Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

On 2005's Howl, the Rebels stepped sideways, turning down the fuzz tone in favor of a more acoustic-based take on folk and blues. But don't come to Baby 81 expecting additional twists. The disc marks a return to BRMC's signature sound, and while it's likely to please the combo's longtime...

By Michael Roberts

May 3, 2007

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On 2005's Howl, the Rebels stepped sideways, turning down the fuzz tone in favor of a more acoustic-based take on folk and blues. But don't come to Baby 81 expecting additional twists. The disc marks a return to BRMC's signature sound, and while it's likely to please the combo's longtime boosters, it's not exactly a bold artistic leap forward.

"Took Out a Loan," the first track here, sends a message about the players' intent by way of hard-n-nasty guitar, slam-bang rhythms and lines such as "I feel confused about the way it's done" that singer Peter Hayes growls with as much Anglophilic attitude as he can muster. Later, on "Weapon of Choice" (the album's first single), Hayes and cohorts Robert Levon Been and Nick Jago hint at a Howl moment with an unplugged intro before ripping into the sort of garage-y psychedelia that helped establish their rep.

Baby 81 is satisfying, albeit in an extremely familiar way. If these guys don't start mixing things up, no new members will want to visit their Club.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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