The Pink Mountaintops

If people know Stephen McBean — the rasp-throated, bearded-hippie frontman of the Pink Mountaintops — for anything, it’s his Sabbathesque project with the similarly geological name of Black Mountain. Those who didn’t sleep on the Mountaintops’ self-titled debut record got acquainted with a band that seemed obsessed with fucking —all simplistic beats, sexy guitars and come-hither lyrics about ejaculating on blouses (among other things), songs such as “Bad Boogie Ballin'” and “Sweet ’69” were actually damn good, too. But Axis of Evol, the group’s second record (out this week), sets aside the fornication in favor of religious and drug imagery with fuzzed-out bliss that brings to mind some of the Velvets’ best moments. If the live show is anything like Black Mountain’s (and it likely will be), start looking forward to 12-minute jams.