Review
The Sick Lipstick
Sting, Sting, Sting

Tiger Style (2003) Eric

The Sick Lipstick – Sting, Sting, Sting cover artwork
The Sick Lipstick – Sting, Sting, Sting — Tiger Style, 2003

Everyone enjoys a little no-wave now and again, right? Anyone who is into The Red Light Sting, Arab on Radar, or Black Cat #13 will enjoy this. In fact, half of The Sick Lipstick is composed of members from Black Cat #13, and they have done a split with XBXRX.

It seems like music this cool can only come from Canada. Most of the better no-wave acts are offerings from our friends to the North. Further proving Canada's superiority, The Sick Lipstick plays music that somehow, simultaneously manages to be abrasive and catchy. Vocalist Lindsey Gillard has a bratty voice that would probably be at home on a Bratmobile record, and she utilizes it to spit out abstract poetry that almost always contains some kind of sexual undertones. Meanwhile, in the background a mishmash of guitar, drum and keyboard plays, always threatening to go off the edge into an indiscernible mess...but never quite going that far. These tunes are definitely catchy and danceable. Check out "10-4, Can You Read Me," "Get Up! Catch Up," and "Zombie Cookie" for great examples of the chaos/catchy fusion that they have perfected.

If you've been privy to The Sick Lipstick's previous efforts, you'll be very pleased when you hear this record. Their old songs were raw and hinted towards this "catchy" direction, but were still very abrasive and at times a chore to listen to. "Sting Sting Sting," however, is about as pop as this particular style of music can probably get...in fact, it's one of the best no-wave records I have heard in awhile.

8.0 / 10Eric • February 28, 2004

The Sick Lipstick – Sting, Sting, Sting cover artwork
The Sick Lipstick – Sting, Sting, Sting — Tiger Style, 2003

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025

Recently-posted album reviews

Chat Pile

Cool World
Flenser (2024)

The great American experiment has a wide range of experiences, but it tends to focus on the coasts. There are countless dystopian pieces of art, often culling from a Warriors-esque concept of urban grit. Chat Pile play dystopian, brutal noise-punk, but from a distinctly middle American point of view where instead of civilians shadowed under dense skylines, their anonymity instead … Read more

The Anomalys

Down The Hole
Slovenly (2024)

If I have to give the elevator pitch, I’ll call The Anomalys garage rock with an ear for surf and psyche rock -- turned up to 11 and blasted through blown out speakers in an old 1980s sedan. It’s high-energy, no-frills rock ‘n’ roll with attitude. While it’s short, loud and fast, there’s also quite a bit of nuance and … Read more

Pinhead Gunpowder

Unt
1-2-3-4 Go! Records (2024)

Pinhead Gunpowder began in 1990, recording a 7” in 1991. The band last released a 7” in 2008… Until late 2024 when the band returned with the 14-song full-length Unt. So congratulations if you had “we get a new Pinhead Gunpowder record before a new D4 record on your bingo card. (These two bands released a split 7” in 2000 … Read more