Webster's Dictionary defines the term embryonic as "of or relating to the embryo," or "being in an early stage of development." Since 1984, The Flaming Lips has gone through many different stages of development, constantly finding new ways to tune the ears of listeners to its innovative style. Embryonic, the group's latest album, is one of its most futuristic to date.
After 25 years, The Flaming Lips continues to stay relevant. Heavily crowded by instrumental tangents, Embryonic defies the use of accessible hooks to create a wacky ride through the album's 18 tracks.
Where the songs lack vocals, they find a voice in the electronic beats and subtle instrumental gifts hidden in the cracks of each track.
Dark and brooding, the album's psychedelic sounds are a far departure from some of the band's other hits, including "Do You Realize??" and "She Don't Use Jelly."
Fast-forward 100 years, where music might be adorned with an excess of electronic synthesizers and computerized quips -- and that's Embryonic.
The Lips must have had celestial thoughts in mind. It's not only evident in the album's sounds but also in the astrology signs woven into song titles like "Aquarius Sabotage," "Gemini Syringes" and "Sagittarius Silver Announcement."
"Silver Trembling Hands" is a highlight track that illustrates the quirkiness of the album with screeches and the sound of stomping feet, adding to the existing collection of unconventional instrumentals.
And apparently The Lips is getting in tune with its dark side, as a couple of the tracks address the evil nature of people.
In the song "If," lead singer Wayne Coyne clears his throat to sing, "People are evil it's true." In a song simply titled "Evil," he sings, "Oh, I would have shown you/Those people are evil/And they'll hurt you if they can."
"Evil" is Embryonic's most listener-friendly track. Lead singer Coyne sings, "I wish I could go back, back in time," through a ghastly backdrop of instrumental sounds. Group harmonies are inserted into this track as the guys slowly reiterate the lyrics, "Back in time," with just as eerie a tone.
The album mixes heavy rock parts with automated sounds, lending to a harder sound on some of the album's tracks. "See The Leaves," is an example of this, a track that blends a heavy guitar part and some trippy synthesizers.
Each track takes twists and turns even Pitchfork can't pinpoint.
In some of the tracks, voice-overs are inserted in for added effect. In "I Can Be A Frog," Coyne sings in a call-and-response experiment about the many forms that a certain woman can imagine herself to be. As he names each animal, the female singer answers with the animal's or object's sound.
Listeners might eventually yearn for some traditional song construction, but the overall product is a fun escape from the standard hooks of today's hits.
There really is no definitive concept on this album, but maybe Embryonic isn't meant to be understood after all.
Grade: B
Download: "Evil"
