The Flaming Lips are marking two decades on At War With The Mystics with a box set so large it could almost be called a monument. The band has announced a 20th-anniversary deluxe edition of their 2006 album, a six-disc collection that packs demos, B-sides, remixes, live shows, and music made for movies into one package.
When the album first came out, the Lips were riding high after Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, their 2002 record that gave them their biggest hit yet with “Do You Realize??” and turned them into an unlikely touring sensation. At War With The Mystics did not match those singles, but it kept the band’s playful streak alive, mixing new wave and mutant disco in a way that felt fresh even as the group got weirder.
What The Box Set Contains
The six discs cover a wide range of material. The set includes:
- Demos for songs from the album itself
- B-sides from earlier releases
- Remixes of tracks from the album
- Complete live shows from the era
- Non-album songs, including ones made for movies and documentaries
- Contributions to film scores like Spider-Man 3 and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
Two previously unreleased demos for the album track “The Sound Of Failure” are included, giving fans a look at the song before it reached its final form. The set also collects the band’s work for cinematic projects, finally putting their contributions to Spider-Man 3 and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium in one place.
Why This Matters For Fans
The reissue arrives at a moment when the band is facing some disarray. That makes the reminder of a simpler, more stable time especially welcome. Anniversary editions exist to do exactly this kind of work, pulling back the curtain on a record’s creation and showing how it fits into the larger picture of a career.
The set is out 11/13 on Rhino, and fans can pre-order it now. All ten tracks from the box set, including the two demos for “The Sound Of Failure,” are available to hear, with the full list of contents detailed alongside.
Our Take On The Announcement
This is the kind of archival love that fans deserve. A twenty-year-old record gets a massive box set with six discs of demos, B-sides, remixes, live shows, and film soundtrack contributions. It is a deep dive for anyone who wants to understand how the record was made and what it meant for the band’s career.
The set is not just for completists. It is for anyone who remembers the joy of Yoshimi and wants to see where the Lips went next. The demos and live recordings offer a window into the creative process, showing how songs changed from rough idea to finished product.
The inclusion of film work is a bonus. The band’s contributions to Spider-Man 3 and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium have long been scattered across separate releases; this box puts them together at last.
For a band that has spent decades pushing boundaries, this anniversary edition is a fitting tribute. It celebrates the record’s playful spirit while giving listeners access to the raw materials behind it.
See the video the story is built around at Stereogum.
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