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If you came of age in the ‘80s and did any sort of musical experimentation
beyond the realm of the top-40, then you fondly remember the bands who defined
the alternative music scene during that era: the crucial trifecta of the Smiths,
the Cure, and New Order. These days, however, you’ve gotten older, gotten a
proper job and started a family, and, well, frankly, music just isn’t the
priority for you that it used to be. But secretly, in the back of your mind, you
wish that it still were.
If this sounds in any way like you, then chin up, because there’s never been a
better time for you to ease your way back into the music scene...and the Bravery
are just the band to help you on your way.
If you had anticipated that the Killers’
Hot Fuss would be a better
pick for that task than the Bravery’s self-titled debut – also released on
Island, as it happens – your instincts aren’t entirely off base. The Bravery
opens with “An Honest Mistake,” a concoction of equal parts New Order and Duran
Duran, and it’s followed by “No Brakes,” which bears enough of a structural
resemblance to “Mr. Brightside” for naive naysayers to suggest, “Aren’t these
guys just ripping off the Killers?”
Anyone who believes this to be the case should beware, as they’re making a
dangerous snap judgment.
The Killers tweaked and produced their album to within an inch of its life;
while the end result is enjoyable, there’s no question that the band had a
vision of how they wanted their disc to sound and didn’t stop until they’d
captured that sound precisely. The Bravery, however, are far more flexible.
Imagine the Strokes gone new wave, and you’re coming pretty close to the
occasionally ramshackle sounds these guys create; the mindset seems to be that
they’ve got the tunes, so why bother with all the gloss? In other words, the
Killers are the mainstream group that everyone knows...but the Bravery is the
band all the cool kids are talking about.
The chorus of “Tyrant” finds lead singer Sam Endicott sounding momentarily like
Howard Jones (think “What Is Love?” and you’ll catch it), but by the next track,
“Give In,” Endicott is all about channeling his inner Robert Smith. (Wait a
minute. Smith? Jones...? Damn, there was a joke to be had there, and it went
sailing right by before I could catch it.) If there’s a song that’ll be the
Bravery’s chance at the brass ring, however, it’s “Public Service Announcement,”
with its chorus cheerily informing the listener, “Stop, drop, and roll, you’re
on fire!”
Endicott claims to have no less of a objective for his music than produce the
kind of tunes that elevate culture, but it’s hard to comfortably suggest that
the Bravery will succeed in such a lofty goal as that. At the very least,
however, they’ve got an album’s worth of killer electro-pop; that’ll do nicely
for now.
~Will Harris
wharris@bullz-eye.com
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