Even months before its release, it seemed as if everyone had already assumed that the latest record from The Flaming Lips would effectively mark the end of the band's run as alternative rock's quirky reigning champions. When the first single from At War With the Mystics hit the airwaves, I was almost inclined to believe that it was indeed over. "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" was cute and playful enough to hold my attention, but in no way reassured me of the band's ability to create yet another masterpiece. Fortunately, "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" is merely the welcoming gateway to a truly engaging experience.
With At War With the Mystics, The Flaming Lips have taken the original mold used by late 60's psychedelic pop pioneers, smashed it to pieces, and rebuilt it again using only the best of modern technology. This album unabashedly begs for your undivided attention. At its best, At War With the Mystics is both sentimentally beautiful and unapologetically silly.
Aside from "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" and "Mr. Ambulance Driver" (which was previously released on the soundtrack to Wedding Crashers), At War With the Mystics is essentially a wandering collection of ideas that most likely ended up vastly different than they began. The obvious experimental nature of many of the tracks (such as "Free Radicals" and "Pompeii Am Gammerung") is exactly what makes them, as well as the album as a whole, so utterly enjoyable. Experimentation, whether leading to ultimate success or embarrassing disaster, is always more interesting than apathetic rehashing. As long as The Flaming Lips remember this, it is quite possible that they will never have to relinquish their crown.
