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The Flaming Lips announced The Teardrop Throbs, due Jan. 22 on Jack White’s Third Man Records, and released its lead single, “God Will Control The Werewolves.” The album is the band’s first without longtime member Steven Drozd since 1992; details of Drozd’s departure remain disputed.
The Flaming Lips have announced The Teardrop Throbs, a 13-track album scheduled for Jan. 22 on Third Man Records, and released its lead single, “God Will Control The Werewolves.” The record is the band’s first studio album since 2020’s American Head and its first without longtime member Steven Drozd since 1992.
The new album also marks a label change: The Flaming Lips are releasing it through Jack White’s Third Man Records. According to Stereogum’s report, it is the band’s first album since 1990’s In A Priest Driven Ambulance not to come out on Warner. The group’s announcement presents the record as the follow-up to American Head, which arrived in 2020.
“God Will Control The Werewolves” is the first song released from the album. The report describes it as a psych-pop ballad, with soaring strings and fuzzed-out lead guitar. Songwriting credits include frontman Wayne Coyne, Matthew Kirksey, Derek Brown and Taylor Johnson. Johnson co-produced the album with Dave Fridmann and Scott Booker; Jon Fridmann and Mike Fridmann also contributed production.
The 13-song tracklist includes “Throb,” “Titan,” “Every Teardrop Cried” and “A Sunset Far Away.” It also features “Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell Part Two,” a title that references the band’s earlier song. The supplied report lists upcoming dates in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and London, starting Jan. 22 and running through April 3.
A New Lineup and Label
The announcement marks a notable change in the band’s recording history on two fronts: Drozd is absent, and the album is being released outside Warner for the first time in decades, according to the report. Drozd had been a member since 1991, first as a drummer and later as a multi-instrumentalist. His work alongside Coyne helped shape the band’s sound, making this the first album-length release to show how the group’s recorded music has changed without him.
The release also gives listeners the first material from the group’s next studio era since American Head. That does not by itself establish how the band’s sound or working arrangements have changed across the full album; the available report describes only the lead single. The scheduled concerts offer a chance to see the band onstage, but the announcement does not specify the full touring lineup.
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Drozd’s Departure and the Album Gap
Drozd joined the Flaming Lips in 1991 and became a central musical collaborator with founder and frontman Coyne. Their last album before this announcement was American Head, released in 2020. Drozd left the group in 2024, but accounts of how that happened differ: Coyne has said Drozd quit, while Drozd has said he was fired.
In an interview with Stereogum this year, Drozd said that he went to treatment for addiction and that Coyne continued band activity without him. He described the result as being “basically fired from the group.” That is Drozd’s account of the split; the material provided does not resolve the disagreement. The report says Drozd has been working on a solo debut album.
““God Will Control the Werewolves” started as a little story about my 2 boys (Bloom and Rex) and me playing hide and seek at the park as it was getting dark outside.”
— Wayne Coyne, describing the inspiration for “God Will Control The Werewolves”
What the Announcement Leaves Open
The report gives the album’s release date, label, tracklist and a set of tour dates, but does not provide information about the full recording lineup or how the band divided its musical roles after Drozd’s departure. It also does not specify whether additional singles, videos or album details will be released before January.
The circumstances of Drozd’s exit remain contested, and the material supplied does not include a new response from Coyne addressing Drozd’s account. The report also does not state whether the listed concerts represent the full tour schedule or identify all musicians expected to perform.
Album Release and Listed Shows
The Flaming Lips’ next stated milestone is the release of The Teardrop Throbs on Jan. 22 through Third Man Records. The published tracklist has 13 songs, and “God Will Control The Werewolves” is available as the lead single. The report provides no further release schedule for other tracks.
The listed live dates begin with two shows at Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville on Jan. 22 and 23, followed by concerts in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The schedule then lists two London performances at O2 Shepherds Bush on April 2 and 3. More details about tickets, additional dates and the touring lineup are not included in the source material.
Key Questions
When does The Teardrop Throbs come out?
The Flaming Lips’ album is scheduled for Jan. 22 on Third Man Records.
What is the album’s lead single?
The first released track is “God Will Control The Werewolves.” Wayne Coyne said its lyrics drew on a nighttime game of hide-and-seek with his sons.
Is this the Flaming Lips’ first album without Steven Drozd?
It is the band’s first album without Drozd since 1992’s Hit To Death In The Future Head, according to the report. Drozd joined the group in 1991.
Why did Steven Drozd leave the band?
The accounts differ. Coyne has described Drozd as having quit, while Drozd told Stereogum he was fired after going to addiction treatment. The supplied material does not settle the disagreement.
Where are the Flaming Lips scheduled to play?
The announced dates list Nashville, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago in the United States, followed by London shows on April 2 and 3. The source does not say whether more dates will be added.
Source: stereogum.com
