Scratching the Door: The First Recordings of the Flaming Lips

I vaguely remember seeing The Flaming Lips back at the Reading Festival in the late 90s and, as I recall, I enjoyed their set.

The Oklahoma rock band have, in fact, been around quite a while, as this new offering proves.

'Scratching the Door' is a compilation of the band's first recordings, spotlighting the 'joyous weirdness' the band recorded for Restless Records before signing with Warner Bros in 1991.

The result is a real motley compilation and quite random, too, at times.

The 19-track album features music recorded by the band's original line-up. From the very first listen it's an assault on the senses, with off-kilter sound mixed with sweet melodies, raw guitar and going off in directions you can never quite predict.

The album will be followed up on June 29 by ‘Seeing The Unseeable: The Complete Studio Recordings of the Flaming Lips 1986-1990’.

Both releases will be available on digital download and streaming services, with over 40 tracks making their digital debut.

All of the music on the two releases has been remastered from the original sources, probably mainly with the fans in mind.

The album is out now.

Reviewed by Zoe Myall