I find it hilarious when critics try to analyze Black Lips’ accessibility through their discography. I think it’s safe to say that Black Lips don’t give a fuck about how people receive them or their music, they just do their own thing and see what happens. That being said, I think that their latest album, 200 Million Thousand, is by far their best to date. Not because it encapsulates some masterly crafted theme (as if.) or marks their “musical maturity” or any shit like that. This is their best record simply because each and every one of the songs contained in it soars as a representation of Black Lips themselves: quirky, unrestrained and loud. The album sounds like a midway point between 60’s psychedelia and the late 70s’ punk explosion, which I love. “Short Fuse” evokes the Ramones’ “Chain Saw”, BBBJOT has White Light/White Heat type guitars and “Body Combat” is a great mix of New York Dolls and Pixies. “The Drop That I Hold” sounds like London Calling era Clash—that fantastic refusal to conform to one genre or musical trend. Indeed, you get some hip-hop interspersed throughout 200 Million Thousand, which is first and foremost a rock n roll record. The first half of the album is almost endearing in a sugar rush surge of sweet guitar licks kind of way, while the second half is darker and angrier. The line is drawn between "I'll Be With You" and the song that follows, BBJOT. "Starting Over", the third song on the album, treads the same guitar territory as The Beatles' "Here Comes The Sun". In “Old Man”, Cole Alexander sings “somewhere is where I’ll be”, summing up their attitudes quite nicely. Don’t ask questions. Enjoy the music, or fuck off.
4.8/5
Black Lips-Drugs [mp3]
Black Lips - Body Combat [mp3]
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