Beat The Devil's Tattoo

A fan of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (yes, the name references the gang in The Wild One) since its amazing debut nine years ago, it's hard for me to imagine being a fan of both motorcycles and rock ‘n' roll, yet not be a devotee of the BRMC.

Never a break-through band, the BRMC has continued to put out solid albums for those who appreciate their sound, which is a raucous, yet disciplined, as any motorcycle engine that comes to mind--from an MV Agusta inline-four to an S&S V-Twin.

"Beat The Devil's Tattoo" is the band's sixth album. For most bands this far into their career, they have lost the bulk of their creative steam--much of which springs from the Velvet Underground and The Jesus & Mary Chain. Yet, BRMC continues to re-invent itself, while staying true to a core-sound, whether it's the acoustic Sweet Feeling or the densely distorted Aya.

Band mainstays Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been join with Leah Shapiro to create an album that is sleek as a MotoGP fairing at times, and as rough as a Sucker Punch Sally custom at others--sometimes within the same song.

If you've been a fan of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and let your attention wander, this is a great way to welcome yourself back into the fold. The 10-minute epic, Half-State, places itself alongside countless other highly successful extended songs/jams in rock ‘n' roll history.

The guitars are there, doing fierce battle and working in loving concert with the rhythm section. Newcomers will doubtlessly be equally impressed, along with wondering where they've been the last nine years.

Buy "Beat the Devil's Tattoo" on iTunes and you'll get the worthwhile bonus track, 1:51, a nice little number that starts off slides effortlessly between laid-back and grinding. More at: blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com