I must say, I'm a big Lips fan. I fall asleep with a copy of The Soft Bulletin on every night. Not really, cause that would be creepy, but still, you get my drift. Now that the buzz has started around the new release of "At War With the Mystics," along with two tracks released (The Wand and Mr. Ambulance Driver). I'd like to hear some opinions, because Im sure you will agree with me here, their last two albums will be hard to follow.

I'm suprised no one has responded yet.

I haven't heard the album but I have heard 20 seconds of the The Wand (which in all it's 20 seconds of glory was pretty damn cool) and the Yah Yah Yah Song or whatever it's called. Upon first listen the Yah Yah Yah Song struck me as forced and cheesy. I'll have to give it some time though.

Like someone else here said, it's going to be hard to top their last two. But, if anyone can do it, it is these guys.

Well, as i'm sure ya'll know, the new album was leaked. Somehow I came across a copy of it.

Yoshimi is my favorite lips album, it's the catchiest imo and I like the songs better than on soft bulletin, although I love soft bulletin too. But Yoshimi is just amazing imo.

Anyways, the die hard lips fans are gonna think it's great. I'm not sure I'd consider myself a diehard lips fan. There new album is quite trying, it takes the right mood to sit down and listen to it and really critique it. I guess lately I haven't been in the mood.

But I can say this, it's no Yoshimi and it's no Soft Bulletin, it's different.

None of the songs really speak to me, none of them jumped out at me the way that, say... "pink robots pt 1" did. Or really any of the songs on Yoshimi did. The songs on "mystics" don't seem cohesive to me, they don't seem to flow.

I guees that's about it. I've listened to the album all the way through about 3-4 times. It doesn't strike me as the gems that Yoshimi or soft bulletin are, but that's really just first impression.

I'm really looking forward to this album.. and hoping that they sort of step back to the "Clouds" and "Transmissions" type sound, I was never a big fan of the Soft Bulletin or Yoshimi

Transmissions is still probably my favorite. But I'm glad they're exploring new territories and not repeating themselves, even if they are kind of getting soft these days.

Anyway I listened to the Yeah Yeah Yeah Song some more today and I really like it now. A couple of the other songs I heard were really low key and slow.

I'm still excited to hear the whole thing.

At War With The Mystics is by far my most anticipated release this year. Not saying it will be my favorite, as we all know that great albums always seemingly pop out of nowhere. I actually dig all of their records, starting with Transmissions at least. But my favorite two were Yoshimi (no. 1), and The Soft Bulletin (no.2).

I know this is because I'm a dork, but I don't like listening to an album before I buy it, so I probably wouldn't even try to find a leaked copy. I'm one of those weirdos who feels that the art work that comes with an album adds something to the work. I'll just sit back and patiently wait until its released.

I'm not really a huge Lips fan (only familiar with Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi) so I can't put the album in context, but I think it's pretty good. Need to listen some more before I can really decide.

The album leaked? I really didn't know that. I dont think im gonna download it, mabye if it was an album i was looking forward to less. I download a lot of music, but when an album i really cant wait to hear comes out, I tend to wait to buy it.

Yeah getting leaks is weird. It's exciting at first but then by the time the album comes out it's old for you but everyone else is excited (or pissed). Plus no one cares what you have to say about the leak until it comes out. And if you get a leak and it sucks but you know everyone else is really excited, should you let them down? (Don't worry, that's not the case here with the Lips)... On the other hand, there's been like two good albums since November, and leaks can really hold you over.

I really like their new single "The W.A.N.D". I think that transmissions is great but I think yoshimi is my favorite. Soft Bulletin is great too but I would put it behind the other two, mainly because it was built up too much before I actually heard it and it wasn't as good as I had hoped

I downloaded the new album. Not baaad, just not as good as their last two. I'm not really feeling it so far. Though I've only listened to the album 3-4 times, so maybe it will grow on me. But that's my first impression of it.

"The Sound Of Failure/It's Dark...Is It Always This Dark??" and "Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung" are my favorite songs off it at this point.

This was a pretty disappointing release. Way too many Chipmunk and other annoying vocal effects killed Wayne's uncomparably relevant, political lyrics. For this reason, "The Wizard Turns On" is by far the album's best track.

I'm also a little disappointed with it... Filmore, your comments pretty much sum up my feelings, so I won't say much more.

I was wondering though if anybody here is a fan of The Fiery Furnaces. I think Bitter Tea is quite wonderful, certainly my favorite of the highly anticipated 2006 releases that I've heard so far......

But Yeah, At War with the Mystics is not-so-good. Such a shame...

You guys pretty much said it all. I am not really a flaming lips fan to start off with but I checked it out and I would have to agree to the more of the people who said this album pretty much sucked

Just a heads up for anyone yet to hear it. All songs can be streamed at www.flaminglips.com.
Just click on music and then the new album cover

I think it all sounds pretty good on first listen and am looking forward to buying it on monday.

well, let's be fair here: put aside any context this album comes from (i.e., back-catalog), we have a solid album here. it has longevity, the kind that finds me humming "it overtakes me, it overtakes me, it overtakes me" or the (more annoying) chorus from "yeah yeah yeah song". Yoshimi definitely took a bit of time in the player before it started to came around...

yes, it's pop, lyrically and otherwise, but what's dissappointing about that?

wow the first two songs on this album make for a terrible listen, at least early on in the listening process. i like most of the rest of it though, and skipping the first two tracks everytime i listen won't be as bothersome as if they were planted throughout. i definitely like all the psyche-ambient noises this album offers. the sonic palette they worked with is really interesting, although i think it would sound great with bigger, boomy drums, ala the intro from "race for the prize".

overall, i'm not disappointed, but i'm not initially mind blown by it like i was with the soft bulletin, and its pop aspects seem less endearing then those on yoshimi. and there are no immediate standouts like "do you realize??" or "feeling yourself disinigrate", which made me want to repeat them a dozen times before i could move on to something else.

A very good album... lots of quality here. The song titled "Pompeii at..." is very Pink Floyd goes Flaming Lips, and it's a joy to listen to it. Their sound is saturated, it's like an old vinyl full of dust! No doubts, they are one of this era's leading rock bands.

I think it's boring. No way around it. I love the lipses, but I just can't sit through it.

It feels to me like they just tried to overdo some of the songs and it just doesn't turn out right. For instance the "Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" could've been good and maybe even a radio hit but they put too many annoying yeahyeahyeah's in it so i normally switch the song. "Free radical's" lyrics are just plain awful (as well as the song), and that other song "Haven't Got a Clue" is just as awful as "Free Radicals". But aside from those the rest of the disc seems to be pretty solid. I haven't really put all my attention through a complete listen I just find it hard to get into this album for some reason. I always find myself taking it out and putting in TftSA instead. But there are some real gems on here like "My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion," (A real masterpiece in my opinion) "Sound of Failure," and the two Floyd inspired songs.