Friday, October 26, 2007

Review: Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil


Label: Vice Records

Released: September 11, 2007

The Black Lips exude the dark undercurrent of lo-fi 60s garage rock, but unlike other revivalists, they haven't filtered it through the present. Good Bad Not Evil is a minimalist affair with a harsh, thin sound made up of tinny guitar, echo-laden vocals, wild, loose rhythms and production right out of some hole-in-the-wall studio 40 years ago. This album is as lo-fi as it gets and the technical skills displayed are nothing to write home about, yet Black Lips' pop sense shines through. Over the course of the album they tip their hats to early Who, country rock, early 60s AM pop, punk and psychedelia without straying from their course. This ability to capture moods and styles without much in the way of measurable skills shows an intangible talent that cannot be taught or acquired in simple practice. The hipster cleverness would derail most albums, but they actually turn that annoying quality into a mild comedic effect that squares off nicely against the album's subliminal darkness. There are plenty of revivals, but few have Black Lips' ability to recreate the past without being old.

Rating: 8/10

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