TS: The Flaming Lips v.s. the Super Furry Animals

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I'm surprised no one hasn't done this one yet. I haven't listened to as much by the Flaming Lips as I have the SFA (not familiar with their 80's work at all) so today I'll have to take SFA. Subject to change (POSSIBLY IN THIS VERY TOPIC SO STAY TUNED).

― Cunga (Cunga), Saturday, 9 July 2005 08:45 (twenty years ago)

Gosh, I love them both. The Furries have a stronger catalogue, I suppose. There's not a single bad album, and they are consistently good. The Lips have a few clunkers in their past but each album has managed to improve on the last, with the exception of Yoshimi. The Lips have Zaireeka, the Furries have Yeti costumes. Musically the Furries are better in concert, but the Lips are more entertaining. Maybe Love-Kraft will change my mind, but that stretch of albums from In A Priest Driven Ambulance through the Soft Bulletin is close to unbeatable in my book. The Furries are awesome but they joke around so much that I don't know if they could ever reach the depths of feeling that the Lips have brought up from "Slow Nerve Action", "They Punctured My Yolk", or "Feeling Yourself Desintigrate". So the Lips win, but I have to say that the two bands together would make for a fucking awesome concert.

― Joseph Cowart (Joseph Cowart), Saturday, 9 July 2005 09:08 (twenty years ago)

I'd have to change something a bit.

"but I have to say that the two bands together would make for a fucking awesome circus."

― Cunga (Cunga), Saturday, 9 July 2005 09:30 (twenty years ago)

both have released too much mediocre music

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Saturday, 9 July 2005 12:06 (twenty years ago)

Two of the greatest bands of all time. With a gun to my head, I choose the Flips.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Saturday, 9 July 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

"both have released too much mediocre music"

I don't know what bands you've been listening to. Two of the strongest catalogs in modern rock history, I believe.

And I was thinking about the seeming lack of emotion in Furries music, and then Love Kraft came around. There are some pretty emotional songs on there. Not to forget Mwng, which is emotional without even making any sense to me. You hear the pain in Gruff's voice - that's all that matters.

― enjoy bell woods, Saturday, 9 July 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

I'm known as THE SFA fanboy on the Internet, but I guess I'd choose Flaming Lips just because they have more cultural relevance. Honestly, though, if life were fair, SFA would be bigger than Coldplay and all of that other shit.

― enjoy bell woods, Saturday, 9 July 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

The Lips and the Furries have never played a show together, but the Furries in Yeti form were back-up dancers at a Lips show. Kliph, the Lips' touring drummer, is a huge fan of SFA. I think every time I've seen him he's been in an SFA shirt.

― enjoy bell woods, Saturday, 9 July 2005 17:24 (twenty years ago)

I'm glad someone started this thread, as both bands started off in completely different places musically but eventually ended up crossing paths right around 2000/2001.. Rings Around The World almost seemed to be the model to which Yoshimi, for better or worse, would slightly nod towards... both Gruff and Wayne have organized their sorta Warholesque experiments.. (Wayne with the car stereo symphonies, and Gruff with the silence party)..

Beyond that, it's a tough call.. The Lips have been around much much longer than SFA have.. SFA have certainly changed since their beginning, but the Lips have changed about 10 times since their beginning, only their latest phase being the most tedious. SFA, depending on how Love Kraft will turn out, maybe be in a similar phase.

I think the Lips have better live shows than SFA.. but SFA's output has been more consistently good.. up to and including Rings.
BOTH bands have had awesome album and single cover art.

Um, don't know, if we're going with the here and now, I choose SFA.

If we're freezing time and looking back at the net output, the Lips.

― donut e- (donut), Saturday, 9 July 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

What's this silence party?

And I forgot about Gruff Rhys's solo album. That puts him a notch above Wayne for me, just because it turns out he's able to turn songs with titles like "Rhagluniaeth Ysgafn" into the most catchiest things you've ever heard. His solo album is probably one of the most overlooked releases of 2005.

