The Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand (2009)

In the face of their growing fame you could be forgiven for thinking that The Black Lips might finally warm to a cleaner sound, without the screaming and scratchy guitars. But their new record proves that they haven't lost any of their edge, despite being together for a decade now. If anything, their latest release hints at a darker edge than before. The production sounds almost claustrophobic at times, like the band are trapped in a basement, crying for help (which, appropriately enough, is actually what the song 'Trapped In A Basement" attempts to portray).

At first, it sounds as if the band are hiding behind their wall of harsh noise, too scared to use open and honest melodies and sounds. But if you continue listening, The Black Lips' brilliance shines through once more. From the first two raucous opening tracks all the way through to the climactic ending (from which this blog takes it's name), the album oozes style. It's not easy for a band to create a piece of work that has it's own feel and it's own personality but all that and much more has been accomplished by the garage rock American band. Wailing solos, simple sing-a-longs, block rocking hip-hop, latin flavoured riffs and an encounter with god: what more could you want from a rock album?

Click here to listen to 'Drugs' by The Black Lips

Label: Vice

Tracklist:
1. Take My Heart
2. Drugs
3. Starting Over
4. Let It Grow
5. Trapped In A Basement
6. Short Fuse
7. I'll Be With You
8. Big Black Baby Jesus Of Today
9. Again & Again
10. Old Man
11. The Drop I Hold
12. Body Combat
13. Elijah
14. I Saw God
15. Meltdown (Hidden Track)