For their fourth and latest covers album, With A Little Help From My Fwends, The Flaming Lips have decided to do a track-by-track tribute to the celebrated Beatles’ record, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. They invited over 20 different artists from various music genres to participate in the project. So what is the result? If you’re a Flaming Lips fan, you’ll find the record very appealing. The weird elements are getting weirder and weirder. They seem to be slowing down their rhythm too. Vocals are distorted and almost encrypted into sound codes in some songs. Their attempt to make pop music is reaching a strange, definitive moment. If you’re a Beatles fan, I don’t think you’ll like this record; there might be some exceptions, of course. All the recognizable things you like about the original album - vocals, melodies, arrangements - have been modified or erased to fit The Flaming Lips’ vision. There are three or four tracks that stay pretty close to the 1967 album but even those received an odd treatment. At this point, after two very intriguing and significant albums, 2009’s Embryonic and 2013’s The Terror, and countless side projects and collaborations, The Flaming Lips being The Flaming Lips are just having fun the way they like to do in their live shows - with everyone participating, crowd, guest musicians, crew, everyone! And with this new record, my sense is that they’re having a blast. Why not experiment with a classic pop album of such renown and get newer fans into their game? Despite how unorthodox and unapproachable it might sound, it’s just pop music that they’re doing. Future pop music Flaming Lips style.

RIYL: The Flaming Lips!

FCC CLEAN!!
Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12 and, 13

1. (2:45) *Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Feat. My Morning Jacket, Fever The Ghost – Long effervescent intro with trademark Flaming Lips squawky vocals then it builds into a solid rendition of the original track shrouded by androgynous choruses and 70’s arena rock riffs.
2. (3:34) With A Little Help From My Friends (Feat. Black Pus & Autumn Defense) –Energetic drum machine beats intro, several vocals filtered through effects following the melody. A parallel singing of the song occurs with frenetic overtones. Crazy drums here and there.
3. (5:42) *Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Feat. Miley Cyrus & Moby) – The closet rendition to the original track with the exception of the main chorus performed at a slower speed. Powerfully dramatic.
4. (4:07) *Getting Better (Feat. Dr. Dog, Chuck Inglish & Morgan Delt) – Synthesizer intro that builds into an acceptable interpretation at slower paced especially with the vocals. Catchy.
5. (3:48) **Fixing A Hole (Feat. Electric Würms) – This is the best cover I have heard of this song. Digitally manipulated but organic enough to smell the dirt. My favorite.
6. (3:12) **She's Leaving Home (Feat. Phantogram, Julianna Barwick & Spaceface) –Cool beats, sticky effects, and beautiful vocals without being too over dramatic. Great pop tune.
7. (2:34) Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! (Feat. Maynard James Keenan, Puscifer & Sunbe) – The same weirdness of the song could have been better explored. It sounds predictable and boring. My least favorite track.
8. (4:39) *Within You Without You (Feat. Birdflower & Morgan Delt) – The 90’s new age meets 70’s krautrock. The Lips are indeed in a total different dimension when it’s about making pop music. Acceptably uncanny.
9. (3:19) **When I'm Sixty-Four (Feat. Def Rain & Pitchwafuzz) – Another moment when things could have gone wrong but somehow, I was pleasantly surprised. Space doodles.
10. (4:19) Lovely Rita (Feat. Tegan And Sara & Stardeath And White Dwarfs) – Cosmic Rita going through a time warp on the day of her birthday. Nice synths.
11. (3:15) Good Morning Good Morning (Feat. Zorch, Grace Potter & Treasure Mammal) – Loud noises everywhere. Distorted upbeat rhythms fight for your attention with all the synthetically manipulated singing happening around.
12. (5:14) **Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Reprise] (Feat. Foxygen & Ben Goldwasser) – This one sounds even better the second time around. Crazy epic ending.
13. *(4:55) A Day In The Life (Feat. Miley Cyrus & New Fumes) – If you liked the Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds version, this one is for you!