It’s been a busy year for The Flaming Lips. Ever since the release of the excellent “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” in 2002, they’ve been touring non-stop.

In an effort to further promote “Yoshimi,” The Lips have released a seven-song EP for their newest single, “Fight Test.” This is the opening track on “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” and it tells the story of a man contemplating a fight, possibly against the pink robots.

“I thought I was smart/ I thought I was right/ I thought it better not to fight/ I thought there was a virtue in always being cool/ So when it came time to fight/ I thought I’ll just step aside and that the time would prove you wrong and that you would be the fool.”

-Sound strange? Well, that’s The Flaming Lips for you.

Next up on the EP are three cover songs, all recorded in various radio stations The Lips visited. The first one is “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” otherwise performed by Kylie Minogue. This is the worst song on the album. Not that the band doesn’t play a good cover of this song, but this particular version sounds sloppy and in need of some studio editing.

Next on the list is “The Golden Age,” a song the band learned while on the road with Beck. “The Golden Age” appears on Beck’s last album “Sea Change.” The band nails this one, adding their own style to an already-stylish tune.

Last on the list of covers is “Knives Out” by Radiohead. This song appeared on Radiohead’s 2001 release “Amnesiac.” This is the best cover song on the EP. The Lips slow it down a bit and substitute a piano for the guitar part. Although Radiohead singer Thom Yorke’s voice is hard to match, Lips’ singer Wayne Coyne doesn’t disappoint.

Finishing the album are three of the Lips’ originals. A trippy remix of “Do You Realize” by Scott Hardkiss and two brand-new songs. The first one, “The Strange Design of Conscience,” is heavily electronic and would have fit in perfectly with the style of songs on “Yoshimi.”

The second new song should disappear as quickly as possible. “Thank You Jack White (For the fiber-optic Jesus that you gave me)” is a poor attempt at folk music. While the song is slightly humorous (Jack White is the singer/ Guitarist of the White Stripes), it just doesn’t sit well.

Aside from that, the “Fight Test” EP is worth getting if you are a hardcore Lips fan. If not, it may be something worth checking out if you are a fan of any of the songs covered.