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Author’s note: Some of the below comments are intended as a joke. Take them with a grain of salt. So, Greg, I don’t think No Doubt sold out. There you go.

As of last Tuesday, everyone’s favorite Californian noise-rock trio—Black Rebel Motorcycle Club—are back. Then again, as we’ll see, maybe not…

Every band reaches that point when they have to “expand,” their sound, which, in some circles, is synonymous with “selling out.” Some artists are successful (Radiohead) while others fail miserably (Metallica and No Doubt). Incidentally, those last two actually did sell out. Still, some bands don’t even attempt to evolve. The name for such a band is the Foo Fighters. So, with all this in mind, where does that leave BRMC exactly?

Departing from the distorted-guitar-driven rock of their first two albums, BRMC’s third full-length has a distinct country/blues/gospel feel to it (the harmonica is back in style). Listening to the first track, I was transported to the land of Nascar and George W. Bush. That’s right, images of the South instantly came to mind. A number of subsequent tracks evoked a similar response from me.

The end result: a more mellow, mature effort from BRMC. Most of the songs are solid with consistently intelligent lyrics. By relying on melody and not just noise, it represents a conscious step in the right direction.

6.5/10

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