"Cold Hands" by Black Lips
Over the course of four studio records and one tequila-soaked live album, Black Lips have perfected a sloppily studied sound. Good Bad Not Evil sounds like barely rehearsed anarchy at first, but these Atlanta garage rockers have a keen eye for the million throwaway details that make up an artfully artless trash-rock song. Upon closer inspection, the vocals aren't as out-of-tune as they initially seem, and the shambling rhythm section and clanging guitar leads are actually meticulous. Even better, the songs are hilarious: "How Do You Tell A Child That Someone Has Died" is the best gross-out C&W song ever not written by Ween or David Allan Coe. It might take a lot of effort to sound this effortless, but Good Bad Not Evil is a goofy pleasure.
A.V. Club Rating: B+
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