Release Date: June 7, 2011
Self-described “flower-punk” band Black Lips have been pumping out psychedelic garage punk for the better part of a decade. Six studio albums is a lot of time to develop a sound and tone, sometimes too much time. Bands that last that long often find themselves in a creative rut. While it’s too much fun to be called a rut of any sort, Black Lips’ newest release, Arabia Mountain, chooses to stick mostly to what the band knows best with 16 quick, punk-inspired lo-fi jams. That’s not to say the album is bad; most of Arabia Mountain sounds like it has been done before, but its surprising consistency and genuinely catchy hooks make the record a great soundtrack for the start of the summer season.
Black Lips’ previous album, 200 Million Thousand, had several really excellent songs (its radio single “Short Fuse” and the crashing “Elijah,” among others) but was weighed down by a good amount of forgettable filler. Luckily, the band has worked hard to fix this problem for Arabia Mountain. Every song, from the funky album opener “Family Tree” to the creepy finisher “You Keep on Running” feels important and stands out from other songs while still fitting into the record’s overall groove in a way that many of the songs on 200 Million didn’t.
Stronger consistency is a plus, but the album is held back by a few things. Arabia Mountain, while not deeply flawed, suffers from a lack of innovation. The band mostly plays it safe by incorporating elements they have already toyed with: punk rock enthusiasm mixed with spacey, psychedelic guitars all drenched in fuzz and static.
This works for the band just like it has in the past; it isn’t a bad sound and it’s definitely one that the band is comfortable playing in, but with that comfort comes a sense that this has been done before. You have likely heard something very similar to Arabia Mountain, and that is especially true if you have experience with any of the band’s earlier works. That said, their music has an undeniably infectious enthusiasm that ensures listeners will feel their time has not been wasted, just spent on something familiar and fun.
Arabia Mountain still contains a few standout tracks, including the super-catchy “Modern Art,” “Spidey’s Curse” (which yes, is about Peter Parker), and the album’s psychedelic first single “Go Out And Get It.” Most songs on the album run about two to three minutes long, giving the album a quick pace that never drags or gets boring.
Those looking for a mind-boggling genre exploration will find themselves disappointed with Black Lips’ newest, but previous fans of the band will find the album to be one of their most consistent efforts. It won’t be blowing anyone’s mind, but music fans looking for some fun, summery punk music could do a hell of a lot worse than Arabia Mountain.
Black Lips Arabia Mountain Tracklisting:
- “Family Tree”
- “Modern Art”
- “Spidey’s Curse”
- “Mad Dog”
- “Mr. Driver”
- “Bicentennial Man”
- “Go Out and Get It”
- “Raw Meat”
- “Bone Marrow”
- “The Lie”
- “Time”
- “Dumpster Dive”
- “New Direction”
- “Noc-a-Homa”
- “Don’t Mess Up My Baby”
- “You Keep on Running”
