Black Rebel Motorcycle Club\\\\\Getting PAID.

I received my first official monetary payment for the writing I’ve been trying to do since my high school days. Wow, I can’t believe that it has now been ten years that I have been writing about music in some form or fashion. I remember when I was in high school and writing for the distinguished Argus newspaper at BAHS and I would read reviews of music on sites like allmusic (which is probably my favorite if you wanna read some terrific, short, reviews and also, learn more about bands/artists) and be blown away at how well the writer wrote. I’d like to think I’ve gotten somewhat better and fortunately, there is a publicity company that feels my writing is worthy of a monetary payment.

Here is “As Sure As the Sun” by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: a stormy, retro bliss of atmospheric rock mastery. I’d say that these guys are some of the best blues revivalists of our time and still, they’re opening for Stone Temple Pilots? I love the all-encompassing tone and how everything is about these massive walls of guitars that fill the walls with heavy, substantial music. He’s singing about being hurt by her and how it's something expected, as sure is it is to know the sun will rise tomorrow: “And all the time, I thought your words were mine…you held me down, as sure as the sun.” The ending improvisation is especially awesome.


Off a different album, Howl was what really pulled me into Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and I was lucky it was. The album is a lot more laid-back and far bluesier than their first two and it really alienated a lot of fans. This was mostly the band just finding their way, exploring with different sounds and crafting gorgeous compositions out of it. “Howl” is probably one of the most-perfect songs I have ever, personally, heard and it’s the epitome of what a stunning, memorable rock song is. It’s bitterly honest (“I give you all that I have but you don't see”) and it’s bluntly clear (“I just want to be one true thing that don't fade”), the chorus is downright awesome, the organ swells throughout and the words? I mean, I could sit here and simply write out the entire song but I won’t.


My fantasy teams went 3-0 this weekend with my tightest victory coming in the waning seconds of the 49ers-Saints game. If you’re playing Goodbye Blue Monday! or Dynamite Money in any of my leagues, look out! Tomorrow will be the BRMC show and I just got paid for writing about music? I’m feeling pretty good I’d say. -B

New Music & 2010 Songs, Pt.1

I’ve been away for the past few days trying to set certain things in motion and adjusting to countless changes at work left and right (it now looks like my weekends off will no longer be come May.) Regardless, I wish this not to be a journal but rather, a focus on the magic of music. I mean, it is magical right? But I’ve also been busy attending some tremendous shows filled with astounding music. I look forward to making posts about each band’s talents and skills and also, I offer up some of 2010’s best songs of the year. I’ll try to do this each night but I can’t make any promises and in the meantime, I’ll get some kind of “Best albums of the first quarter” post ready for next week.

U.K. rockers Let’s Wrestle took to the ‘stage’ first at Sunday night’s show for Surreal Week. Fresh off signing a major deal with Merge, the garage rockers opted for water with tons of lemon to soothe their aching voices. Their music was an amazing effort: energetic, blasting through the speakers and ridiculously raucous. Singer Wesley Gonzalez did his best at reaching for the high vocals but even though his voice was cracking left and right, their bassist and drummer are rocks of solid rhythm. Fresh-faced and young in every aspect, their music swelled with an intense amount of volatile vocals and explosive guitar riffs. Their new album, In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s is out as of Tuesday, I got my hands on two home-made CD-Rs and I suggest all of their music; the whole album is streaming here for a limited time at Merge’s site.

And here is Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s “Half-State,” a face melting slice of psychedelic blues rock that shakes and rattles with an impressive amount of flair. Check out the seven-minute mark where the top of the roof comes blasting off, it’s euphoria. – Bryan