Miley Cyrus has copped plenty of flack recently for latest project Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz, a self-indulgent, if honest, glitter cannon of an album spanning 23 songs and ninety two minutes. The album features her friends/collaborators The Flaming Lips, and with song titles like Miley’s Tibetan Bowlzzz and Fuckin’ Fucked Up, sounds a little bit like the aftermath of a three day acid party. But never one to throw Miley and her eccentric antics under the bus entirely, I am the first to proclaim it’s not all bad.
So, this week when Miley appeared on Saturday Night Live, I tuned in with a healthy “what will she do this time?” curiosity. The 22-year-old singer took to the stage, inviting collaborators The Flaming Lips to join her for a rendition of Karen Don’t Be Sad and later performed The Twinkle Song solo. With the band members dressed as furry animals and Miley out front in an outfit made from hair and flowers, the former was a quirky spectacle that translated much better than on the record. The track evokes the melody of Waiting for Superman, while Cyrus’s voice carries it along with a surprising tenacity. It’s actually pretty good. The latter saw the singer perched behind a taffeta covered piano, belting out her soul searching ballad in another captivating performance.
In a time where everyone is becoming Justin Bieber fans, I worry that I might have one foot on the Miley train.
The Flaming Lips will be heading out on the road with Miley for a few US dates. Here’s hoping this quirky circus heads our way in the future.
Miley Cyrus/The Flaming Lips:
11-19 Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
11-21 Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
11-27 Washington, DC – Echostage
11-28 New York, NY – Terminal 5
12-05 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
12-06 Boston, MA – House of Blues