THE CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM will return this spring with their third and most outlandish album yet, "The Great Parrot-Ox And The Golden Egg Of Empathy", due May 1 via ATO Records.
The album is a 14-song concept record reflecting on morality, mortality, and the warnings of A.I., with a story-world that doubles as a cautionary tale about sustainability and the slippery slope of optimization without empathy.
Available for pre-order on vinyl and CD, the physical edition expands the album's mythology into a true companion piece: a two-LP set in a tip-on gatefold jacket paired with a 24-page comic book, with each song mapped to its own illustrated chapter.
What began as an ambitious idea for a feature-length animated film ultimately became a fully realized graphic narrative — one that now defines the album's identity as much as the music itself.
The album follows young artist Hippard O.
Campus Jr.
as he rebels against his father, Hippard Sr., owner of the Clipnex corporation and creator of Cliptron.
With help from salty sea-dog Colonel O'Coren, Hipp embarks on a fantastical adventure to stop Cliptron's cold, chrome heart from converting the world, humans included, into paperclips.
Hipp's quest leads across the sea to the Isle of Lucidity, where the all-wise Ministry of Manatees guide him to the Great Parrot-Ox, whose Golden Egg Of Empathy is the only thing that can bring understanding and emotion to Cliptron.
The album pairs elaborate narrative arcs with the band's signature blend of psychedelic-prog theatrics, absurdist humor, and conceptual invention.
The album announcement follows the January release of first single "WAP (What A Predicament)", which opened the DELIRIUM's next chapter with a warped meditation on A.I., morality, and what happens when empathy gets optimized out of existence.
Beyond the DELIRIUM, Claypool has remained relentlessly prolific, reuniting his FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE, celebrating his solo legacy with the "Adverse Yaw: The Prawn Song Years" box set, and launching PRIMUS's "Interstellar Drum Derby", the global open call that drew over 6,200 applicants and culminated in the addition of drummer John Hoffman.
Lennon has likewise stayed active across disciplines, performing in an improvising trio with John Zorn and Laurie Anderson, releasing his experimental instrumental album "Asterisms" on Zorn's Tzadik label, producing TEMPLES' EXOTICA, earning a Grammy in 2025 for his design of John Lennon's "Mind Games" boxed reissue, and writing and producing the animated short inspired by John & Yoko's "War Is Over", which earned him the Academy Award for "Best Animated Short Film".
Following the album's release, Claypool will hit the road with "Claypool Gold", a full-evening tour that brings together PRIMUS, THE CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM and LES CLAYPOOL'S FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE in one surreal, genre-defying night, with each band performing a full set.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.primusville.com.
The album's story and music were created by THE CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM, with artwork by longtime collaborator Rich Ragsdale.
The animated "Golden Egg" video marks the first time that world moves beyond the page, offering a preview of how deeply intertwined the story, artwork, and music are across the entire project.