Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

“Time won't save our souls” sings Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on one of tonight’s favourites 'Shuffle your feet'. Well maybe not, but it seems to have saved the band. Splitting from their record label, disputes with their drummer which lead to the band becoming a two piece and their second album not reaching the success expected of it all pointed towards the end of an illustrious, but short career for BRMC.

But the music industry is a funny one - The Pixies are back, Kings of Leon are beardless and after 33 years, 3 months and 27 days Tony Christie's 'Amarillo' managed to get to number one in the UK. Which obviously means BRMC can have another stab at success.

Tonight’s performance is focused on the bands third album 'Howl', a homely stripped down album that sounds like it was recorded in the beer cellar of a village pub, which apparently was the intention. The Jesus and Mary Chain influences which had been so blatant in the first two albums have been shaken off. The new material sounds like an American folk record, with mouth organs, acoustic guitars and songs that you would expect grandpa to sing in his rocking chair. This new sound is probably down to the band performing unplugged and acoustic for so long. Without drummer Nick Jago the band haven't really been a band. But like the band themselves, he is back as well.

The crowd don't warm particularly well to the new albums slower, relaxed pace and there’s a far greater response for the earlier material. New single 'Ain't no easy way' features early on and is the first song to get the atmosphere up a few notches. It's a great song with a thumping Bluegrass country and western beat. This is a style I've never heard from this band before and it sounds brilliant. A lot of 'Howl' is very similar to one of last years finest albums by The 22-20's. If I was to draw comparisons with other artists and songs from the new album I'd say 'Promise' sounds a lot like Lou Reed's 'Perfect day'.

The actual track 'Howl' is a mellow, foot-tapping number. The set was opened with the beautiful 'Devil's waitin'', where Peter Hayes took to the stage on his own with just an acoustic guitar. It was an unexpected, downbeat opening that allowed the set to progress.

BRMC weren't forgetting their old fans too and the grungier sounds of 'Stop', taken from the second album 'Take them on on your own' was what was needed to really get the crowd going. BRMC also played 'Love Burns' and the fantastic 'Whatever happened to my rock n'roll' from their debut album. The response was great and before long the area in front of stage had turned into a sweaty, frenzied heap of mangled bodies all jumping in unison. It was a while longer before the crowd got to see BRMC belt out their classic 'Spread your love'.

The sound quality was superb, which is unusual for BRMC who are usually dogged with sound difficulties and suffer from far too much distortion and bass. Their was still the traditional BRMC fuzz, the only other band that I've ever heard properly nail that sound have been Primal Scream. The inclusion of 'Rifles' really did round off the set.

BRMC have promised a rockier fourth album, but by the end of the night the crowd really were warming to the country vibe of Howl.

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