― enjoy bell woods, Saturday, 9 July 2005 17:43 (twenty years ago)

Uh, "catchiest", not "most catchiest". Yuck. How did I manage that?

― enjoy bell woods, Saturday, 9 July 2005 17:44 (twenty years ago)

(Nid) Hon Yw'r Gan Sy'n Mynd i Achub yr Iaith

(Nid) Hon Yw'r Gan Sy'n Mynd I Achub Yr Iaith

Nid hon yw'r gân sy'n mynd i achub yr iaith
Ond gwneith o'm difrod iddi chwaith
Dim ond carreg mewn wal barhaus
A 'sgen i'm bwriad bod yn sarhaus
'Sgen i'm bwriad bod yn sarhaus

Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân

Nid hon yw'r gân sy'n mynd i achub y byd
Tra 'dwi yn gorwedd ar fy hyd
Mae rhai yn rhydd, rhai eraill yn gaeth
A 'dwi'n deud llefrith, ti'n gweud llaeth
'Dwi'n deud llefrith, ti'n gweud llaeth

Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân
Nid hon yw'r gân

English translation:

(This Is Not) The Song That Will Save The Language

This is not the song that will save the language
But it won't damage it either
Only a stone in a continuous wall
I've no intention of being offensive
I've no intention of being offensive

This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song

This is not the song that's going to save the world
While I'm lying down on my own
Some are free, others are enslaved
And I say milk, you say milk
I say milk, you say milk

This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song
This isn't the song

---

― enjoy bell woods, Saturday, 9 July 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

SFA. The Flaming Lips are very good at the style of music they play, but SFA are great at whichever type of music they do, from the soul influenced stuff like Juxtaposed with You to the dancy bits they do.

― jellybean (jellybean), Saturday, 9 July 2005 22:26 (twenty years ago)

I get a patronising vibe from both bands, as if everyone should be grateful that they're "weird". But the Flaming Lips are worse in this respect, and more so when the likes of "Do You Realize" are added into that. And Gruff Rhys is a better singer than Mr. Coyne, so I'm going with SFA.

― Deluxe (Damian), Sunday, 10 July 2005 01:13 (twenty years ago)

Makes me wonder what SFA would be like with Steve Drozd in the band. It'd be like John Bonham joining the Beatles or something.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Sunday, 10 July 2005 01:17 (twenty years ago)

There was a rumor circulating earlier in the year that The Flaming Lips would appear on the new SFA album. Obviously that didn't occur.

― enjoy bell woods, Sunday, 10 July 2005 01:20 (twenty years ago)

I'm kinda surprised the two bands haven't really done much together.. you figure they would see eye-to-eye aesthetically on many things.. but maybe there's more under the surface we don't know..

― donut e- (donut), Sunday, 10 July 2005 02:08 (twenty years ago)

Like SFA being funny.

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Sunday, 10 July 2005 07:11 (twenty years ago)

What do you mean, Taste?

― enjoy bell woods, Sunday, 10 July 2005 16:09 (twenty years ago)

I am immensely prejudiced in favor of the Lips by virtue of their work during the 80s. SFA are fun, but they just can't topple the sheer rock insanity of the Lips.

― Orbit (Orbit), Sunday, 10 July 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

"The Lips and the Furries have never played a show together, but the Furries in Yeti form were back-up dancers at a Lips show."

Fwiw Gruff played a couple of numbers, introduced FLips, and danced behind them at Bristol Academy a couple of years back.

What do I think? I reckon FLips at their best > anything SFA's have ever done > FLips at their worst, so.... I dunno.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 11 July 2005 07:21 (twenty years ago)

Oddly enough I was just thinking of this comparison the other night. Must be something in the air.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 11 July 2005 07:41 (twenty years ago)

Fwiw Gruff played a couple of numbers, introduced FLips, and danced behind them at Bristol Academy a couple of years back.

This is indeed true - I was there and it was a magnificent concert.

