The Flaming Lips

Crediting the Lips above the title of this album is a bit misleading, because the only song by the band among the twenty on hand is an entertaining cover of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army." Yet Tales, part of a series issued by Azuli, provides fans with additional insight...

By Michael Roberts

April 28, 2005

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Crediting the Lips above the title of this album is a bit misleading, because the only song by the band among the twenty on hand is an entertaining cover of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army." Yet Tales, part of a series issued by Azuli, provides fans with additional insight into the group via its format -- a mix disc compiled by the Flamers, with liner notes by Wayne Coyne, who understands, as did John Cusack's character in High Fidelity, that what music lovers listen to can reveal almost as much about them as what they do or say.

Judging by these tunes, Coyne and company are so cool that refrigerating them would actually cause their temperatures to rise. The CD features typically obscure but consistently fascinating cuts by a genre-busting list of acts: Aphex Twin, Roxy Music, Miles Davis, the Chemical Brothers, Faust. Moreover, the numbers flow together beautifully, proving that stylistic differences crumble in the face of quality sounds and a consistent aesthetic.

It's worth staying up to hear these Late Night Tales.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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