The final Lips album of their Noisy Rock Band era, or the first of their Beautifully Orchestrated Prog Symphonies era? Either way, it’s hard not to imagine Clouds Taste Metallic in the context of 1995 alt rock as a bridge to Something New. Echoes of Beach Boys and the early days of alt-country abound, it’s an album about animals and bugs, exploding heads and watermelons, and the literal American Dream of murdering your boss. As the squirming noise guitar of Ronald Jones (soon to mysteriously disappear soon after the album’s tour) wriggles through the cracks of the supremely heavy rhythm section of drummer Steven Drozd and bassist Michael Ivins, Wayne Coyne’s Okie drawl and rubbery guitar help stitch together an album of conflicting tastes, tones, and sounds into a fully formed masterpiece.