In addition to Radiohead announcing a new album, The Flaming Lips have released their newest creation for free on the world today. It’s called “Two Blobs Fucking” (no, really) and it’s available in 12 parts at this YouTube channel (also really). Like “Zaireeka,” the parts are intended to be played simultaneously, as it was “created specifically for iPhone-type devices.” So if you’ve got 11 friends with iPhones/Droids, you should all definitely get together and have a “Two Blobs Fucking” party (um, Happy Valentine’s Day?).

Also, this can only mean one thing: Get ready for the largest cell phone choir ever at this year’s New Year’s Eve Freakout. Like, Guinness World Records-style. Make it happen, Wayne.

As for how it sounds, it’s difficult to tell when you can only listen to one part at a time, but it seems to continue on the experimental, demented weirdness of “Embryonic.” Track 9 is Wayne’s voice, and he’s talking instead of singing. Track 7 is the drum track, and it’s pretty cool and complex. There are a lot of weird synths; mega-heavy guitars play on most, if not all, of the tracks around the 1:15 mark. In short, it’s a Flaming Lips song.

Apparently there’s a lot more where this came from, and it’s promised to be released in unusual ways. Did we expect any less?

 Remember the legislative showdown over The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” being named the state of Oklahoma’s official rock song?

Yeah, nothing like that happened Monday when the state House voted unanimously (they can agree on something?!?) to name “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” as Oklahoma’s official gospel song. Now it’s all up to Gov. Mary Fallin to make it happen.

Interestingly, the 1862 African-American spiritual was not performed before the vote, although Rep. Jabar Shumate of Tulsa was asked to give a quick rendition. He declined.

That’s weird, because according to YouTube, just about everyone else has. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most notable — and please note that does not necessarily mean the best:

Some guy recorded it at double-speed:, which seems a tad disrespectful. From heaven, Harriet Tubman is wagging a finger in shame:

Hipsters, it’s totally cool for you to like the song, because Zooey Deschanel curled her lovely pipes around it:

It was covered in 2003 by UB40 to promote the Rugby World Cup, because somehow, rugby equals freedom from slavery. (Has any major-label act recorded more covers than UB40? Just curious.)

Diabetics, beware: Cedarmont Kids’ version may send you into sugar shock. Did the director not get the song’s point when he herded all the children in a caged wagon?

Johnny Cash could sing the Pull A Part ad jingle and make it sound heavy with meaning: 

Tay Zonday, aka the “Chocolate Rain” guy, pulls it off well, because I didn’t laugh once:

Our all-time favorite version is actually a partial one: Chevy Chase’s in “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” right before he tells Rusty to move his stinky feet. We couldn’t find that clip on YouTube, but this guy referenced it. Nice voice, sir; next time, may I suggest a comb? 

—Rod Lott

It was a big week for music-related videos. Here’s a stack that will keep you busy for a good while.

Here’s NMF Main Stage band Foot Patrol’s muddy, skanky, marginally NSFW clip about their new dance, “The Mudslide.” If this inspires your groove, well, your Saturday just got better.

Heard about The Flaming Lips’ gummy-skull-music-release method? Well, here’s Wayne Coyne dropping the very first edibles off for sale at Guestroom Records (via Delo Creative). Woo-hoo!



The members of Verden, Okla.’s Southern rockers Anti-Mortem have tons of hair to headbang, and they put it to good use here.



Directors Lamar + Nik get creative with melting and growing ice sculptures in this fascinating clip for chillwave/not-chillwave tune “Reds” by Houses.



Ruby Coast (RIYL: Tokyo Police Club) dropped this gorgeous video for “Made to Change” that includes synchronized ice skating, geese and snowy landscapes.

SXSW fave Braids gets a mini-documentary, complete with interviews and four uninterrupted performances. It is pretty remarkable.  

And for you tornado junkies out there, here’s terrifying video of some massive, deadly twisters that ripped through Alabama yesterday. —Stephen Carradini

Raise your hand if you want to see some footage of Oklahoma prison inmates riding bulls!

Now put your hands down — this is the Internet, and we cannot see you.

Still, filmmaker/former Okie Bradley Beesley (director of the “Okie Noodling” documentary and The Flaming Lips portrait “The Fearless Freaks”) has premiered some never-before-seen footage from his shoot of “Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo,” a glimpse at the convict cowgirls who competed in the 2007 Oklahoma State Penitentiary Rodeo.

The feature will hit Netflix soon, so hit that “Save to DVD Queue” now! Trust us, it’s well worth the watch. In the meantime, take a gander at this choice outtake:



—Rod Lott