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Rating: First America, the remote landscapes, the roots. Now England, brit-pop, walls of sound, but also grunge, stadium rock à la U2, or the "usual" Jesus & Mary Chain. After the beautiful journey into American musical roots that they decided to embark on two years ago with the excellent "Howl," the Black Rebel return to turn up the amplifiers with this new "Baby 81," preceded by a single like "Weapon Of Choice" (which feels like a more frantic and vigorous "Stop") indicative of this direction.
The new work opens with the notes of "Took Out A Loan," dominated by a repetitive yet enjoyable riff and the changes in drum tempo, though it maintains a moderate and steady cruising speed. The subsequent "Berlin" winks at the dancy sounds so fashionable at the moment, while, after "Weapon Of Choice," "Window" is pure new britpop, with its piano intro stolen from something by Elton John and a Liam Gallagher-style lazy vocal performance. "Cold Wind" is, on the contrary, based on a beautifully gritty guitar riff and a vaguely grunge melody (thus in sharp contrast to the very first part of the record). For "It's Not What You Wanted," the same can be said for "Window," but here once again the six-string reigns supreme; "666 Conducer" (already available online before the album release) is truly interesting in its gritty-menacing pace, unlike "All You Do Is Talk" (U2 by the ton), which passes by flat and monotonous.
"Lein On Your Dreams" boasts the classic very-British ending with falsetto singing, "Need Some Air," on the other hand, raises the stakes and revitalizes the situation with a rather enjoyable and compelling pace. The subsequent "Killing The Light" with its forced falsetto is frankly unbearable and earns the palm of the worst track on the album, while "American X" stretches out into an instrumental ending in the style of the latest Dandy Warhols. The beautiful "I Am Only" closes, initially dominated by a nice acoustic riff, then by a decisive wall of sound.
Ultimately, the reference album returns to be "Take Them On...," if a comparison is necessary, but one must nonetheless forget the gritty-and-bad patina that characterized that album, in favor of greater attention in often developing melodies using a typically Anglo-Saxon mold.
It's up to you (and your tastes) to decide whether to still stick with Black Rebel or not...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Took Out a Loan (04:16)
I took out a loan on my empty heart, babe
I took out a loan for my patient soul
And I feel alive as long as I don't need you
And I feel alive as long as I keep hold
I took out a loan on my empty heart, babe
I took out a loan for my patient soul
And I feel alive as long as I don't need you
And I feel alive as long as I keep hold
Of what I think I thought I heard you loved me
I think you thought you heard I loved
Have I been mistaken
Have I been mistaken
I feel confused about the way it's done
I won't be denied
I'm coming in this time, babe
I've fallen in love with your creatures soul
And I've been a witness to your sickest obsession
And I feel alive as long as I keep hold
Of what I think I thought I heard you loved me
I think you thought you heard I loved
Have I been mistaken have I been mistaken
I feel confused about the way it's done
02 Berlin (03:11)
have a little love, as were fighting with each other
aint no use in crying like the others
were fools in need, fools to believe,
there are fools in need, to foolish to believe
im gonna, uh somebody, uh somebody
here but dont you please, ive got time and time to bleed
it aint no use in trying to deceive ive been fooled by the lover, fooled by the sinner, fooled myself into thinking i was living
im fighting just to breathe as i get back off my knees
help me somebody
help me somebody
im fighting just to breathe as i get back off my knees
im gonna, uh somebody, uh somebody, uh somebody, uh somebody
she said
suicides easy, what happened to the revolution
suicides easy, what happened to the revolution
suicides easy, what happened to the revolution
suicides easy, what happened to the revolution
heavy little lovers, as were fighting with each other
aint no use in suffering like the others
were fools in need, fools to believe,
there are fools in need, to foolish to believe
im fighting just to breathe as i get back off my knees
help me somebody
help me somebody
im fighting just to breathe as i get back off my knees
im gonna, um somebody, um somebody, um somebody, um somebody, um somebodies gonna, somebody, hurt somebody,
um somebodies gonna, somebody
she said
suicides easy, what happened to the revolution
suicides easy, what happened to the revolution
suicides easy, what happened to the revolution
suicides easy, what happened to the revolution
03 Weapon of Choice (02:50)
I gotta speak and you want to listen up
There is no time to feast your eyes
You want it all but the world won't give it up
Up to the edge your star will rise
What is your weapon of choice,
What's your weapon of choice
There is no weapon to free us all
What is your weapon of choice,
What's your weapon of choice
There is no weapon to free us all
I won't waste it, I won't waste it, I won't waste my love on a nation
I won't waste it, I won't waste it, I won't waste my love on a nation
Everyone's got their own split factions
Every pawn will pay it's price
I've been digging out in all directions
I'll see you through to the after life
What is your weapon of choice,
What's your weapon of choice
There is no weapon to free us all
What is your weapon of choice,
What's your weapon of choice
There is no weapon to free us all
I won't waste it, I won't waste it, I won't waste my love on a nation
I won't waste it, I won't waste it, I won't waste my love on a nation
It's to hard too stand aside
It's enough to stop your heart
I won't waste it, I won't waste it, I won't waste my love on a nation
I won't waste it, I won't waste it, I won't waste my love on a nation
I won't waste it, I won't waste it, I won't waste my love on a nation
I won't waste it, I won't waste it, I won't waste my love on a nation.
07 666 Conducer (04:01)
No one knows her name but they see her youth and use her
She's feeling free and everything she sees is truth
She's seventeen she's got everything she needs to lose
Yeah yeah yeah oh no
She's got everyone to help her on her way
She's got everyone to help her on her way
She's got everyone to help her on her way, down
He seems to know right where it hurts your pain, in vain
He gives himself to you he's in your way
And everything he does just seems a phase, insane
Yeah yeah yeah oh no
He's got everyone to help him on his way
He's got everyone to help him on his way
He's got everyone to help him on his way, down
Everything you touch tears at your heart, apart
Of everything you see down in your soul never let you go
You've got everyone to help you on your way
You've got everyone to help you on your way
You've got everyone to help you on your way, down
You're a 666 conducer
How do you do the things you do sir
You're a 666 conducer
How do you do the things you do sir
You're a 666 conducer
How do you do
How do you do
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Other reviews
By Alex1965
These thirteen tracks are each more beautiful than the last, and it would be a disservice to highlight only a few.
BRMC have a great ability to effortlessly range from an abrasive and gritty style to a more decidedly pop style, favoring contagious or better yet 'catchy' melodic solutions.
By breakerfall
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.
Isn't it wonderful to not have to skip even one? It's only rock'n'roll, but it's all we want.
