Embryonic

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For the stage of biological development, see Embryo.
Embryonic
Studio album by The Flaming Lips
Released October 13, 2009
Recorded 2009
Genre Alternative rock, indie rock, neo-psychedelia, space rock, experimental rock
Length 70:17
Language English
Label Warner Bros.
Producer The Flaming Lips, Dave Fridmann, Scott Booker
Professional reviews
The Flaming Lips chronology
Once Beyond Hopelessness
(2008)		 Embryonic
(2009)		 The Dark Side of the Moon
(TBA)

Embryonic is the title of the twelfth studio album by experimental rock band The Flaming Lips released on October 13, 2009.[1] It is the first double album to be released by the band, announced during an interview with the band's frontman Wayne Coyne,

Somewhere along the way it occurred to me that we should do a double album... Just this idea that you can weave a couple of themes into there and you can sprawl a little bit.[2]

Several other artists made contributions to various tracks on the album. German mathematician Dr. Thorsten Wörmann contributed to the track "Gemini Syringes", synthpop band MGMT contributed to the song "Worm Mountain", and Karen O (lead singer of the alternative rock trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs) contributed to the songs "I Can Be a Frog" and "Watching the Planets."[3] Karen O's contributions were recorded by Wayne Coyne over the phone.[4]

Contents

[edit] Background and promotion

On August 13, 2009, the song "See the Leaves" was reviewed and streamed on Pitchfork.com[5] On September 3, 2009, the album was previewed in its entirety on The Fly website, using Wayne Coyne's own track-by-track guide. [6]

On September 17, 2009, the band appeared on The Colbert Report and announced that the album would stream in its entirety on Colbertnation.com until September 21 2009. [7]

Embryonic was streamed in full on the UK music site clashmusic.com on October 5, just over a week ahead of its release.

[edit] Track listing

The track listing for the album was confirmed by the band's drummer, Kliph Scurlock, on August 2, 2009.[8]

All tracks are included on one disc.

[edit] Disc one

# Title Length
1. "Convinced of the Hex"   3:56
2. "The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine"   4:14
3. "Evil"   5:38
4. "Aquarius Sabotage"   2:11
5. "See the Leaves"   4:24
6. "If"   2:05
7. "Gemini Syringes" (featuring Thorsten Wörmann and Karen O) 3:41
8. "Your Bats"   2:35
9. "Powerless"   6:57
35:41

[edit] Disc two

# Title Length
10. "The Ego's Last Stand"   5:41
11. "I Can Be a Frog" (featuring Karen O) 2:14
12. "Sagittarius Silver Announcement"   2:59
13. "Worm Mountain" (featuring MGMT) 5:21
14. "Scorpio Sword"   2:02
15. "The Impulse"   3:31
16. "Silver Trembling Hands"   3:59
17. "Virgo Self-Esteem Broadcast" (featuring Thorsten Wörmann) 3:44
18. "Watching the Planets" (featuring Karen O) 5:17
34:44

[edit] iTunes and Amazon MP3 bonus tracks

# Title Length
19. "UFOs Over Baghdad"   5:18
20. "What Does It Mean?"   5:10
21. "Just Above Love"   4:49
22. "Anything Say Now, I Believe You"   6:40

[edit] Deluxe Edition

A deluxe version of the album was released on October 13, 2009.

The deluxe edition includes the original 18 tracks (on two discs) as well as a bonus audio DVD which features the album in full dynamic range at 96k 24 bit audio. The CDs and DVD are in a "fur pack" with an extended booklet which features additional art, lyrics, and band photos. The deluxe edition also comes with a 14 inch by 28 inch lithograph featuring the full album cover. A limited number of pre-orders received an additional lithograph autographed by the band, shipped 2–3 weeks after the release date. [9]

[edit] Sound and influence

The style of these tracks differed from the styles of previous albums, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and At War with the Mystics, and has been reported to be similar to the style of Joy Division, a Miles Davis group, and John Lennon.[2]

Wayne Coyne says the new record solves their perpetual "dilemma" of what to include on each album, by dumping all their ideas on the follow-up to 2006's At War with the Mystics. Coyne had this to say about the double-LP decision to Billboard: "Some of my favorite records – thinking Beatles' White Album, Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti and even some of the longer things that The Clash have done – part of the reason I like them is that they're not focused. They're kind of like a free-for-all and go everywhere. It's not necessarily because we're prolific, I think we always stay in a sort of perpetual panic of like we never have more songs than we need and we always wonder if any of them are any good to begin with." Coyne notes that Embryonic is less polished than Mystics or 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and has a "freak-out vibe". The frontman also notes the influence of Miles Davis's group and slow-burn songs like John Lennon's "Instant Karma!".[2]

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (2009) Position
US Billboard 200[10] 8

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Flaming Lips Unleash “See the Leaves,” “Embryonic” Album Cover". Rolling Stone. 2009-08-13. http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/08/13/flaming-lips-unleash-see-the-leaves-embryonic-album-cover/. Retrieved 2009-08-17. 
  2. ^ a b c "Flaming Lips Stretching Out For 'Mystics' Follow-Up". Billboard.com. 2009-05-13. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/flaming-lips-stretching-out-for-mystics-1003972098.story. Retrieved 2009-05-13. 
  3. ^ MGMT, Karen O Guest on Flaming Lips LP
  4. ^ Watching The Planets Songfacts
  5. ^ http://pitchfork.com/news/36217-hear-the-crazy-new-flaming-lips-song-see-the-leaves/
  6. ^ 'Embryonic' First Listen on The-Fly.co.uk
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ Embryonic Tracklist | The Flaming Lips
  9. ^ http://www.flaminglips.com/store/product/embryonic-deluxe-limited-edition-2cddvd
  10. ^ "Buble Stays On Top, 'New Moon' Grabs No. 2 On Billboard 200". Billboard. 2009-10-21. http://www.billboard.com/#/news/buble-stays-on-top-new-moon-grabs-no-2-on-1004029022.story. Retrieved 2009-10-21. 
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The Flaming Lips
Wayne Coyne · Michael Ivins · Steven Drozd · Kliph Scurlock
Mark Coyne · Dave Kostka · Richard English · Jonathan Donahue · Nathan Roberts · Ronald Jones
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