Album of the Day

Oklahoma’s favorite alt-rock eccentrics, The Flaming Lips, followed one of their most acclaimed albums, YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS, with a pair of companion EPs. The second of these, 2003’s EGO TRIPPING AT THE GATES OF HELL, includes two remixes of that YOSHIMI standout plus one of the album’s “Do You Realize,” but the rest of the set takes some glorious left turns. The four new songs include an off-kilter Christmas carol and three sun-themed tracks that capture the group’s mellow, melodic side perfectly. Though technically an EP, EGO TRIPPING AT THE GATES OF HELL includes more than a half-hour of music from The Flaming Lips in their prime.