Review:

on 2011-02-22 CharlesMartel Said:

The problem I had with this album was entirely one of my own making. You see, I bought it at the same time as I bought their first album, "BRMC". The consequence of listening to both albums together over a relatively short period of time is that I ended up with an overload of the style of music Black Rebel Motorcycle Club play. And "Take Them on, on Your Own" came out the worse for the comparison between the two albums.

For this, their second album, the band have definitely fallen into the dreaded follow-up album pitfall. The style has evolved, but not enough to make listening to it a significantly different experience to listening to their first album. Both albums rely heavily on guitar distortion while the tracks on "Take Them on, on Your Own" have added a degree of vocal distortion as well, heavy on a sort of hollow echo. Whatever the intention, most of the time it sounds like the vocals were recorded in an empty Gothic church (if I am being charitable) or in a toilet (if I am not). The effort to be garage in their style seemed to be a musical bridge too far for the coherence and originality of the music.

To make matters worse, the band seemed to have decided that shoving guitar sounds through a fuzz distorter is not enough. This time they're gonna put the vocals though it too. That was not a good idea. It lowers the overall ambience of the album to a formless droning, broken only by occasional bursts of increased volume or distinct screaming. It comes across as lazy and careless and is not conducive to making you want to listen to the album repeatedly. Yet, I have to say it does improve with the frequency of the listening otherwise it might not have had the rating it ended up with.

The really disappointing thing, however, is the failure of the band to come up with a decent memorable melody. Whatever first album faults there may have been with "BRMC" the presence of strong melodies to the songs carried the band through. Though that gave them a slightly poppy sound, it was a definite plus to the music. On the second album, it almost seems as if the band have recognised that poppy trend and deliberately gone against it as if to make a direct statement.

The result is a largely disappointing collection of songs (by comparison with "BRMC") which are hardly memorable at all. Even my favourite song on the album, Suddenly is actually difficult to recall until it comes on. Couple that with the weird production policy of fuzzing everything and you end up with an album which is definitely the less enjoyable of the two Black Rebel Motorcycle Club albums which I own.

Second albums are difficult beasts, that is for sure. Many have fallen into the trap and come off worse as a result. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club released this beast back into the wild before it was ready. It does not make a significant enough difference from the first album to mark a true evolution of their style, and where it does, the difference detracts from the album rather than enhances it. If you want to listen to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, don't start with this album.
Rating: 6/10

Review:

on 2007-03-08 paperslut Said:

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is like the Vin Diesel of band names. It's like Motorhead, only better. Of course, having the Marlon Brando connection is always a plus in the cool department. And apart from the machismo oozing nomenclature, they have the "I'm a showgazer who gives a fuck" look to boot. It's perfect, and just needs a little something in the music department to make the image permanent. Take Them On is just that.

If any piece of music reflected perfectly what BRMC is and should be, it's the opening riff to the monster, exhaust fume inhaled, Stop. There's always the fear with a band that's 'discovered' a good riff that they'll go on with it for far longer than necessary, but BRMC effectively evades this with the rhythm and drums crashing in at just the right moment.

Take The On is, in totality, a guitar heavy, riff laden, grungy-garage junkie of an album. BRMC effectively defined their sound on their self titled debut. And on this sophomore effort, they take this sound further. Case in point is In Like The Rose. After the rollercoaster of the first three songs, this is the 'slower' let up. It starts innocently enough with this cut-off riff that's followed by their distinctive gain heavy bass. And just when you're wondering whether this is it, they take it one step higher on the chorus. It's The Strokes meets Oasis in absolutely the best possible way.

Unfortunately, unlike it's predecessor, Take Them On isn't as consistent as it should be/could have been. It has some glaring low points that seem as though they were thrown in just so that the band could laugh at us for beginning to think that this was the album of the year (the year being 2003). Add to that, they've gone political. Sure, it's a year before Green Day, but it just doesn't work with BRMC. Songs like Generation ("I'm choosing sides, I'm keeping up with you and your invasion sides") and US Government ("We are the ones that keep you down, We are the ones that won the grounds") though good pieces of music (God can this band come up with good riffs!) just don't fit in with the BRMC scheme of things.

Fortunately, the band has also explored different ways to say what they want. Shade of Blue flings slow bass and a magnificent melody together to create a brilliant 'too much coffee' piece that highlights the middle of this album beautifully. Heart + Soul starts off with an opaque post-1967-Beatles-esque melody to launch into BRMC's own brew of psychedelia - which is basically riff-laden grunge, but who cares when you've got a good pump.

Never ones to let a good riff go by, Take Them On is BRMC's derision of everything and though it's been done before, you shouldn't mind doing it again with these LA boys.

Rating: 8/10