Originally a Record Store Day release and now out physically, this collection of collabos between The Flaming Lips and a wildly divergent host of stars, some mid-level but most mega, is a fascinating listen. It's a mix of previously released works (with Neon Indian, Yoko Ono and others) along with newer artistic collisions: the Ke$ha and a soupçon of Biz Markie on the buzzing, driving lead track "2012 (You Must be Upgraded)"; the mid-tempo grinder "Children of the Moon" with Tame Impala which sounds as much like a Lips track as anything on here; and Lightning Bolt in spacey, Pink Floyd mode on "I'm Working at NASA on Acid". 

Jim James and The Lips teams for "That Ain't My Trip", a blood-pumping jammer that begs for a Bonnaroo performance, "Ashes in the Air" infuses Bon Iver's Justin Vernon with a refreshing bit of psychedelia, and strings swell and birds chirp on the Edward Sharpe collbo, a tender "Helping the Retarded to Know God". Finally in another older offering, Wayne Coyne fashions an momentous, gigantic take on the Roberta Flack chestnut "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" compliments of the gorgeous and sometimes prickly Erykah Badu--the recording and particularly its accompanying video resulted in some recent unpleasantness between Coyne and Badu, but that takes nothing away from the excellence of the track.

So much to uncover on the latest from a band that continues to surprise, nearly three decades on. Only this week they are attempting to set a Guiness record for the most live shows in 24 hours, down in the Mississippi delta. Good luck to them and to get in the spirit of that trek, you need to treat yourself to one of the more unique collaborative records you are likely to hear this year: The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends.