Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #17 - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Why I Decree it to Be So:

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and I go back quite a long way. I’ve been a fangirl since the early days, swooning initially over their deliciously droning nouveau gaze and then embracing each subsequent incarnation with open arms (I’m particularly fond of the Howl era, as well). As far as I’m concerned, BRMC has been one of the most consistently great bands of the past decade, and with newest release Beat The Devil’s Tattoo they prove they’ve still got it. I’ll admit, I’m probably predisposed to love any record they release, but I’m pretty sure you’ll find that this album is worth all the gushing I’m about to do. Beat The Devil’s Tattoo makes me a one heck of a happy gal, because it’s a return to both the sensational southern-fried, gospel-tinged honey blues that were so prevalent on the glorious Howl record, and the black-clad distortion and drone of their debut. The whole record absolutely crackles with electricity, and it’s charged with this energy that not many bands can match. Even though I expected to adore Beat The Devil’s Tattoo, I was a little taken aback at just how much I ended up loving it. If you’ve not yet fallen in love with BRMC, this album might just do the trick. They’ve got their mojo workin’, and it sure is workin’ on me. (SEE MORE)

mp3: Beat The Devil's Tattoo (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club from Beat The Devil’s Tattoo)

Stone Coldest Fox of 2010: Peter Hayes

Let the End of 2010 insanity begin.

I could think of no better way to get things going than with my choice for the oh-so coveted (and sure, a little silly) title of Stone Coldest Fox of 2010. As we're pro-objectification here at LET, we like to celebrate the foxiness of some of our favorite music folks every now and again. Now, I'm sure some of you, and perhaps myself included for most of the year, were prepared to see Mister Trent Reznor wearing the crown for the third year in a row. Well, friends, as stone cold foxy as Trent is, it was time to pass the torch.

As a member of one of my favorite bands (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), Peter Hayes has been on my radar for many years now. BRMC is exciting and terrifying and powerful and lovely, both live and on record. I've watched with interest as he and the band have grown and evolved, and it's been a beautiful thing to behold. As can be said about Mister Hayes.

To be Stone Coldest Fox, a dude's got to have a few key ingredients working for him all at once: He's got to be knee-weakeningly sexy (check), give off kind of a dangerous, bad in such a very good way vibe (check), and play whatever instrument he happens to call home with such passionate abandon that you can't help but be irrevocably drawn in while he's playing (check). Bonus points for the casual droop of a ciggie in the mouth whilst playing. Bearing all that in mind, this choice seems rather easy to me. And so it is that Peter Hayes joins the ranks of Stone Coldest Foxdom.

mp3: Dirty Old Town (Pogues Cover) (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Buy Stuff) (song courtesy the tres jolie Le Choix)

Album Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat The Devil’s Tattoo

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and I go back quite a long way. I’ve been a fangirl since the early days, swooning initially over their deliciously droning nouveau gaze and then embracing each subsequent incarnation with open arms (I’m particularly fond of the Howl era, as well). As far as I’m concerned, BRMC has been one of the most consistently great bands of the past decade, and with newest release Beat The Devil’s Tattoo they prove they’ve still got it. I’ll admit, I’m probably predisposed to love any record they release, but I’m pretty sure you’ll find that this album is worth all the gushing I’m about to do.

Beat The Devil’s Tattoo makes me a one heck of a happy gal, because it’s a return to both the sensational southern-fried, gospel-tinged honey blues that were so prevalent on the glorious Howl record, and the black-clad distortion and drone of their debut. Peter, Robert, and new girl Leah are spot on from the word go, with title track “Beat The Devil’s Tattoo” proving to be the first of many hallelujahs. The guitar work would do the Delta proud, the vocals are magnificently muddled, and the drums are pounded mercilessly. The surging guitar intro of “Bad Blood” makes my day, and Peter’s signature vocals make me swoon. The song picks up a bit on the sound of “Not What You Wanted”, from the excellent Baby 81, but seems even more intoxicating to me somehow. It’s a little more rough around the edges, perhaps.

