.jpeg?ssl=1)
Two months after releasing the 20th anniversary edition of At War With the Mystics, The Flaming Lips are set to unveil their first new album in seven years—The Teardrop Throbs, their 17th studio effort overall. The record, which marks the band’s debut on Third Man Records, is scheduled to arrive January 22. Notably, it also represents the group’s first album in 35 years without longtime multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd, whose departure from the band has been confirmed (though accounts of the circumstances differ). The lead single, “God Will Control the Werewolves,” is available to stream now, accompanied by “Ego Tripping Part Two,” a follow-up to the fan-favorite track from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.
In a sprawling statement exceeding 2,000 words, frontman Wayne Coyne reflected on the new iteration of “Ego Tripping,” saying, “I’ve always liked it when songs from previous records get a new rendering. It’s not the same song, but it deals with ego death—what is status and power and the struggle to turn it into something useful. This is another attempt to capture the idea of Syd Barrett fronting Pink Floyd. Instead of singing about money—after all, ‘Money’ was a major single off Dark Side of the Moon—Syd chooses to sing about a queen who kills the king and steals his crown, melting it down to forge a sword instead.”
Produced by the band alongside Taylor Johnson, Dave Fridmann, and Scott Booker, with additional production from Jon and Mike Fridmann, The Teardrop Throbs will be supported by a series of intimate live performances. Details for those shows are listed below.
