18 illinoisentertainer . com june 2023 ing the trippy “ Fight Test ” ( reminiscent of Cat Stevens ’ “ Father and Son ”), connect loosely along the sci-fi concept , augmented by Coyne ’ s surrealistic painted artwork . One of the joys of this 20th-anniversary set is seeing more of the visual work developed by Coyne to accompany the thematic songs . A booklet called Saga includes a transcription of Coyne interviewing Drozd about memories of working on Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots before spinning into conversations about several of the bonus tracks . And make no mistake , there are plenty of bonus tracks . The CD box collects 101 tracks across six discs , encompassing the original album and much more . The “ Fight Test ” and “ Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell ” EPs include performances of Radiohead ’ s “ Knives Out ” with Drozd playing acoustic piano for KCRW ’ s Morning Becomes Eclectic and an off-the-cuff run through Beck ’ s “ The Golden Age .” In the liner notes discussion , the overtly easygoing Coyne describes these radio performances as nerve-rattling experiences . The pair remember working with Yoshimi P-We of The Boredoms as inspirational and exhilarating , and Coyne describes how her singular voice gave life to the album ’ s evil-droid-smashing heroine . The real-life Yoshimi ’ s trumpet is featured in the main album ’ s Grammy-winning instrumental “ Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon ( Utopia Planitia ).” The 25- minute demo “ Psychedelic Hypnotist Daydream ” ( not included in the 5xLP vinyl box set ) blends abandoned audio from 4- track demos with accidental sounds from inverted tapes . The results alternate between tuneful , trippy , unsettling , and beautiful . Demos also include an early solo acoustic take documenting Coyne as he finds his way through “ Do You Realize ??.” Radio sessions feature a version of Elvis Presley ’ s “ Suspicious Minds ” rendered as a lonesome country waltz and a melodramatic performance of Kylie Minogue ’ s “ Can ’ t Get You Out of My Head .” Coyne lashes into the wicked guitar riff from Pink Floyd ’ s “ Lucifer Sam ” while Michael Ivins plays propulsive bass , and Drozd creates headspinning electronic chaos in a 2003 recording from the Forum in London . This set is packed with treats for fans of the period when the Flaming Lips exploded into the public consciousness while exploring a wholly unique vision .
– Jeff Elbel
9
THE LEMON TWIGS Everything Harmony
( Captured Tracks ) The lineage of the D ’ Addario brothers
( Brian and Michael ) that comprise The
Lemon Twigs doesn ’ t bring you to the guitar string manufacturer D ’ Addario but to Ronnie D ’ Addario , a sideman for Tommy Makem and The Clancy Brothers . While that certain Irish wilt isn ’ t a big influence on the music of The Lemon Twigs , their music does seem to be plucked from The Clancy Brothers ’ heyday of the early 1970s . Though
both brothers were born in the late ‘ 90s , their music doesn ’ t seem to make it out of the ‘ 70s . This music recalls an era when every kitchen had a brown and avocadogreen color motif and every sofa was accompanied by an ashtray . Vocally the brothers both seem quite infatuated with Art Garfunkel ’ s willowy falsetto . “ Corner Of My Eye ” has a hushed intimacy that would have made waves in the Greenwich Village folk scene of the ‘ 60s . However , where Elliot Smith once updated this same sound while also imbuing it with an original , DIY punk aesthetic , the Twigs never quite reach those heights . Where “ In My Head ” comes close to an Emitt Rhodes-level of melodic sophistication , something about it feels like a well-made facsimile of greatness . The brothers certainly have a promising future being only in their early 20s . Finding the right producer to push them out of their comfort zone could be key to unlocking the true sonic potential of The Lemon Twigs .
– Andy Derer
5
ROGER WATERS The Lockdown Sessions
( Legacy )
Pink Floyd mastermind Roger Waters ’ plans following the globe-circling “ Us and Them ” tour were upended by COVID . While sequestered in lockdown , Waters reconvened his band remotely to record the songs that had been performed as encores during the lengthy touring run . The set is thematically interconnected as an anti-war protest , drawing on a couple of Waters ’ most familiar songs as well as lesser-known but equally potent work . The rustic acoustic strummer “ Mother ” from The Wall was the first Lockdown song to appear online , posted to YouTube on May 17 , 2020 . The Doomsday