Somewhat, it is very odd to listen to this track from the Flaming Lips which recently surfaced, because it seems they have moved away from this light melody-driven sound. Their last album, ‘The Terror’, is nothing like ‘Your Face Can tell The Future’ which is featured on ‘True Blood: Music From The HBO Original Series Volume 4’ just released on May 28th via ATO Records.
And there is a good reason for this, the song was actually composed a long time ago. According to this book it was probably recorded in 2005 or 2006, during an ‘At War With The Mystics’ session, and it was originally released in an expanded 2-disc version of the album.
It is pre-Terror darkness, the music is uplifting, a little Postal Service like, with buoyant electronics and comforting back up vocals behind Wayne Coyne’s scratchy voice. Catchy and even foot tapping, the song sounds like a fresh start or a beautiful morning full of hope if it wasn’t for the dark lyrics, ‘And the future’s looking bad/And the future makes you sad’,… quite the usual business for the Lips. ‘Somehow you’re losing all you have/If you’re everything you need’, sings Wayne at the end of the song to add to the despair.
The HBO horror series soundtrack actually features quite good music, and in addition to the duos we have already heard from Iggy Pop and Cosentino (‘Let’s Boot and Rally’), and Eric Burdon and Jenny Lewis (‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’), there are also songs by Alabama Shakes, Los Lobos, Howlin’ Wolf, and My Morning Jacket doing a cover of the Byrds’ classic ‘Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is a Season)’. Check out this tracklist, it’s much better than this gory-porn show itself if you want my opinion!
1. Eric Burdon with Jenny Lewis – “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”
2. Iggy Pop with Bethany Cosentino – “Let’s Boot and Rally”
3. The Heavy – “What Makes A Good Man?”
4. Howlin’ Wolf – “Smokestack Lightnin'”
5. Alabama Shakes – “Pocket Change”
6. Bosco Delrey – “Authority Song”
7. My Morning Jacket – “Turn Turn Turn”
8. The Flaming Lips – “Your Face Can Tell the Future”
9. The Naked and Famous – “The Sun”
10. Warpaint – “Undertow”
11. Mobley – “I Wanna Be Your Man”
12. Deap Vally – “(She’s A) Wanderer”
13. Koko Taylor – “Whatever I Am, You Made Me”
14. Los Lobos – “We’ll Meet Again”