The Lovers' Album of the Week

The Flaming Lips/Various Artists LateNightTales

I once knew someone who hated the term "mix tape"; he always contested that what one really meant to say when referring to those personal musical expressions was a "compilation tape." While I understood his argument (in the sense that there is no real mixing involved), I always associated the term "compilation" with one of those free CDs you find in music magazines that carelessly dump various artists together without any concern for how the songs flow from one to the other (nevermind that you'll be lucky to find more than a song or two worthy of repeated listens). A good mix tape (because everyone has gotten that bad one) is so enjoyable because not only does it expose you to new music but it also comes from someone who cared about you enough to take the time to properly structure it. (For rules on how to correctly make a mix tape read Nick Hornby's High Fidelity.) And if there is any band that I believe cares about me...it's The Flaming Lips. So it's not surprising that the Azuli label has chosen the Lips for the job of MC'ing the latest edition of their LateNightTales series (previous artists from the series include Jamiroquai, Nightmares On Wax, and Four Tet). And luckily for us, the Lips have taken the challenge with joyful care. (If all this sounds familiar to you, then you probably have come across the iTunes Music Store's "Celebrity Playlists.") The Lips' version of LateNightTales follows the "theme" approach of creating a mix tape with songs that sound most perfect in the quiet moments that the late night can bring forth. Tunes from Chris Bell, Nick Drake, Aphex Twin, Brian Eno, Miles Davis, and even 10cc(!) are so beautifully calming that I could see myself using this one to fall to sleep--and believe me this isn't a negative. Ironically, the one song that breaks away from the theme is the Lips' own contribution, a cover of sorts of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army," aka "Harry Potter’s and George W. Bush’s Severed Head Army Mix." While the song is entertaining (and probably more so in concert), it disturbs the flow of the album. But this is really only a minor quibble because LateNightTales isn't meant to be a perfect album. Like all great mix tapes, LateNightTales is about exposing the listener to a variety of different artists, all the while keeping them wondering what's coming up next.

Click here to listen to samples from the album. (Be forewarned the flash is a bit annoying.)