Props to The Flaming Lips for rejecting conventional notions of the standard "12-track album/A-Side Single with one B-Side/next 12-track album" formula when deciding to release new music. The group's latest EP is a mini-album with a focus on "Fight Test," the motivational folk rocker that kicks off last year's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.

But the positive aspects of the EP are pretty much limited to its respectability. The remarkable title track is followed by a unique but awkward series of abnormal pokes at pop culture, including an over-dramatized cover of Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" that is too serious for me to take entirely as a joke. We're also faced with a plodding version of Radiohead's "Knives Out," a country-heavy cover of Beck's "The Golden Age" and a semi-inside joke tribute to The White Stripes titled, "Thank You Jack White (For the Fiber-Optic Jesus that You Gave Me)." This track is one of the EP's strongest because even without its humorous lyrics and singer Wayne Coyne' s "manon the road" narration, it would make for a memorable tune.

The other Lips original, "The Strange Design of Consequence," is decent enough as well, but it's almost too difficult to get through the 9-minute, over-saturated dance remix of Yoshimi's beautiful "Do You Realize??" to hear it. The Fight Test EP is worth checking out for a curious fan, but my recommendation is to let your crazy obsessive friend get it, borrow it and pop it in once and then put Yoshimi back on.

-- Reviewed by Paul Weinstein