Black Rebel Motorcycle Club-Take Them On, On Your Own (Virgin)

People, me especially, would do themselves a big favor if they listened to every new elpee with no expectations.  Many were terribly disappointed with Sticky Fingers, for instance.  Thought is was more of the same.  Listened to for the first time today, it kicks as much ass as all the late period Good Stones.  Did they ever kick as much ass as they did on the first two minutes of “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’”?  Same thing could be said for the second Belle and Sebastian album.  Just because they didn’t tickle everyone’s “he said/she said” homoerotic buttons people got pissed off.  Once again, over a pretty damn fine record.

Take Them On, On Your Own initially fell victim to my own and many others expectations.  I wanted to hear one of two things:  a super psychedelic freak out (Storm in Heaven) or super punk-fuck, with a USA screw you stance (not made by anyone, approached by Guitar Wolf).  When I didn’t hear what I wanted, I was bummed for two whole days, but then they came to town, and I got to hear them live.  Even when I was listening to the record before the show, I was hearing this in a different light.  Put this mother up to any thing else released this year, and it just blows it away. 

Like BRMC, they’re a couple of cuts that are half-assed, but considering the cram-as-much-as-possible-at-the-expense-of-the-listening-experience CD mindset, this about be expected.  This is better than the newest Radiohead (who fuckin’ needs ‘em anymore), better than whatever the Strokes are going to puke up (and it will be puked up).  And still best live band in the world, so there.

(www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com)

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