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Song Premiere: The Flaming Lips, 'If They Move, Shoot 'Em'

J. Michelle Martin Coyne

The Flaming Lips have always had a fondness for science fiction and fantasy, with a vast catalog of songs about robots, spontaneous human combustion, telepathy, wizards, and UFOs. The band's latest source of inspiration is the sci-fi novel (and new movie) Ender's Game, which tells the story of Earth's futuristic battle with insect-like aliens called "Buggers." A new EP from The Flaming Lips, The Peace Sword includes six songs inspired by the story, including this dark, strange, synth-heavy jam "If They Move, Shoot 'Em."

The title track to Peace Sword was written specifically for and appears on the soundtrack for Ender's Game, but none of the other songs are in the film. The EP is out digitally on Oct. 29 and on CD a month later. It comes just six months after The Flaming Lips released the band's 13th full-length album, The Terror.

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Robin Hilton is a producer and co-host of the popular NPR Music show All Songs Considered.