Review: Black Lips, ‘200 Million Thousand’
It says something that Black Lips’ new album, ‘200 Million Thousand,’ spans multiple genres within a lovely 51-minute lo-fi package.
A lot of this album plays like a blend between the Sex Pistols and the Beach Boys, which makes sense considering the band self-identifies as ‘flower punk.’
The Atlanta four-piece has been around since 2000, playing since the time when bands like The Strokes were being lauded as the ‘saviors of rock’ for their revivalist sensibilities. If The Strokes is ‘saving’ rock ‘n’ roll (keep in mind that the band hasn’t released a decent album since 2001), surely Black Lips is ransoming every one of the genres it touches on.
‘200 Million Thousand’ succeeds admirably in this respect – songs like ‘Drugs’ combine surf guitar melodies with vocals you’d expect from the Ramones, while ‘Starting Over’ is an easily accessible track with a catchy chorus and maracas in the rhythm section.
‘Short Fuse’ is a sprawling track reminiscent of some of The Who’s more adventurous work, with catchy lyrics, keyboards and impressive drum-fills; it’s not surprising that it was selected as the lead single. For the most part, Black Lips’ lyrics analyze themes of revelry, apathy and silliness (i.e., poking fun at Jack Johnson in ‘Big Black Baby Jesus of Today’), with some key exceptions.
‘The Drop I Hold,’ the slowest song on the album, is also one of its strongest. Vocalist Cole Alexander half-raps, half-whines over a melancholy ambiance of slow guitars and a laid-back rhythm section. The song climaxes in a beautiful mess of wailing and scat-influenced beatboxing, only to fade out again. The psychedelic aspect of the band’s flower punk image shines clearest here, and Black Lips rises a notch above other garage rock revival bands because of it.
Black Lips’ fusion of styles from punk and surf to hip hop and even doo wop should impress listeners, regardless of taste. The four-instrument band does not break any new ground, but ‘200 Million Thousand’ is infectious nonetheless.
Published on February 23, 2009 at 12:00 pm
