Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Specter at the Feast

Specter at the Feast
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Artist: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Genre: Rock
Label: V2/Co-Op

Like the story of any rock'n'roll band worth its salt, the BRMC bio is peppered with bust-ups, walk-outs and low points. There have been some peaks as well, but the assertion that the trio have failed to replicate the quality of their 2001 debut gains further weight with this seventh album. There's no question that BRMC's strain of bluesy, old- fashioned rock'n'roll is perfectly likeable for the most part. Yet after more a decade together, their style has become increasingly repetitive, as evidenced by Hate the Taste 's nagging guitars and growling bassline. The tracks that are closest to 2005's refreshingly rootsy Howl are most agreeable, but even the scuffed acoustic swing of Lullaby and Some Kind of Ghost signal a band low on new ideas.
Blackrebelmotorcycleclub. com
Download: Lullaby, Some Kind of Ghost

Lauren Murphy

Lauren Murphy

Lauren Murphy is a freelance journalist and broadcaster. She writes about music and the arts for The Irish Times