Of all the great bands out there today in the r&r firmament, one of the best and most improbable has to be the Flaming Lips. These guys started out in the early 80's as a pretty raw and punk-ish band from Oklahoma. They are funny and creative, true American originals. When they steal, they steal from the best too. They have evolved over the years with various lineups. What they are today is quite remarkable.
Wayne Coyne is just one of the most like-able, quirky singer/lyricists out there. Wayne is a r&r wise man, a showman, a shaman in a shiny suit. Now that is rare. And Steven Drodz (who sometimes plays ALL the instruments in the Studio) is some kind of musical genius. Their last three or four records are just freaking amazing. Here is one of their best songs off of "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." Beautiful.