Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - B.R.M.C. (2001)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - B.R.M.C. (2001)
This L.A.-based band (originally hailing from San Francisco) came along just when they were needed most. This self-produced major-label debut boldly plunders a reverb-and-white noise course previously trampled underfoot by long-gone British bands of the late '80s and early '90s (the Jesus & Mary Chain, the Verve, Ride, the Stone Roses, etc.). It all sounds very British, on many levels, despite the fact that only one band member is an Englishman living in exile in the States. On some songs, however, the driving, over-amped guitars (often buzzing with "VU needles-in-red"-type feedback) and pounding drums have a swaggering primeval feel that rivals solid Detroit rock outfits, both old and new (including the Stooges and the Go, to name two). A few have dark, introspective lyrics, with subjects like impending death ( "Rifles" at their heart, while others have a positive, more uplifting feel (cf. "Salvation" ), but it's really the group's cohesive, solid production overall that captures a shoegazing, blustery rock vibe not heard for nearly a decade or more. Highlights abound on this astonishing disc, including the bitter opening salvo, "Love Burns," the diaphanous space pop of "Too Real," and the flurry of sawtooth guitar scree that is "Whatever Happened to My Rock n' Roll (Punk Song)," a track recalling the manic intensity of the Stooges circa Fun House. (AMG)
Tracklist:
01 - Love Burns
02 - Red Eyes And Tears
03 - Whatever Happened To My Rock 'N' Roll (Punk song)
04 - Awake
05 - White Palms
06 - As Sure As The Sun
07 - Rifles
08 - Too Real
09 - Spread Your Love
10 - Head Up High
11 - Salvation
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Take Them On, On Your Own (2003)
More poised and less self-conscious after two years of continuous touring, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has taken a huge artistic leap forward with their second album, stripping away much of florid guitar work and anxious drumming featured on their self-titled debut and replacing it with a sleeker sound. On their previous disc, you could barely make out their enigmatic and half-formed lyrics buried underneath the feedback and thick psychedelic swirls, but they've fixed all that and have turned out a collection of tetchy but intelligent post-modern protest songs that are a huge departure from their earlier compositions about the capricious nature of love. Titles like "Stop," "Six Barrel Shotgun," "(Kill the) US Government" crackle with anger and confrontation, much like MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" was to earlier generations. No longer sounding like Jesus & Mary Chain retreads, BRMC has carved out their own niche by combining dark poetry with a sharp disgust with the way the world is being run. --Jaan Uhelszki (amazon.com)
Tracklist:
1. Stop
2. Six Barrel Shotgun
3. We're All in Love
4. In Like the Rose
5. Ha Ha High Babe
6. Generation
7. Shade of Blue
8. US Government
9. And I'm Aching
10. Suddenly
11. Rise Or Fall
12. Going Under
13. Heart + Soul
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl (2005)
Tracklist:
1. Shuffle Your Feet 2:54
2. Howl 4:21
3. Devil's Waitin' 3:50
4. Ain't No Easy Way 2:36
5. Still Suspicion Holds you Tight 4:25
6. Fault Line 2:57
7. Promise 4:46
8. Weight of the World 3:41
9. Restless Sinner 3:12
10. Gospel Song 4:31
11. Complicated Situation 2:36
12. Sympathetic Noose 4:17
13. The Line 8:20