The final day at Chicago's Pitchfork music fest this year appeared to be all about the carnivalesque magic of The Flaming Lips. While I (somewhat controversially) think their best music is far behind them, their live show continues to be among the best in the biz.Thanks again for my friend Francis Chung offering up his professional rock photogs to my blog. His work, including these pictures, are regularly featured at Pitchfork's authoritative indie-rock Web site. Also see my posts about his work at the festival on Day 1 and Day 2.
Now, to get you really talking, here is my ranking of The Flaming Lips' official releases. As you can see, I'm a big fan of their mid-period, psych-pop stuff, and I would add that the top 5 here are must-own classics. The rest are more for the die-hards:
12. Christmas on Mars, 200811. Telepathic Surgery, 1989
10. Zaireeka, 1997
09. At War With the Mystics, 2006
08. In a Priest Driven Ambulance, 1990
07. Hear It Is, 1986
06. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, 2002
05. The Soft Bulletin, 1999
04. Clouds Taste Metallic, 1995
03. Oh My Gawd!!!, 1987
02. Transmissions From the Satellite Heart, 1993
01. Hit To Death on the Future Head, 1992
Where will the soon-to-be-released Embryonic fall in the list? And how would you rank the Lips's albums?
transmissions is their best, and their live show on the side stage at lollapalooza was awesome......much better than earlier performances, that lineup was their peak with the afro guitar player that left the band....
ReplyDeleteI saw them with Robyn Hitchcock and Sebadoh at some little place (The Pageant?) in St. Louis way back when. And that Lollapalooza tour.
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