Album Review: The Flaming Lips - Oczy Mlody
By Maria Lubanovic, Contributor
[Warner Bros.; 2017]
Rating: 5.5/10
Key Tracks: “Oczy Mlody,” “We a Famly,” “Nigdy Nie”
After emerging on the alternative scene in 1983 with their psychedelic sound, The Flaming Lips are always guaranteed to release their own unique take on alternative music. Their newest album, Oczy Mlody, has some great moments that make the album an interesting listen.
Most of the tracks on Oczy Mlody are soft and ambient, with unique instrumentals. The title track “Oczy Mlody” and the last track “We a Famly” have fantastic background beats and bell tones that make these tracks break out from the rest of the pack. Similarly awesome is “Nigdy Nie,” toting a fantastic bass sound that trades off with light singing and beating treble tones. “We a Famly” is a duet between Miley Cyrus and Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne. The beginning of it sounds like a combination of a video game and a church bell, and has the best lyrics by far.
One of the biggest downfalls of Oczy Mlody are the lyrics;. with copious F-bombs and childlike writing, it seems like a letdown in comparison with the background music. “There Should Be Unicorns” has a well done musical backing, but the lyrics are way out there: “There should be unicorns, the ones with the purple eyes not the green eyes” is not the most brilliant lyric. It only really makes sense in their last chorus, when there is a spoken word section that talks about giving the police money to retire and getting super high, which seems like a sufficient explanation for the whole song. “One Night While Hunting for Faeries and Witches and Wizards to Kill” and “Listening to the Frog with Demon Eyes” have similar lyrical issues.
Overall, the album has its problems, but the actual music behind Oczy Mlody make it worth a listen. When not listening carefully, the album sounds like a running collection of electronic ambient-psych music.
