Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl - An Overlooked Masterpiece

[Psychocandy]

I've been listening more and more of late to The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's most recent album Howl. BRMC were a cause celebre around the time of their inception and their debut album was greeted by music critics with much praise. However, with their second album they seemed to lose a certain amount of momentum. Sales were poor and the critical reception somewhat underwhelming. Fuck the critics though. I thought their sophomore effort was vastly superior to their debut. But there was nothing about anything in the first and second albums to suggest that they would next release something as majestically poised as 2005's Howl. By opening themselves up to a variety of influences and allowing those influences to dictate the direction of the album they succeeded in unleashing one of 2005's great unsung gems. It's a real shame that it shot under so many a music fan's radar.

[drago25]

Nice post. I completely agree. "Howl" was the first of BRMC I ever heard, and it has made me fall in love with them - it is a fucking brilliant album, and everyone should check it out who hasn't heard it.

[Psychocandy]

Originally posted by drago25
Nice post. I completely agree. "Howl" was the first of BRMC I ever heard, and it has made me fall in love with them - it is a fucking brilliant album, and everyone should check it out who hasn't heard it.

Have you checked out their first two albums? Not as good as Howl but pretty fucking close. The first show signs of a heavy Jesus & Mary Chain influence while the second broke free of that and found it's own voice. With the third I think they really displayed signs of being in it for the long haul and I think it would be a shame if they allowed themselves to be crushed by the lack of success. I've got my fingers crossed for another masterpiece.

[drago25]

I've heard a few of their earlier songs but have not yet had the pleasure of hearing their previous albums, something I obviously need to do.