Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Baby 81

THE REVIEW

1) That this album stands apart from the previous one and instead recalls the group's beginnings has already been said; 2) that the BRMC still sound like Jesus & Mary Chain but now also wink at U2 (see, see...), Oasis (ouch!), Arctic Monkeys (really!), also; 3) that it sounds more European than American, much repeated. What else is there to say then? That maybe one might not agree with what's been written so far, for instance.

1) Baby 81 arrives in 2007, and you can tell. Peter Hayes during the making of "Howl" (A.D. 2005) practiced sounding sexy (even when singing about God), almost moaning, and now he does it like no one else. Aside from incitements and excitations, there is a breath of spirituality from the first to the last track of this Baby 81 and those who haven't noticed it should listen better.

2) BRMC sound like BRMC and wink at themselves (at the risk of going blind). Grunge, brit-pop, blues, roots. One might hear Supergrass, another Pearl Jam, one Damon Albarn, one Kurt Cobain, another their grandma. In reality, it's just a mere physiological fact: one exhales largely what they inhale, maybe a bit dirtier or simply metabolized. BRMC, like anyone else, are children of their own time and passions, but one can also choose not to participate in this "who do they remind you of?" race.

3) BRMC are also children of their own spaces and it's no coincidence that 2/3 of the band, Hayes and Turner, come from San Francisco while 1/3 (Iago, the guy on drums) is from the UK. He had left us, but now he's back. And thank goodness. His absence on "Howl" (due, it seems, to the expiry of his residence permit in Yankee land) was noticeable indeed. But now that he's back to flailing the drumsticks, the air once again moves to the rhythm of rebellion on a Harley Davidson.

And the writer, while writing this, at 5 in the morning on a Sunday, can't help but despair at how the (albeit splendid) "Ain't No Easy Way Out" would have been with the Brit in his place, darn it. And, again the writer, realizing that this DeReview up to now hasn't DeScribed much about the album.

So, in two words, instructions for use: listen to "Took Out A Loan" knowing that unfortunately, after just over 3 minutes, it will end (a rare example of how a single repeated riff, rather than tiring, makes one insatiable). Listen to "Berlin" paying little attention to the lyrics (Suicide's easy, what happened to the revolution), and much to Peter's voice (which does nothing but moan uhm, uhm, uhm...), jumping like crazy and (if female, ready to bite lips). Listen to "666 Conducer" (languid, entrancing, almost perfect) with eyes closed, smoking and, if you don't smoke, start smoking. Listen to "Weapon Of Choice" while driving and singing-shouting it. Listen to (for those who have it) the last track "The Likes of you" (bonus track for the UK version) dancing, even alone, actually better alone. Listen to all the other tracks. All. Isn't it wonderful to not have to skip even one?

It's only rock'n'roll, but it's all we want.