2LP
Bella Union (2020) UK, EU
American Head is the best and most consistent studio album from The Flaming Lips since the release of their most successful brace of albums The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. Similar to those records, the 13 cinematic songs on American Head are classically structured and feature the same sonic and production qualities. Kacey Musgraves (a fan who covers "Do You Realize" in her live set) is a guest on three tracks – "Watching the Lightbugs Glow" as well as the focus tracks "Flowers Of Neptune 6" and "God and the Policeman." "Flowers of Neptune 6" serves as the first new music from The Lips since 2019's internationally acclaimed King's Mouth Music And Songs. Produced by Dave Fridmann and The Flaming Lips, it reflects the gentler side of the band's paisley oeuvre and melodically flows downstream into a welcoming wormhole of wistful summer pop.