Written by K. Barrett
I’ve always had a hard time pinning down San Francisco’s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Are the high voltage rock-n-rollas, or something completely different? Over the 13 songs that compose their latest album, Beat the Devil’s Tattoo, they don’t make my distinction any easier; there’s a bit of everything, from Verve-tinged rockers to dirge-like Nine Inch Nails. Folksy ballads to blues breakers. But then again, this should be considered a good thing. It’s hard to deny that most mainstream rock has become formulaic, so I’m always jacked to hear a band cohesively channeling a variety of influences. They pull it off well.
If there’s one thing BRMC are consistently known for, it’s cranking out solid album openers. ‘Shuffle Your Feet’ from 2005′s Howl got major spins on my machine, while I used to pump Take Them On, On Your Own’s ‘Stop’ for my warmup music before hockey games.
Never before has the band’s entrance been so indicative of an album’s sound. With a punching 1-2 rhythm, the title-track is chain-gang rock n’ roll, drawing equal parts Leadbelly and The Stooges. The guitars form a barrier barbed with bass-distortion, where even the subtle rattle of a tambourine warns of the snake’s strike. How can your blood not boil with lyrics like “everyone is king when there’s no one left to pawn” or “open up your eyelids and let your demons run”?
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Download — Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Beat The Devil’s Tattoo”
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great choice
you guys doin something on BRMC is why you’re RSS’d and read daily. Good work. Check out “spread your love” and “sympathetic noose” …
Wow. This is really good. Great description of the record too.
Get back to rap Weezy! This is horrible.
Oh wait, this isn’t Weezy. In that case, great song! DLing now!
thats dope
Super hot!
The rest of the album is in the same style?
Do you know other bands like this?
Ben6:
Like I said in the intro, they’re hard to pin down, as they draw from a lot of places. When all of these elements come together, it’s hard to give one definitive band to compare against BRMC.
The long answer would be:
Despite being American, the closest reference point for BRMC’s style is in the Brit Pop invasion of the 90s. So bands like Oasis. The Verve. Blur. The Stone Roses. The Charlatans UK. Even some newer bands like Doves are apparent on the record.
After that, their influences are a little more song-specific: I’ve heard everything from Iggy Pop (both solo and with the Stooges), Dinosaur Jr., the Brian Jonestown Massacre (who singer Peter Hayes used to be a member of), Sonic Youth during their DGC Records era, and more obviously, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin.
Explore albums by any of these groups; I’m sure you’ll find something you like.
PS. Their albums are diverse, but good. Check out ‘Howl’ (which is probably their best from start to finish) and ‘Take Them On, On Your Own’.