Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is one of the very few real bands recording and on the circuit at the moment. My review of the following collection of songs is from their albums ‘Howl’ – 2005 and ‘Baby 81’ – 2007. They are some of the best compositions and statements heard in modern times.
BRMC are a rare gift to the current music world. Although each of their albums sounds totally different to the next, there are also links and similarities between them. How can this be so? It may be down to their meticulous attention to detail, or the diversity of the songs. More likely though, it is because the band are ever-evolving and moving forward, without drastically changing their signature writing ethos. This gives the listener a familiarity whilst listening to the albums. Each Album becomes more organic than the last, and the true-to-roots song writing style of Peter Hayes and Robert Levon-Been becomes less refined, thus giving the band more control and confidence in which direction they want their songs, and the albums as a whole, to go.
The title ‘Baby 81’ spawned the band’s tour of South East Asia after the Tsunami disaster. They stumbled upon Thai mothers trying to reclaim their lost babies, which were numbered outside a hospital the band happened to be passing. One baby was never claimed, and was seen with a cardboard sign above its head translated into reading ‘Baby 81’. Very sad, yet a great title for an album, they thought.
BRMC’s song writing style is a collaboration of every recognised rock, blues, folk or alternative band ever, ranging from the blues-rock Led Zeppelin-esque ‘666 Conducer’ and riff-laden ‘Took out a Loan’ and ‘Weapon of Choice’, to the bluesy-acoustic organic feel of the introductory ‘Shuffle Your Feet’, the southern American folk/gospel songs of ‘Devil’s Waitin’ (My personal favourite) and ‘Promise’. So you could say they are not breaking the mould, but what they are doing is playing their style better than anyone else, and more importantly, they are real. You can almost smell the leather of their boots stomping the floor of the barn they rehearse in.
The entire album ‘Howl’ was recorded on original 1960’s analogue equipment and the techniques used to record the band were true to that of their influences. This meant that the band were mic’d up in the recording studio and recorded as a band, using no studio trickery or overdubs which might make them sound more ‘appealing’ to the audience’s musical palette. Anyone who is a BRMC fan thrives off the ‘live’, organic and involving feel that this evenly portrays.
‘Howl’ was not all creative song writing, feet-stomping and roses on the doorstep, however. The recording process was dogged with logistical problems, with drummer Nick Jago being refused a visa, creating huge problems in booking tours to promote the album. This eventually led to Hayes and Levon-Been deciding to part company with Jago after countless arguments and dark rumours of substance abuse. The absence of Jago gave the surviving two members of the band a chance to sit back and write more stripped-back songs than previously attempted, trading grungy effects pedals and huge amplifiers for acoustic guitars, harmonicas and slides. This new approach resulted in the final track list on the album. It was a hard time for the band, who were also dropped from their record label, Virgin. Questions arose about whether they would make a profit with the new album, or if they would break even financially. The album shone through however, and with its barn-dance and honky-tonk rhythm, listeners and reviewers listened intently more out of interest than anything else, and were for the most part, blown away. Nick Jago returned towards the end of the record and the result is a band that has been resurrected. With a new record label in Red Ink and the album sounding so huge, but recorded in such a minimalistic way, you can hear yourself asking ‘how did they do that?’ after a single listen.
Keep a special look out for the secret track titled ‘Open Invitation’ which is located 5 minutes and 9 seconds into the final track titled ‘The Line’. ‘Open Invitation’ is possibly one of the most involving, moving, brave and striking folk/gospel songs ever written. It was written and recorded by Peter Hayes live in the studio in one take at the end of the ‘Howl’ sessions, using only a Pump Organ. This is an instrument, which is pumped using one hand (almost like an accordion) to project the volume from the organ via an analogue speaker instead of using an amplifier. The only overdub used on this track is the backing vocal, which adds to the evermore haunting feel of the song, which is about resumption, resolution, regret and nostalgia.
Also keep a special slot reserved for ‘Devil’s Waitin’. In a word -incredible, this is one of the most ambitious and brave songs written in recent times, taking influences from gospel, folk, country and blues, Peter Hayes has created his masterpiece. When performed live, Hayes plays this song solo, and so he should. Crowds fall silent and bathe in the simplicity and contrast of having Hayes play acoustic guitar on his own in front of them. The song is a far cry from the grungy, thrashy and dirty BRMC of old, and is – in my opinion – a breath of fresh air to their live repertoire, whilst also an obvious indication of the new diversity of the band.
‘Baby 81’ is the lovechild of all three first albums. With the first three songs being out and out belters. ‘Took Out a Loan’ is a brave yet masterful first track, spanning over 4 minutes of blues riff heaven. The next two tracks ‘Berlin’ and ‘Weapon of Choice’ were the first singles from the album and sound absolutely huge. The difference here between the heavy tracks on the first two albums (‘BRMC’ and ‘Take Them On, On Your Own’ - neither being reviewed here) is that the new ones are tuneful. They are sexy, they have groove and swagger and they have melody. It seems like the band are writing with confidence and for the love of their music, not just to make a statement to spite themselves.
For half of ‘Baby 81’ BRMC go back to cranking up their amps and plugging in their Gibson electrics. The fuzz effects they use are dark and warm and glow on their heavy tracks, such as the initial three, mentioned above, and the dark and brooding ’666 Conducer’, ‘Need Some Air’ and ‘American X’. The latter track is a song about the political state of post 9/11 America. It bizarrely has a track time of 9:11, which was apparently a coincidence. ‘Killing The Light’ comes next, and is a superb album track, with Hayes’ falsetto vocals giving a truly haunting feel before a chorus of wailing guitars and smashing drums hits you in the face.
BRMC’s dynamics on ‘Baby 81’ are fantastic. Their ability to switch from downright-all-out-amazing rock to quiet subtle folk/acoustic songs is astounding, reminiscent of bands such as Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Muse, Kings of Leon and The Libertines. Yet, they add their own influences to the equation - which I love, and it really gives the songs a big boost. The album ends with the warm and mellow ‘Am I Only’ and the heavy and abstract ‘The Likes of You’. The stand out track of the album however, is a far cry from the heavy BRMC of old. ‘All You Do Is Talk’ is a song with vocal melodies so perfect they are almost divine. Not to be missed.
With a fantastic comeback from the brink with ‘Howl’ and ‘Baby 81’, this band are right here, right now, and deserve to be heard over the world.
Ian Easton
03.10.2007
