Album No. 13 unlucky for 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.