Record Review - Almighty Defenders: Almighty Defenders

It’s obvious that a collaboration featuring Black Lips, King Khan and BBQ would yield muddy forays into ’60s garage rock rhythms and gospel soul. When Black Lips were chased out of India for indecency, they holed up in Khan’s Berlin-based Moon Studios, and these 11 songs document the decadence of their eight days together. The field hollers of “All My Loving” and haunted moans of “Ghost with the Most” flow with urgency and echo. “30 Second Air Blast” is catchy but a little too juvenile, and BBQ’s Bill Haley wail in “Cone of Light” is the album’s shining star. “Bow Down and Die” rattles with beautifully busted fidelity, and “I’m Comin’ Home” resurrects the Mighty Hannibal’s war-torn Vietnam anthem, drenched in reverb. The album feels hastily assembled, like an excuse to jam, but isn’t the ongoing love affair with Black Lips built upon the band’s sense of spontaneity and abandon? Churning out fiery songs by the seat of their pants is what these guys do best. (Vice) 4 stars out of 5