much more. This collection of Lips songs proves it. The previous review is correct. Wayne continuously rips the band as being mediocre, but I really think the material is incredible. I only wish that half of the bands that crowd the television and airwaves had half the talent or creativity of the Lips! With songs like "Jesus Shootin' Heroin", who needs pop culture icons like Dave Matthews and Trent Reznor?!? And wait until you hear 'The Soft Bulletin'!!!!!!"