I Bought My Legs From The US Government (Take Them On On Your Own - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)

Member Name: Andy.mack

Product:	Take Them On On Your Own - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Date:	23/04/05 (121 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A good combination of post pychedelia and modern rock

Disadvantages: Vocals are a little weak in places

They burst onto the scene in 2000 with an album that sounded slightly different to most of the other music around at the time. There was a hint of Definitely Maybe era Oasis about them that meant The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's debut album did reasonably well. Then 3 years later in 2003 they returned with this follow up to the Self titled debut album. It was really a case of wait and see as they returned from being missing in action to take the world on with a new album.

It took a while for me to get into "Take Them On, On Your Own", but it's easily as good as the debut album if not better. They stayed true to the sound of the first album, which seen them merge the best factors of music over the last 30 or so years. They took the distorted guitars from the psychedelic era and mixed it superbly with Rock and Rolls energetic rhythms. In fact it's this principle that really seems to create the back bone to the album and gives the BRMC something to build from. Thrown on top of that is the energy of punk making the album a real mixed bag.

Most bands have a tendency to over produce the second album, which takes away part of the appeal. In an attempt to buck that trend BRMC have recorded the album and tried to use it largely as it sounded on the original recording. I really feel this gives the album a fresh and more realistic feel and ensures it's as good as the first. They've changed the style a little bit and introduced a more adventurous sound, whilst still staying true to their roots. The introduction of the Acoustic guitar on "And I'm Aching" represents a new approach from BRMC. The vocals sound superb and whilst the album as a whole stays quite similar the few variations are good and very welcome.

The album as a whole is musically brilliant, while in places I felt the vocals were a little bit lacking. The guitars really make the bands sound and it's no real surprise that they play a huge part in the album. In places it's the distorted guitars that really make the album for me and also improve slightly on the weaker vocal aspects. On the whole the guitars are quite fast paced and that adds another dimension to the album. Each track has quite distinct influences with the heart of them lying within Rock and Roll.

It's not a perfect album by any stretch of the imagination but it is incredibly enjoyable. The band have firmly established themselves as an Indie Rock band with a good future ahead of them. While the majority of the albums relies heavily on the guitars the drums play a big part as well. The combination of the distorted guitars and drums create decent tracks such as "Six Barrel Shotgun". The drums on the track give it a good base, while the guitars make it a real pleasure to listen to.

At times the vocals are a little weak but that is only in the majority. The lyrics are quite well written and have a clever edge to them. There is a bit of a political theme running through the album, but not in a major way. Each track has a slightly different edge to everything else on the album. There isn't the usual moaning about a lost love that seems to be taking over Indie Rock, with the arrival of bands like The Killers. Although I do like The Killers, I do feel there is a need for a lot more bands like BRMC.

The singles like "Stop" and "We're All In Love" are a good example of what the album is like as a whole. Of course don't let the title of "We're All In Love" confuse you with relation to my previous comments. It's very much an upbeat song and the lyrics just blend into the back ground. On the whole this is a decent Indie rock album and will certainly hold some appeal with a large number of Indie Rock fans. It's something slightly different that a lot of bands seem to be scared of trying. The real success for BRMC with this album is the expansion of styles within their music.

Overall it's certainly an album I would recommend. They have won a lot of fans within the musical community but are underexposed to music fans on the whole. It's rare to hear one of their tracks on the radio, which won't help to make them any better known. That said they do have a loyal fan base and are quite recognisable in their sound. There is a distinct influence by early Oasis within the album, mixed with a number of different bands and styles from the last 3 decades. I would have thought a new album will already be in the pipeline, but I'd certainly recommend going out and buying a copy of this one as well.

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