In the land of the Lips, evil pink robots are taking over the world (and Warner Bros. promo goddess Rachel Howardís voice mail) and we have but one hope for survival, a young Asian teen named Yoshimi. But fear not all, sheís a black belt in karate and is known to discipline her body. As for the music, itís interesting, fun, emotional, strange, engrossing, beautiful, and a new staple in my CD changer. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is one of those few albums that can actually be listened to straight through. Thatís right yíall, donít let me catch you skipping right to “Do You Realize?” It is definitely a stand out track, but youíll miss the whole vibe dude. Itís all about sitting back and digging the rich texture and spacy vocals that The Flaming Lips have created to save the music world from the boring, angst ridden hard rock that hormonal, suburban teens canít get enough of these days. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is the antithesis of everything that sucks about alternative radio and will hopefully open the eyes and ears of radio listeners everywhere to the fresh new sound of good music. As I said, though I normally start at the beginning and listen straight through to the end (the one advantage of a shitty, hour-long commute), itís a tradition to include some of my favorite tracks. So here they are, in no particular order ñ “Fight Test,” “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1,” “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 2,” and “Do You Realize?” This album is a must have for any serious music fan.
MATT DUFOUR

The Flaming Lips
Warner Bros.

1. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Again, This Time With A Bonus DVD
2. Tivo Alert – Wayne Coyne On Leno + Lips Go Broadway
3. The Flaming Lips Firm Up Busy Summer Schedule
4. The Flaming Lips Firm Up Busy Summer Schedule
5. Live – The Flaming Lips Light Up with Unlimited Sunshine