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Black Lips

200 Million Thousand
2009
Vice

Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand (Cover Artwork)


Review by: greg0rb
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Vice Records (Logo)

Published on March 3rd 2009

Whether you think that the whole ’getting kicked out of India’ thing was badass or an elaborate publicity stunt, it shows us Atlanta’s craziest dudes are not growing up completely yet. 2007’s Good Bad Not Evil found the Lips' music cleaned up considerably, and was their poppiest record in comparison to past work. 200 Million Thousand sees them focusing their retro sound even more without being formulaic, and not relying as much on comedy while still being fun.

Where the Black Lips’ early work was raucous mic-clipping, Stooges-inspired chaos, lately the boys have stepped back further back into the `60s (or further still) while keeping the punk edge and refusing to clean up completely. “Take My Heart” kicks things off with a dirty early Stones guitar jangle. Like many tracks to come, guitarist Cole Alexander’s vocals have the distortion back on ‘em and the reverb is cranked up, so the words are less understandable than on Good Bad (though not as bad as on their early work), making it a bit harder to connect with certain songs. But this lo-fi vocal feel works wonders for tracks like “Starting Over,” which kicks ass and sounds like something off of Velvet Underground & Nico from the production, guitar tone and buried glockenspiel to the backing group vocals answering each line. “Drugs” reeks of the Sonics, with vocals by bassist Jared Swilley. “I’ll Be with You” sways like an early rock 'n’ roll ballad (maybe something by Buddy Holly or of the “Earth Angel” variety) sung at a karaoke bar by a guy who’s had a few and is way too into it.

Along with “Starting Over,” “Short Fuse” is my favorite here, with a driving beat and drummer Joe Bradley on lead vocals. That song is one of the catchiest, but overall the songs here are a bit less simple in their hooks than on Good Bad. Then there’s the solemn groove of “The Drop I Hold,” which is basically a hip-hop track with its spoken vocals and background sample.

The band always throws in at least one genre piece or just-plain-odd track on each album, and “Trapped in a Basement” fills that role here with its slow sway and those low vocals, complete with evil cackling. Closer “I Saw God” is another weird one, a slow spoken-word piece that finds Alexander cursing, belching mid-lyric and talking about marijuana and his aversion to discipline in his youth, all with some random backward tape bits. It builds to close out the album. These tracks make for a diverse set, but neither would fit in my list of favorites.

While I haven’t been reeled in vocally by as many songs as I was on Good Bad, with “Bad Kids,” “Cold Hands” and “How Do You Tell a Child Someone Has Died” demanding to be sung along to, I feel that overall this is their strongest and most eclectic set to date, and they have nailed that balance between noise and listenability. 200 Million Thousand shows how the Black Lips are at the top of the garage rock heap (or flower punk heap), a band feeling the era rather than writing to fit a mold.



People who liked this also liked:
Dear Landlord - Dream HomesMy Bloody Valentine - LovelessOperation Ivy - Operation IvyDrive Like Jehu - Yank CrimeGaslight Anthem - The '59 SoundDescendents - Milo Goes To CollegeJawbreaker - Etc.Alkaline Trio - GoddamnitBlack Lips - Good Bad Not EvilAgainst Me! - As The Eternal Cowboy



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    Posted by scientistrock on 2009-03-08 01:32:22

    Very much in the spirit of the Let it Bloom and We Didn't etc. than Good, Bad, Not Evil was.

    Posted by scientistrock on 2009-03-08 01:13:42
    My Score:

    New score is for owning it and the little essay in the liner notes and the fact that it took me two hours to remember J. Osterberg is Iggy Pop.

    Posted by osloboditelj on 2009-03-04 17:27:07
    My Score:

    Probably their least exciting release so far, but still quality.

    Posted by AgainstWhat on 2009-03-04 11:01:21
    My Score:

    This is exactly what everyone needs right about now..Some black lips

    Posted by eazyd2 on 2009-03-04 09:17:35

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    Posted by INDW on 2009-03-04 05:35:11

    good bad not evil was a fantastic record. Will definitely be picking this up.

    Posted by jesse on 2009-03-03 22:18:17

    Need to get this. You have "Forest Spirit" ? I'd say more tripped out Beach Boys than Stooges.

    Posted by scorpiondeathlock on 2009-03-03 19:51:14

    i liked good bad not evil. remind me alot of violent femmes.

    Posted by mikesinkovich on 2009-03-03 19:30:04
    My Score:

    I saw them last weekend and they were totally on. I love every bit of this album. Really nice review too.

    Posted by TommyPickles on 2009-03-03 18:59:07

    In after Tim says something to John.

    Posted by scientistrock on 2009-03-03 18:46:06
    My Score:

    I like it a lot.

    Posted by radtothemax on 2009-03-03 18:26:17

    Aw yeah, seeing these guys next week. Its gonna be awesome!

    Posted by lostandclowned on 2009-03-03 17:05:08

    in b4 john agrees.
    weak, i know.

    Posted by branden on 2009-03-03 16:52:15
    My Score:

    "the drop i hold" is awful. someone should tell them to never try hip hop ever again. everything else on here though, is immaculate. great album.

    Posted by hellxblazer on 2009-03-03 16:41:44
    My Score:

    I really, really, really like this band. Great album.