Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
Vice: 2011
It’s been a long time since there has been a piece about Cole Alexander exposing himself and pissing during a Black Lips show. Not that it couldn’t still happen; the band has always subscribed to a “Do whatever the fuck you want” punk ethos. But they’ve calmed down a bit over the past decade plus, both on stage and on record. Arabia Mountain, the latest Black Lips record, is probably the band’s most laid back effort. That may be because it’s produced by Mark Ronson, he of Amy Winehouse and Adele fame. Or maybe it’s because the band has grown up. Whatever the reason, the result is that Arabia Mountain sounds like the most truly retro record in the Black Lips’ discography.
That’s both a positive and a negative. The Black Lips always wanted to be on a Nuggets compilation, and they always had moments where they could have been, but Arabia Mountain is probably the album with the most tracks that actually wouldn’t sound out of place. Standouts “Time” and “Bicentennial Man” distill their the Velvet Underground and the Sonics influences, merging them with the band’s notoriously frenetic energy. And more sixties references abound: opener “Family Tree” is only a few BPMs too fast for the Kill Bill soundtrack, while “Bone Marrow” borrows “Good Vibrations”‘ theremin for entirely different yet sonically similar reasons. But despite the strengths, there’s not a whole lot of new on Arabia Mountain. The sixteen songs of this record find the Black Lips digging through their crates more than winging it, and while that’s probably not a first, it’s the first time the band has sounded like it.
As far as garage rock bands go, the Black Lips have always set themselves apart with sheer verve. Over time, that verve has translated into a willingness to extend their reach without it exceeding their grasp. Like they have with every record since Good Bad Not Evil, Arabia Mountain finds the band pulling back, adding new tricks, and still nailing their signature sound. While it’s not likely to blow your mind, it’ll definitely perk your ear.
3.5 out of 5
