The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends

AlbumJun 25 / 201213 songs, 1h 7m 51s
Neo-Psychedelia
Popular
8.2 / 10

This Record Store Day round-up of collaborations conducted over the past year features a cast that includes Ke$ha, Chris Martin, Nick Cave, Yoko Ono, Bon Iver, Neon Indian, and Lightning Bolt, among others. Amazingly, it hangs together well as a front-to-back album.

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After the release of their freaked-out twelfth album, Embryonic, the Flaming Lips went on a predictably unpredictable musical bender.

In days gone by, describing a Flaming Lips album as “bewildering” could easily have passed as an endorsement, such was the dazzling nature of their pre-2010s output. Since then, however, their star has fallen – coincidentally just as frontman Wayne Coyne’s head seems to have taken permanent flight for the clouds.

7.0 / 10

Is that Ke$ha fondling Wayne Coyne's foot? It certainly is...

8 / 10

Following last year’s over-indulgence of EPs, including a six-hour long track, it’s back to normality for Wayne Coyne and crew, although ‘normality’ is not a word that sits comfortably with an

The Flaming Lips collaborate with pop stars and oddballs on a madcap album that's surprisingly unified, writes <strong>Kitty Empire</strong>

7 / 10

Oddly for an album featuring collaborations with artists as diverse as Yoko Ono and Lightning Bolt, the Flips' newie lacks variety, writes <strong>Maddy Costa</strong>

78 %

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, Bella Union **

Wayne Coyne's wigged-out band links up with some A-list kindred spirits. CD review by Bruce Dessau

8 / 10