Take Them On, On Your Own by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Released: September 2, 2003


Black Rebel Motorcycle Club | Take Them On, On Your Own | Rating: 9/11 | Reviewed by: Jennifer F. |

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s sophomore CD, Take Them On, On Your Own, is a nice follow up to the band’s 2001 release, B.R.M.C. The sounds and themes are very similar to the first record. Take Them On, On Your Own starts with the tracks “Stop” and “Six Barrel Shotgun.” The opening lyrics are “We don’t like you / we just want to try you,” and “I kill you all with a six barrel shotgun / I kill you all but I need you so,” respectively. These lyrics set the stage for the CD’s dark and unapologetic mood that is a feature of BRMC. The band creates honest lyrics that are the stuff rebellion is made of. In “US Government,” their views on the spoken subject and its citizens are expressed in the lines, “You’re gonna know they were never never yours to kill.” The lack of optimism is also apparent in the painfully beautiful love songs “Shade of Blue,” and “And I’m Aching.”

The songs are sung by Peter Hayes and Robert Turner; both have similarly rich and haunting voices that add a uniqueness and unity to the album. The consistency in vocals is also matched in the instruments. The drums and guitars blend well throughout the record. All songs on Take Them On, On Your Own have a unifying sound that is distinctive of BRMC, but also manage to be different enough to retain interest. In “Stop,” the bass guitar takes a central role while in the song “And I’m Aching,” the pace is slowed and held by the acoustic guitar. You can also find static and other electronic effects in many of their songs, especially “In like the Rose” and “Ha Ha High Babe.” To sum up, BRMC creates good music and produces a respectable album.

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