Single review: The Black Lips – Short Fuse

I’m stunned that Black Lips got a record label to stump up for a second album. “Short Fuse” is so basic it’s as if they’re learning to play while they record. Honestly, did I miss a meeting? When was a pitiful fifties rock’n'roll throwback with no distinguishing features given the time of day?

I really wanted to like “Short Fuse”, particularly as it’s been a while since a front-woman graced the player [Editor's note - all the members of Black Lips are male, as far as I am aware...], but the singing sounds as if she’s trying to emote through a mouthful of cotton wool. I don’t mind slurred diction (John Martyn could slide around words and notes like no other but it was obvious he could both sing and express emotion in the same breath) but when it’s just indecipherable stuffed-gob noises the loss is all too audible. Black Lips will be lumped into the garage rock scene but you’ll be scratching your head at the twanging Shadows-lite (yes, I do mean Cliff Richard and The…) guitar, sub-early Pink Floyd organ and whooshing Daffy Duck-meets-Hawkwind audio generator noises littering the soundscape.

The first thing any band needs is a defining sound and Black Lips haven’t discovered it yet; they’re still wandering around shouting “Dr Livingstone, Dr Livingstone, are you there? We want our individuality…” It’s tough to review a band on the strength of a single song but “Short Fuse” seems representative enough. The title doesn’t reflect the music and that’s a crying shame.

“Short Fuse” is apparently an advert for the forthcoming Black Lips album called 200 Million Thousand; I hope that’s not the number they hope to sell…