Existing firmly in the tradition of the Velvet Underground, Austin, TX’s Black Lipstick takes the attitude and grace of said ’60s rockers and delivers a barely updated version of the sound that — while obviously derivative — is still quite well re-created. The Four Kingdoms of Black Lipstick contains five low-key rockers that revel in a sincere understanding of simple song structures and understated hipness. Featuring two former members of the Kiss Offs, who seem to have toned down their notorious behavior a bit, and adding occasional female vocals from Beth Nottingham that evoke a loose and unpredictable feel as much as they advance the melodic aspects of the record, the band — guitar, drums, bass, and surprisingly subtle but effective keyboards — rarely misses their mark. Often they tend to lock into a similar rhythm for the duration of most songs, but the parts are catchy enough to linger, and it makes the group’s occasional buildups, which revel in simplicity, all the more intriguing. Black Lipstick’s strongest asset is their ability to never overcrowd the music, and even when they are playing their hardest they seem to be relaxing and taking in the moment rather than rushing into the next change. The Four Kingdoms of Black Lipstick isn’t a chaotic or even close to technical record, but it is delivered by a band who knows what they are doing and has no problems pulling it of in a fairly believable manner. – Peter J. D’Angelo