The Dial-Up Decade #6: The Flaming Lips, The Soft Bulletin

BY DREW DRAIN

Released in 1999, The Soft Bulletin marked a dramatic shift in The Flaming Lips’ sonic palette, one that would redefine their career and solidify their reputation as architects of lush, emotional, and experimental rock music. Hailing from Oklahoma City, The Flaming Lips had long been purveyors of quirky, psychedelic rock, but The Soft Bulletin elevated them to a new level of critical and artistic recognition. This record is an emotional odyssey—sprawling yet intimate, grandiose yet tender—that juxtaposes existential musings with moments of childlike wonder.

Before The Soft Bulletin, The Flaming Lips were best known for their eclectic 1993 hit "She Don’t Use Jelly," from the Transmissions from the Satellite Heart album, which in a surreal crossover of '90s pop culture and alternative rock, The Flaming Lips performed it at the Peach Pit on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. The quirky, psychedelic vibe of the song made for a delightfully offbeat moment, cementing the band's status as unlikely ambassadors of the era's alt-rock scene.

The Flaming Lips' transition from Transmissions from the Satellite Heart to Zaireeka marks a fascinating evolution in their artistry. While Transmissions brought them mainstream recognition with its quirky alt-rock anthems, Zaireeka saw the band abandon convention entirely, creating a wildly experimental four-disc album meant to be played simultaneously. This leap reflected their growing desire to push boundaries and challenge the very concept of how music is experienced. The dense, lo-fi experimentalism of 1997’s Zaireeka, a four-disc album meant to be played simultaneously on four CD players, showcased their penchant for unorthodox creativity, it wasn't easily accessible.

The Soft Bulletin was a deliberate turn toward melody, structure, and an emotional resonance that was largely absent from their earlier work. Central to this shift was the band’s embrace of orchestration and electronic elements. The album’s dense production, courtesy of Wayne Coyne, Steven Drozd, and Dave Fridmann, trades guitar-heavy arrangements for lush strings, buzzing synthesizers, and cinematic percussion. Songs like "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton" exemplify this transformation, blending heartfelt lyrics with symphonic grandeur. The result is a collection of songs that feel as massive as the themes they grapple with—life, death, love, and the fragility of human existence.

At its core, The Soft Bulletin is an exploration of humanity’s greatest questions, framed within the Lips' uniquely surreal perspective. "Race for the Prize," the album’s opener, is a perfect example. It tells the story of two scientists competing to find a cure, a narrative imbued with urgency and selflessness. The track’s driving drumbeat and soaring melody evoke a sense of triumph tempered by the cost of progress.

On the other end of the spectrum is "The Spark That Bled," a song that juxtaposes moments of vulnerability with triumphant bursts of sound. The lyrics explore themes of transformation and the paradox of emotional pain as a catalyst for growth, "I accidentally touched my head / And noticed that I had been bleeding / For how long I didn't know."

Perhaps the album’s most emotionally affecting track is "Waiting for a Superman." Against a backdrop of delicate piano and shimmering guitars, Coyne questions the limits of strength and endurance: "Tell everybody waiting for Superman / That they should try to hold on the best they can." The song captures the helplessness of watching someone struggle under the weight of life’s burdens, a sentiment made all the more poignant by Coyne’s plaintive vocal delivery. Coyne sums up the song and entire album when he says, "the world can be full of pain, and what are we going to do about it? We sing songs."

Experiencing The Soft Bulletin live at the Newport Music Hall during the Flaming Lips' headphone experiment phase was nothing short of transformative. Small FM receivers and headphones were handed out when entering the venue. Pre-recorded material was broadcast to those in attendance to hear through the headphones. In addition, the house mix of the live stage show was audible to complete the aural experience. It was an electrifying setting, with warm acoustics and a crowd buzzing with anticipation. The Flaming Lips are renowned for their theatrical live performances, and that night was no exception.

The show began with Wayne Coyne striking a massive gong at the precise moment the first notes of "Race for the Prize" swelled through the speakers. A confetti cannon exploded, showering the audience in a cascade of tiny, multicolored pieces of paper. The visual and auditory spectacle was overwhelming, a perfect encapsulation of the Lips’ ability to merge vulnerability with euphoria. In that moment, it was impossible not to feel an almost primal urge to hug someone—a communal response to the sheer emotional weight of the music.

The production on The Soft Bulletin is a marvel in its own right. Fridmann’s approach prioritizes texture and atmosphere over clarity, resulting in a sound that feels simultaneously lush and slightly chaotic. The album’s layering of strings, synths, and multi-tracked vocals creates an immersive listening experience that rewards repeated listens.

Tracks like "What Is the Light?" and "The Observer" highlight this attention to detail. The former features cascading harmonies and hypnotic rhythms, while the latter is a serene instrumental piece that serves as a moment of introspection amidst the album’s emotional highs and lows.

This ambitious production, however, is not without its critics. Some argue that the album’s dense arrangements occasionally overwhelm the songs themselves, burying Coyne’s fragile voice beneath a mountain of instrumentation. But this fragility is, perhaps, the point. Coyne’s imperfect vocal delivery underscores the humanity at the heart of The Soft Bulletin. His voice is less about technical precision and more about conveying raw, unfiltered emotion.

In hindsight, The Soft Bulletin can be seen as a turning point for The Flaming Lips, both artistically and culturally. The album laid the groundwork for their subsequent releases, including 2002’s Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and 2009’s Embryonic, which would further cement their reputation as pioneers of experimental rock.

More importantly, The Soft Bulletin challenged the conventions of what a rock album could be at the dawn of the new millennium. In an era dominated by grunge and alternative rock, The Flaming Lips dared to be unabashedly emotional and orchestral, creating a work that feels timeless in its scope and ambition.

The Soft Bulletin is more than an album; it’s an experience. Its blend of orchestral grandeur, existential themes, and unfiltered emotion creates a work that resonates on a deeply human level. For those who experienced it live, particularly during the Newport Music Hall show on the Headphone Experiment tour, the album’s impact was magnified tenfold. The moment Wayne Coyne struck that gong and confetti filled the air remains etched in memory as a testament to the power of music to unite and uplift.

More than two decades later, The Soft Bulletin continues to inspire and challenge listeners, standing as one of The Flaming Lips’ crowning achievements and a high-water mark for experimental rock music.

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DREW DRAIN

Andrew (Drew) Drain is originally from Point Pleasant, WV, and he now resides in Chapel Hill, NC with his daughter. Drew works as a financial risk management professional to pay the bills, but his real passion is photography. He started taking photos of his daughter playing soccer as a way to resist the urge to coach her from the sidelines. Time behind the camera developed into a love for photography that he has paired with his love for sports and live music. Follow Drew’s Instagram, @Drew.Drain.Photo or his MaxPreps galleries, to check out more of his work or contact him if you need photos of your favorite athlete or performer.

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