“The W.A.N.D.”
from the album At War With the Mystics
2006
iTunes
Audio streams of “The W.A.N.D.” (via Warner Brothers/Reprise):
QT, ASX
For anyone concerned the Flaming Lips had fallen into some strange trip, writing songs for Spongebob: The Movie and all, it would be easy to forget about the pure acid-drop beauty for which the Oklahoma band was famous. But the Flaming Lips are anything but worth forgetting.
Instead of falling down the animated-feature rabbit hole, the band is back with At War With the Mystics, their first release since 2002’s Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. With the first single, “The W.A.N.D.,“ the band proves they can still be the drug of choice for indie kids in girl jeans.
Handclaps then fuzzed-out guitar riff start off the track that leads into the band in full class-rock style freak-out mode, with a rhythm section pounding with enough force to justify Wayne Coyle proclaiming “We got the power now.” Add in a little organ tweaking and synths, and it begins to feel like 2030 in the Viper Room with space-hippies drinking freeze-dried martinis.
Coyle’s lyrics don’t stray from the typical, at least for him — mindfreaks (I believe he’s talking to you, Mr. President), trying to rule the world, magic, orphans, etc. But as the backup singers chime in and the bass keeps thumping a dance floor beat, in all goes down smooth.
Although Christmas on Mars, the band’s much-discussed and much-delayed film, is still yet to hit shelves, you can be sure the ‘Lips aren’t gathering any dust.