Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
[Warners]

Remember when poor Jack White broke his finger and left Festival organisers in a bigger quandary than the manager-less and directionless Newcastle United F.C.? Their saving grace at T in the Park was Wayne Coyne and his mystically exuberant outfit Flaming Lips, who performed The White Stripes covers with gusto and compact aplomb. Well, this experience has obviously had an impact on them, as the theme of volume and intensity rushes some of the dozen tracks on this parade.

The sensational surreal vein delivered via 'Free Radicals' was borne out of a dream Wayne had, whereby, Devandra Banhart is pleading with a suicide bomber to change his mind. It is a good job that James Blunt wasn't the object of this dream, as it would have turned into a nightmare in so many ways.

Coyne's once soft and soothing vocals have been sandpapered over to produce a glam rock kick to accompany the whining and sliding guitars featuring in offerings like 'The Wizard Turns On'. A noticeable aspect of the band's growth leaps out in their atmospheric leanings that rivals Sonic Youth, coming through via 'The Cosmic Autumn Rebellion' and 'Vein Of Stars'.

Of course, cosmic imagery illuminates this Flaming Lips night sky, but you just get the feeling that there is not the same cohesion that gripped previous releases like 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots'. However, this slight disjointedness could well be what they intended and without a doubt, The Lips continue to make their unique mark on music.