The Terror is the 13th studio album by American rock band The Flaming Lips. The band are best known for their lush, multi-layered and psychedelic rock, and for wearing costumes at their live shows. Even if you are not familiar with the bands work, their songs have been used in a multitude of ad campaigns from cars to ranch dressing. This album seems to the outsider as a huge departure from their more commercial work, the 9 original compositions are very dark and melancholic. The band debuted the album live at SXSW 2013 to very favorable reviews.

According to the press release “When people are sad they only want to hear sad music and stories”. Wayne Coyne adds that “The Terror , we know now, that even without love, life goes on…we just go on…there is no mercy killing.” Sounds a bit despondent? It is an album that seems free from hope, but also an honest reflection of how many people feel right now about what’s going on in the world. My favorite track off the album is the opening track “ Look, the sun is rising” and it feels like it could have been a missing track off Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The longest track on the album is You Lust and comes in at just over 13 minutes and features guest vocals from Phantogram’s Sarah Barthel. It’s an album which would sit well with the playlist of (insert name of favorite indie radio station) on a Sunday morning, or at the end of a dinner party when too many drinks have been consumed and the conversation seems best suited to Russian plays, not what you’d stick on when getting ready to head to your local pick up joint on a Saturday night. If you manage to catch them live over the summer, you may have missed the boat on the confetti cannons, but the band seem to be all the better for that.

Review by L-A

You can hear the album for yourself here.

The Terror is released on Monday 1st April, on Bella Union