Ferocious fuzz leads the way into the sexy instrumentation of “War Machine”. It’s got the feel of their first record, with the wash of noise thickened by muddy distortion. “I’m waiting for you to say/the words to make me stay,” foxily go the boys in the song “Evol”, with a hypnotic backdrop of wailing guitars and the anchor of steady, solid drums. It’s definitely one of my favorite songs on the album. “Sure feels like love again,” the boys croon, and I’d have to concur. Some of you might recognize “River Styx”, a product of the Howl sessions that happily made it onto this record. It’s gone through quite a change, sounding much less stripped down but no less seductively sinister. “Long Way Down” is gorgeous, with piano adding delicacy to the sweeping sound, tinged as so many BRMC songs are with wonderfully woeful melancholy.

The whole record absolutely crackles with electricity, and it’s charged with this energy that not many bands can match. Even though I expected to adore Beat The Devil’s Tattoo, I was a little taken aback at just how much I ended up loving it. If you’ve not yet fallen in love with BRMC, this album might just do the trick. They’ve got their mojo workin’, and it sure is workin’ on me.

mp3: Beat The Devil’s Tattoo (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club from Beat The Devil’s Tattoo)

100 Shows of 2010 - #13: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ 9:30 Club, 4/5/10

Ah, the number 13. Unlucky for some, but for others, pretty dang fortunate. It seems appropriate, somehow, to have the divine Black Rebel Motorcycle Club as the 13th show in the 100. I've always had good luck seeing them live, never once have they let me down, and in fact they always leave me feeling even more satisfied than I had imagined. And so, when a last-minute invite came my way, I couldn't resist. After all, BRMC has been one of my favorite bands for many years now, and how on Earth could I pass up a chance to see them touring new record Beat The Devil's Tattoo? And so it was that I found myself, with plenty of other happy folks, soaking up the fuzz and the drone and the noise on a Monday night at the world-famous 9:30 Club. And it was magic.

MINI RECAP: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club = Scorchingly Sexy Rock! Overall Score: A.

I've been fortunate enough to see BRMC on many stops along their road, from the days touring their debut B.R.M.C. to the glorious, sultry Howl era to the breathtaking Baby 81. It's been a long, wonderful trip, and their newest incarnation (along with new full-time drummer Leah Shapiro) is just as fantastic as the others. And of course, not only do I find their music fucking awesome, I also harbor a major crush on Peter Hayes. Just another reason to love 'em, folks.

As per recent BRMC shows, they pulled fairly equally from their (non-instrumental) records, which as a fan of just about everything they're recorded sure did make me happy. Their blazing set was nearly 20 songs long, and they were on the 9:30 Club stage for just about 2 hours. In that span, I witnessed a band at the top of their form. Their sexy, pulsating rock veered as it does from fuzzy nouveaugaze to brilliant Bible Belt blues to driving, confident rock. I couldn't take my eyes off of the three of them, (alright, perhaps when a strobe light was burning my retinas) and they near about knocked me off my feet. Old favorite "Red Eyes and Tears" was given an extended treatment, and sounded even louder and fuzzier than the most excellent album version, while new favorite "Beat The Devil's Tattoo" was also a highlight, the husky smokiness of Shapiro's vocals blending well with those sultry pipes of Hayes and Robert Turner.

The set also included scathingly fierce versions of "Love Burns", "Berlin", "Weapon of Choice", "Ain't No Easy Way", "Spread Your Love", "American X", "Rifles", and a very noteworthy rendition of another favorite, "White Palms." Peter's guitar on that song absolutely kills me, it's so deliciously vicious as he defiantly dares "Jesus I dare you to come back." It's an intoxicating effect, and it never ceases to seduce.

The entire set was deafening, and might be the loudest I've ever heard them. It was a sultry night inside the club (thanks to the unseasonable warmth outside and subsequent half-hearted attempt at AC), and the humid feeling was the perfect backdrop for the show. There's a devil-may-care vibe at BRMC shows, a feeling that something shambolic is right beneath the surface of their nearly perfect play. Hot damn, I love this band.

mp3: Red Eyes and Tears (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club from B.R.M.C.)

mp3: Long Way Down (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club from Beat The Devil's Tattoo)