I quite like both bands but don't fully "get" either. I guess I'd pick SFA over Flips because of the electronic aspects of the music. Yoshimi is a fucking boring record, but so are the last two SFA albums. Both underrated in terms of public perception and success, and overrated by certain critics and gushing fanboys.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Monday, 11 July 2005 07:50 (twenty years ago)

I truly think that SFA have been the best band of the last ten years. So they win this comparison too.

― zeus, Monday, 11 July 2005 08:55 (twenty years ago)

I’m throwing out Love Kraft.

My answer would have to be the Flaming Lips. My exposure happened around 1993’s Transmissions For the Satellite Heart. I did go back and buy two albums prior to this period. I only kind of know To Death In the Future Head and never really got around to getting to know Oh My Gawd!!!

The Flaming Lips might be the loudest concerts I have seen as well. Consequently, I have seen them around seven times (San Francisco) and happened to see that thing with them passing out Walkman’s to the audience. Only have seen SFA once and that was during the Guerrilla tour.

― BeeOK (boo radley), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 05:34 (twenty years ago)

the flaming lips are pretty godawful, and the super furry animals are funny, so i pick them.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 06:30 (twenty years ago)

I think I might have to change my mind already. Super Furry Animals' are the best band of the last 10 or so years that are still together. Flaming Lips aren’t even the best American band of the moment. That honor would probably have to go to Spoon, Wilco or White Stripes. Not to even mention solo artist like Beck who did put out a damn good record this year as well.

SFA has also put out four albums (including Love Kraft) in the 00s and the Flaming Lips have only one. It actually is Mwmg that tilts the scales in the Furries direction, without counting how Love Kraft will ultimately turn out.

― BeeOK (boo radley), Thursday, 14 July 2005 05:47 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

SFA's output this decade is 100X more creative and interesting than Yoshimi, so SFA for me.

Oh, and Love Kraft kicks arse. Picked it up today!

― silte, Wednesday, 24 August 2005 04:02 (twenty years ago)

haha, comparing SFA's entire output to one shitty Flaming Lips album is a bit unfair. I MIGHT be getting out of line here. Help me out.

― donut gon' nut (donut), Wednesday, 24 August 2005 04:25 (twenty years ago)

Oh never mind, this entire fucking forum has permanent ADD.

It's no use.

― donut gon' nut (donut), Wednesday, 24 August 2005 04:26 (twenty years ago)

I suppose I was following the line of thought that they're presently a better band than The Flaming Lips.

I adore The Lips' output up 'til Yoshimi - well, I'm not too fond of pre-Clouds Taste Metallic material - but I think SFA have been interesting since their debut album, Fuzzy Logic.

― silte, Wednesday, 24 August 2005 04:30 (twenty years ago)

The two best songs on Yoshimi are still better than most Super Furry Animals songs and I agree Yoshimi is one of the Flaming Lips weaker records. I don't really hear to many similarities hear though and the Flaming Lips are the better band.

― dan. (dan.), Wednesday, 24 August 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

I don't think there are any good songs on Yoshimi. I'll make the argument that The Soft Bulletin is likely a more cohesive "great" record than anything by SFA, but I'll also argue that SFA are a much more adventurous band.

I prefer SFA to The Flaming Lips but love both bands. I think the comparison is being drawn because both bands are considered the best of the accessible "weird" bands.

― enjoy bell woods, Wednesday, 24 August 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

nine months pass...

TS: "The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)" vs. "Lazer Beam"

ie. "I've got a tricked out magic stick/That will make them all fall"

vs.

"Take a shine of our lazer beam/And we'll cleanse all the evil within you"

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Thursday, 1 June 2006 12:59 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

SFA winning this by a few miles. Light years, even.

― Sickamous Mouthall (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 11:20 (seventeen years ago)

I love Flaming Lips, but they really can't compete with Super Furry Animals, who have released consistently great albums since 1996.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 11:24 (seventeen years ago)

hahaha this is a really good TS, and obv I'd choose SFA, but I could easily consider why someone might root for TFL

wd be a lot harder to decide if Lips were more consistent...as it stands, Clouds Taste Metallic is their best output, although the one time I heard Zaireeka properly it was truly awesome

i need to hear that record again

― POLLonius (country matters), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 11:31 (seventeen years ago)

we even had a listening party in my friend's dorm room, and my hi-fi was expressly invited

― POLLonius (country matters), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 11:32 (seventeen years ago)

wd be a lot harder to decide if Lips were more consistent...as it stands, Clouds Taste Metallic is their best output, although the one time I heard Zaireeka properly it was truly awesome.

