At War With The Mystics
by The Flaming Lips
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 123 out of 156
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 156
  3. Negative: 10 out of 156

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  1. Mike
    Nov 7, 2006
    3
    A serious decline from Yoshimi. Sincerity is really missing from this record, and that is not a good thing since that is a Flaming Lips strength. The production feels very bland, and the melodies are very poor (another Flaming Lips strength that doesn't appear on this record). This album is like a Radiohead album. It sounds ok the first few listens, but then you realize it's A serious decline from Yoshimi. Sincerity is really missing from this record, and that is not a good thing since that is a Flaming Lips strength. The production feels very bland, and the melodies are very poor (another Flaming Lips strength that doesn't appear on this record). This album is like a Radiohead album. It sounds ok the first few listens, but then you realize it's just "experimental" music that is really just borrowed from Pink Floyd. Pink Floyd it is not. What happened to the genius Lips that created the Soft Bulletin, Transmissions from the Satellite Heart and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots? I can't think of finer rock records. Hopefully the get back in the studio ASAP.… Expand
  2. JonnyFreshNone
    Apr 29, 2006
    1
    This album is the sound of Pro-Tools coming alive, and being able to catch and eat the Flaming Lips band members because they were tired and just sitting in the control room. Lots of effects. No melodies. Poor lyrics. Tired sounding singing. Flat production and engineering on the drums. A flat, dying-goose sound for a guitar on almost every track. Forgotten .wav files in Pro Tools tacked This album is the sound of Pro-Tools coming alive, and being able to catch and eat the Flaming Lips band members because they were tired and just sitting in the control room. Lots of effects. No melodies. Poor lyrics. Tired sounding singing. Flat production and engineering on the drums. A flat, dying-goose sound for a guitar on almost every track. Forgotten .wav files in Pro Tools tacked on the end of songs. Four years for this? Are the Lips even a rock band anymore, or a corporation? As Wayne says on one of the worst Flaming Lips songs ever made ( Haven't Got a Clue): " Oh, Come on".… Expand
  3. StevenL
    Apr 17, 2006
    3
    Color me disappointed.
  4. MarkO
    Apr 6, 2006
    2
    Mediocre garbage. Are there actually any songs on this record? The first two tracks strive to grab a top 40 crowd but I think even they would recognize how shallow and empty these songs are. The rest are a more sedate and boring act of self indulgancy. A major disappointment.
  5. DaveC
    Apr 5, 2006
    3
    very disappointing after their last 2 albums - where did the melodies go??
  6. JP
    Apr 5, 2006
    2
    very disappointing effort... maybe next time, eh?
  7. admirals
    Apr 5, 2006
    3
    Those who rated this album 8, 9, or 10 must be crazy!! The only reason this album is worth listening to at least once is because it is The Flaming Lips. If this was made by some other unknown band, it would be panned. I would expect this to be widely available in the second-hand bins of your local record shop in the very near future!!!
  8. LucySD
    Apr 5, 2006
    2
    pretend music made for the trendy drug users of this generation. not very good though, only a couple of stand out songs, the rest is just boring. very disappointing, compared to their last two albums

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Most Discussed Album of 2006
78
#78 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 37
  3. Negative: 1 out of 37
  1. Amazon.com
    90
    Coyne is a shrewd observer of human nature, and an even shrewder songwriter and this album stands as his greatest and most varied work yet.
    Read full review
  2. Filter
    92
    Each consecutive [song] is stranger than the last. [#19, p.88]
  3. Los Angeles Times
    88
    The weird part is how well this stuff holds together, a delirious jumble of android psychedelia and Coyne's elliptical wordplay that goes down as easily as warm milk (spiked with acid). [26 Mar 2006]
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