Soft Bulletin 5.1 [CD + DVD] [DVD AUDIO] [CD+DVD]

With every truly good rock band, they hit their peak in a stunning, magnificent album that leaves people breathless. For the Flaming Lips, that album is "The Soft Bulletin," their 1999 opus -- a trippy, epic, ingeniously strange collection compiled of only good songs. It's not musical perfection, but close to it.

It opens with a glorious Mellotron wave, which is deliberately just a little off, at the start of "Race For The Prize (Sacrifice Of The New Scientists)." "Two scientists were racing/For the good of all mankind/Both of them side by side/So determined," Wayne Coyne croons. With, of course, offbeat echoes and electronic wavers and whispers layered over the indierock melody.

Without sounding overpolished, the songs that follow seem very carefully structured and polished; not a single note is out of place. Coyne sings above smooth, flowing pop songs with a catchy edge. And what songs he sings -- about supermen, debilitating spider bites, buzzin' bugs, scientists trying to cure terminal diseases, and wounded mathematicians.

"Soft Bulletin" also touches on some more uplifting topics -- "What Is The Light" is a purely enchanting variation on the typical love song: "What is the light/That you have/Shining all around you?" And "A Spoonful Weighs A Ton" is a soaring number about how "they" saved the world with the power of love. "And though they were sad/They rescued everyone/They lifted up the sun..."

Not that "uplifting" means cheesy or sappy. The Flaming Lips seem to be completely in earnest. What's more, they add a space-acid flavor to their music which keeps it from ever getting too... well, ordinary. The best description I can come up with is: it's like a big inspirational show on another planet, complete with a celestial pop orchestra. There. If that doesn't make sense, nothing will.

It's hard to find a given album that is entirely made out of excellent, listenable songs. There's usually at least one bad (or mediocre) apple -- including on most other Lips albums. "Soft Bulletin" has none. It has a unique kaleidoscope effect, with shimmering psychedelic music and hopeful, philosophical songwriting.

Wayne Coyne's somewhat nasal vocals actually sound good over this offbeat music, especially when they are echoed and layered. The music itself is wildly complex: flowing basslines and rather muffled drumming, with strings and orchestration. Laid over it all are layers and washes of synth and blips, which add the spacey final touch.

And what does this rerelease have? Among other things, outtakes and extra songs such as the enchantingly ethereal "Up Above The Daily Hum," the hauntingly beautiful "Switch That Turns off the Universe," and others. Wayne Coyne describes the experience of actually MAKING the album, which offers a bit more insight into the already evocative songs.

And of course, the videos: "Race for the Prize" is suitably colorful and bizarre, with joggers covered in electrodes and Coyne singing in front of a brass band. And the other is a shimmering, sunset-toned video full of flowers, fountains, head injuries, and a little boy who finds amazing powers in his little superhero cape. Adorable.

"Soft Bulletin" is probably the best album the Flaming Lips have ever made -- musically rich, lyrically uplifting, and thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. A modern classic.

If you are looking to buy this record, this is the package to get.
Just by dint of being crammed with extras, plus the album in full, this has to qualify as the definitive issue of this remarkable record.
This is a DVD, and CD with videos, bonus tracks and correct subtitles.
The CD of the album is a remixed version of the original. It's not a drastic remixing, but where the sound is ethereal, it floats a little higher, and where the sound sparkled, it sparkles brighter. So more sparkly and floaty then.
If you already like this album, well you want to hear/see that other stuff huh? If you like any Flaming Lips, but don't have this record, I personally guarantee that you will like this, even if you don't agree with me; that this is the defining moment. A breath stopping slice of magic. Dave Fridmann's moment too?

Well I got all 3 big lips LPs on surround at the same time (this, yoshimi and war with mystics) and I can safely say they're worth every penny. This is the simplest arrangement-wise of all but still instruments and arrangements fly around your head in a bewildering fashion. Forget what you know about the original LP, this is the way to hear it. The "visualiser" consists of blobs flashing in time with the music and, although sometimes repetitive, can really add to the experience.

Play loud, turn off the lights and sit in front of your TV. You won't need any mind altering substances to enjoy. There's a new drug in town, Flaming Lips 5.1.