The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends
by The Flaming Lips
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 24
  3. Negative: 2 out of 24
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  1. Mojo
    Aug 8, 2012
    60
    The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends was the perfect Record Store Day artefact--dramatising the value and mystique of physical recordings. [Sep 2012, p.94]
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  2. Q Magazine
    Aug 20, 2012
    60
    The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends runs the risk of turning into a cluttered affair, but what unfolds is an atmosphere of uninhibited adventure. [Sep 2012, p.100]
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  3. The Guardian
    Jul 26, 2012
    60
    Beneath the sludge and churning distortions, however, is a characteristically generous squaring-up to life's horror and humanity that is worth excavating.
  5. Drowned In Sound
    Jul 25, 2012
    60
    The best moments are those which eschew any attempt to write proper 'songs' and instead simply try to convince the listener that he or she is travelling on an epic, wobbly, thrilling and frightening, mind-expanding journey through outer space.
  6. The Observer (UK)
    Jun 25, 2012
    60
    The songs on Fwends swing between rejoicing and dread, sometimes within the same piece of music. The sky is falling, the Lips want to remind us, and it might not be just an acid flashback.
  7. Los Angeles Times
    Jun 26, 2012
    50
    It seldom gathers enough momentum, and doesn't feel the least bit cohesive.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. ElvarFreyr
    Dec 17, 2015
    10
    It's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt'sIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's okIt's ok… Full Review »
  2. Professahex
    Jul 25, 2012
    5
    Okay so technically this is an album but really its just a bunch of collabos that were put together while touring. As recently reported TheOkay so technically this is an album but really its just a bunch of collabos that were put together while touring. As recently reported The Flaming Lips have set the Guinness World Record for more performances within a 24 hour period beating Jay-Z's 7 performance record. Also, as you may have seen on the internet as well as on our blog, there has been a video "accidentally released" which features Erykah Badu and her sister nude to go alongside a collab they did. Thats a lot of publicity and noise around an album that sounds like its an old remixed and remastered PinkFloyd Album. In terms of long exaggerated orchestration, dramatic key and time changes, and complex structures. Which aren't terrible elements to have. Dont get me wrong, Im down with the whole psychedelic alternative sound, its just that its not a something that can be listened to everywhere or all the time. Now, the album opens up with a track feat. Ke$ha and BizMarkie and Hour of the Time Majesty 12 called "2012[You Must Be Upgraded]". It Aint half bad. The vocal arrangement of it is interesting as it reminds me of an electronic synth-ed Funkadelic song that transforms into an airy ending scene to some cerebral indie film. Speaking of airy cosmic soundscapes, the intro is followed by a gloomy layered track called "Ashes in the Air" Feat. Bon Iver. Its also not terrible but perhaps a little overzealously reverbed. I personally prefer my psychedelic rock to be a little more jammy with strong drum and distorted guitar that strikes like lightning and a deep consistent bassline to make me rock and vibe out. Luckily they recruited my mans Jim James the lead singer/guitarist from My Morning Jacket for a song called "That Aint My Trip" which ironically is my kinda trip. Wish I had a blunt right now for that one. Its also followed by an almost as good song called "You, Man?Human?: feat. Nick Cave. Then the rest of the album jumps into experimental blahzayhood of soundeffects and clickclacks or better yet organized noise passed off as music. So yeah, musically its pretty cool in a "Hey how did they formulate and mix this song that way..." kind of way. It is definitely not an album that you put on your cell phone, ipod, tablet what have you. In fact you will probably only hear this album the next time you get invited to a modern art event sipping dry wines and eating cheeses courtesy of some uppity late 30's hipster.… Full Review »
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