Review - The Flaming Lips: At War With The Mystics

by John Mizer
May 16 2006

Did you ever find a CD that you like so much that you pester your friends with it- expecting them to embrace the very same musical validity as you? At War With The Mystics is one of those CDs....maybe. Vascillating between creative and annoying is where the Flaming Lips like to hang out on At War With The Mystics. The absurdity of Frank Zappa is found on this disc from time to time with heavy doses of early 70's progressive rock- particularly pre Dark Side Pink Floyd and vintage Yes. I'm not sure whether the songs improve as the disc plays out or if they grow on you. Either way they both inspire and require repeated listening. To quote the great philosopher Nigel Tufnel- "It's a fine line between clever and stupid". At War with The Mystics bravely walks that line.

Rating: 4 out of 5