Flaming Lips discography

Hear It Is (1986 Restless Records)

Gothic tinged (bigtime death obsession) noise rock with a bit of dustbowl boogie in there. Would have made a good soundtrack to a Nick Cave western. Includes a spazzy version of Blue Cheer’s “Summertime Blues.”

Oh My Gawd!!! (1987)

Sounding a bit like Neil Young and Crazy Horse meeting acid-rock in a punk bar, the band explores a classic rock seam with hardcore abandon—plus experimental touches—echoing the Texas drugrock of the Butthole Surfers. Highlights such as “Everything’s Exploding” and “Can’t Stop the Spring” have hooks and a psychedelic outlook that will emerge as the band’s trademark.

Telepathic Surgery (1989)

Druggy noodling balances some of the band’s most explosive and catchy guitar rock—right in line with the grunge explosion that’s hitting the Northwest. The band emerge alongside Dinosaur Jr. as slightly elder statesmen to the melodic hard rockers of the underground. Slamming drums and idiotic song titles, too. Doubled vocals and “U.F.O. Story” probably seemed cool at the time—but kinda dopey now.

In a Priest Driven Ambulance (1990)

For those paying attention, the Lips (with Mercury Rev’s Jonathan Donahue in the fold) really kick started the alternative rock takeover ’90s with this slightly paranoid thriller of an album—which found the band’s pop sensibility and exploratory sounds stretching out. It may sound a tad rough-hewn now but at the time, its layers of noise and melody felt revolutionary. It boasts three “Jesus songs”—the most of any Lips album—plus an accidentally lovely cover of “Wonderful World.”

Hit to Death in the Future Head (1992 Warner Bros. Records)

The weirdest band ever signed to Warner Brothers? Maybe. But the Lips rise to the occasion, mainly in the vocal department here. Songs like “Talkin Bout the Smilin Deathporn Immortality Blues” and “Halloween on the Barbary Coast” are examples of Coyne’s finest singing. The band’s more refined sonics still pay tribute to the psychedelic feel of predecessors like the Beatles—“Barbary Coast” has a distinct Kundalini vibe. It’s probably the band’s most underrated album.

Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (1993)

With fellow travelers Nirvana now a household name, it seems natural for the Lips to follow suit. But somehow, Satellite, which starts strong, gets really goofy—and many of the silly bits are packed into the hooky (and hugely popular) “She Don’t Use Jelly” which ends up a novelty hit of sorts. “Plastic Jesus” also falls a bit flat—and Transmissions ends up uneven by Lips standards. Still, it launches the band on rock radio and high profile tours.

Clouds Taste Metallic (1995)

Green vinyl! “Bad Days” switched to ten on your old man’s hi-fi? The 90s never got much better. Some of the band’s best tunes such as “Kim’s Watermelon Gun” are here with dueling chrome-plated guitars and thwacking drums and bells. Magnificent sounds abound.

Zaireeka (1997)

The band’s boombox happenings required synchronized recorded tracks meant to be played from cars in parking lots. Assembled as an album, the result is freakier than anything the Lips have done. The tunes probably work better in quadraphonic sound than as proper rock songs. But strangely, some symphonic touches and ethereal moods conspire with strings and jet take-off sounds to indicated a new direction for the Lips.

The Soft Bulletin (1999)

The band surrounds us in orchestrated and sometimes synthesized textures for its most sophisticated and elegant album—the drums still thwack but behind layers of strings, analog synths and delicious melodies. It’s a clear critical favorite of the year—and feels more likely to stand the test of time. Our music editor prefers the mixes on the U.K. version.

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)

The Lips play around with electronic beats and synth gurgles. The title track, central to the loose concept of the album, is a fine, delicate piece of psychedelic cotton candy—trippy and sweet.

At War with the Mystics (2006)

The band’s restless experiments in style put it closer to Beck of Midnight Vultures on tunes like “Free Radicals” and the soft-rocker “Mr. Ambulance Driver.” In its promiscuity, some see it as a return to thumping rock music with powerful riffs. But the grand pop gestures of the previous two albums are largely absent.

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