Reading Time: 2 min read

3.5 out of 5 stars

The Flaming Lips, Oczy Mlody ยฉ Warner Bros.

The Flaming Lips tap Miley Cyrus for the assist on โ€œWe a Famly,โ€ the fourth single from Oczy Mlody. ย 

Experimental rock band The Flaming Lips donโ€™t sell particularly well. Did they ever? The answer is a resounding no. To date, the RIAA has certified just one TFL album: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot.ย  Regardless, the band is prolific, continuing to push boundaries musically.ย  After a two-year hiatus โ€“ With a Little Help From my Fwends, released in late 2014 โ€“ TFL return with new album, Oczy Mlody.ย  Ahead of Oczy Mlody, the band issued four singles: โ€œHow??โ€, โ€œSunrise (Eyes of the Young),โ€ โ€œThe Castle,โ€ and โ€œWe a Famly,โ€ featuring Miley Cyrus. ย 

Before deeply analyzing โ€œWe a Famlyโ€, check out how The Flaming Lip spell the title.ย  The titular lyric is reiterated throughout the chorus. The record opens with loopy synths that sound as if they were taken straight out of a video game. These solidify the psychedelic rock, cementing the 60s-throwback vibe. Ultimately, โ€œFamlyโ€ uses an excellent blend of the arpeggiated synths with gritty guitar (and synths) and pummeling drums.

Coyneโ€™s voice is fantastic here, sounding clearer compared to other singles. Following the core of verse one, some of the clarity fades. The vocal effects are kicked up a notch โ€“ or threeโ€ฆ Even sacrificing the clarity, the use of effects adds additional contrast.ย  The chorus lacks depth, but is catchy: โ€œWe a family, we a family, we a familyโ€ฆโ€Miley Cyrus adds her distinctive pipes on the second verse. This serves as an excellent addition to this weird song:

โ€œItโ€™s been a long hot summer
I miss you, itโ€™s a bummer, yeah
We both travelinโ€™
Youโ€™re somewhere south of Wichitaโ€ฆโ€

Final Thoughts

Like all The Flaming Lips songs, this one is distinct, even if it sacrifices itself a bit for the sake of pop.ย  Nonetheless, โ€œWe a Famlyโ€ is incredibly interesting.

3.5 out of 5 stars


The Flaming Lips โ€ข Oczy Mlody โ€ข Warner Bros. โ€ขย Release: 1.13.17
Photo Credits: Warner Bros.

 

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the musical hype

the musical hype aka Brent Faulkner has earned Bachelor and Masters degrees in music (music Education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and a freelance music journalist. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.

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