Black Lips: Arabia Mountain

Label: Vice

Count me among those who thought Atlanta's Black Lips had sort of outlived their usefulness a few years ago. And now, count me among those who were wrong: Arabia Mountain is what we call in the music biz a fun-as-hell rock record, displaying all the bratty-punk attitude of their past but in a wider variety of styles than before. Many fans have suspected that superstar producer Mark Ronson would make them sound too glossy, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Tunes like "Mr. Driver" and the jumpy "Modern Art" exemplify the band's playful brand of garage rock, but then "Bicentennial Man" draws on deeper '60-garage influences -- floor-toms and a cool, shaded vibe -- and "Bone Marrow" sounds like an Oh Sees homage (in a good way). Very few bands of this kind are original in any way, but by combining a cool set of inspirations the Lips have managed to make an entire record that feels fresh.