Music Review: Album No. 13 unlucky for The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips, "The Terror" (Warner Bros.)

Expectations for a new Flaming Lips record are soaring high, mostly based on the fact the band always delivers brilliant music. The feeling is you can always rely on a Flaming Lips record. Or can you?

I think the feeling we are left with after listening to "The Terror," however, is we miss the sound of singer Wayne Coyne's undistorted voice and the variation seen on other records by The Flaming Lips. And that feeling is there from the opening track - usually a strength for The Lips.

"Look . The Sun is Rising" seems overproduced with distorted lyrics and continuous drumming that makes it work well as background music but nothing striking as a track.

The album's title track sits solidly in the middle of the record with a repetitive drum beat that's intoxicating. But the vocals are lost and it's hard to even hear what Coyne is singing.

Phantogram guest on "You Lust," but can't change the direction either. The song is again is loaded with synth and drums, and doesn't stand out from any other track on the record.

www.flaminglips.com