Album of the Day

We're not quite sure what the title to the Flaming Lips' HIT TO DEATH IN THE FUTURE HEAD means, but if U.K. group The Futureheads drew their name from it, that's a good endorsement of the album. As the final collection with drummer Nathan Roberts and guitarist Jonathan Donahue (who left for Mercury Rev), the set marked a change in the Lips' lineup, but the music was transitional as well. The 1992 release shows the Oklahoma band sneaking up on the accessibility that would make them alternative rock stars a little further into their tenure with Warner Bros. - there are appealing melodies in songs like “Gingerale Afternoon (The Astrology of a Saturday),” and frontman Wayne Coyne's vocals are stronger than ever (though for you indie purists, there's also a half-hour of noise on the hidden bonus track). We'll cue up HIT TO DEATH IN THE FUTURE HEAD now to wish Coyne a happy birthday.