Black Lips Announce New Album, Share Twangy Single “Gentleman”

Atlanta garage-rock outfit Black Lips have announced their ninth album, Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart, due in January of next year and by the sound of their latest single, “Gentleman,” the raw rockers have taken a daring step into the realm of country-rock.

“Gentleman” has all the elements of a bonafide country track, including acoustic guitar, lap steel and twang-tinged vocals of desperation. Singer Cole Alexander slurs his way through bizarre meditations of a heartbroken cowboy junkie, singing, “Feel like a strung-out Snuffleupagus on the southside wearing Vietnamese cowboy clothes.” By the time the chorus hits, the group’s elevated harmonies veer into the absurdly glam direction of Rocky Horror. The track throws a lot in your face but finds success in its blend of styles neither here nor there.

While the instrumentation on “Gentleman” feels clearly inspired by a past era, the recording process of the record may have something to do with its nostalgic feeling, as well. Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart was recorded with Nic Jodoin at Valentine Recording Studios—which recently reopened since shutting its doors in 1979. In the studio that hosted The Beach Boys and Bing Crosby, the group mixed their album with vintage analog technique, cutting it directly to tape.

The result is something that feels dirty, raw and distinctly alive. “Odelia,” the first single from the record, could be easily mistaken for the abrasive ‘70s garage rockby which its influenced. Whether the record continues down the paths of country-rock, garage or glam is something we’ll have to wait to discover, but the album’s first two cuts indicate that whatever shape it takes, it will be marvelous.

Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart is set to release Jan. 24, 2020, on Fire Records/VICE and can be preordered here. You can listen to “Gentleman” and a cut from Black Lips’ Paste session below, and find their album details and tour dates further down.