Black Lips: 200 Million Thousand

Rumors that Black Lips' 200 Million Thousand is an overproduced bastardization of the band's sound are greatly exaggerated. Garage-rock Nazis can revel in the muffled hue that envelops the album from beginning to end. What sets 2MT apart are the smooth melodies that guide each song. Save for a few vocal deliveries in "Take My Heart" and "Big Black Baby Jesus of Today," the ramshackle factor is greatly restrained. The energy never pushes into the red, but 2MT is less about freaking out and more about honing psychedelic textures that sound bad in the best possible way. 5 stars.

Black Lips play Variety Playhouse with Atlas Sound, Gentleman Jesse. $15. 8:30 p.m. Fri., Feb. 27. 404-524-7354. www.variety-playhouse.com.