This award is presented to the artist; vocal and instrumental albums are considered in this category.
"At War With The Mystics"- The Flaming Lips
(Warner Bros.)
Billboard Album Review- "At War With the Mystics"- April 08, 2006: On "At War With the Mystics," the Flaming Lips are angry. Politics and pop culture fall under the absurdist attacks of frontman Wayne Coyne, and the Flaming Lips match this newfound lyrical directness with their most organic-sounding album since 1995's "Clouds Taste Metallic." President Bush is target of the bouncy "Haven't Got a Clue" and the psychedelic freakout of "The W.A.N.D." And whereas recent efforts have favored grand orchestral arrangements or electronic experimentation, "Mystics" finds them bringing back a heavier drum sound and even getting a little funky. "Free Radicals" is a mix of toy-like sounds and some Prince-inspired guitar work, and "The Sound of Failure" taps '70s soul. Yet as evidenced by the slight protest opener, "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song," the Lips still tackle the bizarre with more ease than the here and now.
