Black Lipstick - Sincerely Black Lipstick

by Adam Wood

published: 16 / 3 / 2005

Black Lipstick - Sincerely Black Lipstick

Label: Glitterhouse Records
Format: CD

Uncompromising, kicking-against-the-system glam/punk rock on second album from Austin, Texas four piece Black Lipstick

Review

Its time to completely discard what you think you know about Southern American Rock and Roll, Black Lipstick’s second full length album is set to redefine a musical genre. Sexy riffs borrowed from predecessors the Kiss Offs, vigorous, unpretentious drumming courtesy of the spirit of the Velvet Underground’s Mo Tucker and dead pan lyrics all the way from the Modern Lovers make ‘Sincerely,’ a real force to be reckoned with. A four piece from Austin, Texas, Black Lipstick are a gang of cash obsessed drop-outs intent on getting mangled and stealing your girlfriend, in the least Motley Crüe way possible. Created by Peek-A-Boo records boss Travis Higdon (their label in the U.S) and singer Philip Niemeyer, Black Lipstick is an idea that glorifies everything that America is not supposed to stand for, infidelity, liberal drug use and a complete disregard for the try hard ideals of the American Dream. Tracks like 'B.O.B. F.O.S.S.E.' see Niemeyer proclaiming “The louder I sing the lighter my burden gets,” aptly throwing off the shackles of the political and physical heat of Texas that gave birth to the band and emphasising their repressed ‘whatever’ approach to music and life. There is a good deal of consistency with their first record ‘Converted Thieves,’ the raucous desert vendetta of 'Shallow' nonchalantly re-iterates Black Lipstick’s disregard for the boredom of settling down with trade mark irony “Don’t forgive me for what I did/ Hell I don’t even care if you find out/ ‘cause I’m moving on.” Niemeyer’s discarded, uncaring approach to singing works perfectly with drummer Elizabeth Nottingham’s bored, cooler-than-thou backing, notably on 'The Bad Catholic.' As a whole ‘Sincerely,’ represents a progression of a genuinely original sound into a second recording that is almost complete. You begin to realise that there is something, however slight, missing, but then isn’t that the point? For all the talk of satisfaction against the grain, the Black Lipstick has found that you can never be complete however hard you (don’t) try. As the final song 'All Night Long Forever' descends into a forceful yet desperate guitar face off, the mantra of the Black Lipstick becomes clear, forget about it, live a little.