I'd say they did nothing much good back then at all. But their last three albums have all been pretty good, so they are catching up.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 11:40 (seventeen years ago)

Oh dear

― I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 18 March 2009 11:54 (seventeen years ago)

Am I the only one who enjoys the Lips up to about 1998-99, but cannot stand SFA?

― ilxor, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 13:40 (seventeen years ago)

^Yes.

― staggerlee, Thursday, 19 March 2009 01:45 (seventeen years ago)

it's pretty clear that people who hate on or don't care for SFA just plain avoid any SFA thread on ILM.

― She Is Beyond Food In Weevil (Mackro Mackro), Thursday, 19 March 2009 04:09 (seventeen years ago)

i need to hear that record again
"riding to work in the year 2025" is the yessest song they have besides "pompeii am götterdämmerung"

― kamerad, Thursday, 19 March 2009 06:26 (seventeen years ago)

I really can't understand SFA hatred, but I've also been in an eight-year love affair with them and their music, so it's just not fair for me to comment.

― teflon monkey, Thursday, 19 March 2009 06:27 (seventeen years ago)

so is time code their christmas on mars then?

― kamerad, Thursday, 19 March 2009 07:12 (seventeen years ago)

FL.

tbh i think 'super furry animals' is gonna be in top 5 of dumbest fucking band names ever. so dumb that i've never had any desire to listen to them

― mark cl, Thursday, 19 March 2009 18:43 (seventeen years ago)

so glad to have an american offer some reasoned debate on this issue

― POLLonius (country matters), Thursday, 19 March 2009 18:46 (seventeen years ago)

The first time I heard of SFA, I was working in Sam Goody back in '98. A Germanic sounding tourist came in because his son wanted him to bring back Super Funny Animals CDs back from America. I even looked in the Kid's section.

― Eephin' Pageant (kingkongvsgodzilla), Thursday, 19 March 2009 18:57 (seventeen years ago)

so glad to have an american offer some reasoned debate on this issue

i, sfa fan = american.

so glad to have a dumb stereotype be offered in some debate on the issue

― She Is Beyond Food In Weevil (Mackro Mackro), Thursday, 19 March 2009 22:26 (seventeen years ago)

dude, my response was tailored to the level of its provocateur, i have no issue with americans, let alone american sfa fans, per se ;-)

― POLLonius (country matters), Thursday, 19 March 2009 22:28 (seventeen years ago)

nice try, lol

― She Is Beyond Food In Weevil (Mackro Mackro), Thursday, 19 March 2009 22:29 (seventeen years ago)

the idea of two bands who both admit more or less to loving Steely Dan, Sonic Youth, ELO, and Pink Floyd becoming an American/UK/whatever beef on the internets is the true lol

― She Is Beyond Food In Weevil (Mackro Mackro), Thursday, 19 March 2009 22:32 (seventeen years ago)

lots of people can't stand the lips after 'clouds taste metallic' and think 'oh my gawd' or 'in a priest driven ambulance' are their best. i'm one of those people except i'd extend the listenable lips era through 'zaireeka' maybe. that might help explain why i can't stand sfa.

― I think no pants is sexy. (Matt P), Thursday, 19 March 2009 22:36 (seventeen years ago)

'can't stand' was wrong, should have said 'don't have time for'

― I think no pants is sexy. (Matt P), Thursday, 19 March 2009 22:37 (seventeen years ago)

It's not a US-UK beef! Plenty of US types bigging up SFA (and I'm a big Flips fan)...just felt the need for a big dumb crass rejoinder :-P

― POLLonius (country matters), Thursday, 19 March 2009 22:39 (seventeen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.