The 'Lips appearance transforms this into a thing of beauty
It seems that The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne has a very special ability. His -and the other ‘Lips members- presence on new Faultline single ‘The Colossal Grey Sunshine’ has such a huge affect on the piece that it’s rather difficult to comprehend without listening. Indeed, Coyne’s sweeping, almost innocent-sounding vocal lifts an otherwise slightly above-par song to near-stratospheric levels.
Musically, after a short introduction sounding like something you’d hear in a Zelda game, it’s not hugely dissimilar to one of the faster modern-era ‘Lips pieces, with its slightly affected drum sound, electronic bleeps and melodic bassline. It’s a pleasant enough listen, with a distinct summertime feel – somewhat ironic, considering its release at the dawn of winter. It’s not a phenomenal track per se, but Coyne’s fragile vocals are sublime. Crucially, they win out.