3rd April - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's B.R.M.C

Artist – Album: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – B.R.M.C

Released:  3^rd April 2001

Sounds Like: Deep Purple meets Jesus & Mary Chain

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club scored a moderate indie rock hit in the early 00’s with the brilliant ‘Spread Your Love’, a great big dirty rocker that had it’s roots in 60’s psychedelic garage rock bands and the heavier stuff released in the 70’s by the likes of Deep Purple. I remember it being sung at school, I remember watching the video on MTV, and I was thrilled when I found it on a compilation album that I had bought. But, since then, B.R.M.C have kind of just drifted around.

Their albums are generally well received by critics and the public alike, but it’s hard to find anyone outside of their actual fans that could name a second song by them. Some of it may be due to an apparent lack of direction by the band. Other head bangers from the first album include ‘Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll’ and ‘Love Burns’, but elsewhere the album sounds influenced by The Jesus and Mary Chain and shoegaze, whilst the closing couple of songs are gentle acoustic ballads. Everyone likes an album that mixes it up a bit but here it feels a bit confused, and the shift in tone from song 9 to 10 was baffling.

Later albums followed a gentler, almost gospel tinged feel, and perhaps that’s where their hearts really lie. Who knows? All I’d say is that this debut - good in parts, great even at times - still sounds like that of a band who don’t quite know what they’re trying to achieve yet.

Albumaday... rating:   6/10

1.       Love Burns – 4:05

2.       Red Eyes and Tears – 4:00

3.       Whatever Happened to My Rock ‘n’ Roll (Punk Song) – 4:38

4.       Awake – 6:12

5.       White Palms – 4:55

6.       As Sure as the Sun – 5:52

7.       Rifles – 6:59

8.       Too Real – 4:55

9.       Spread Your Love – 3:45

10.   Head Up High – 5:35

11.   Salvation – 6:06

Listen to ‘Spread Your Love’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abKjC7EX2Zs

Also released on the 3^rd April:

1968: Simon and Garfunkel - Bookends

Also released on the 3^rd April:

2000: Doves – Lost Souls