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

keeper - 4
As they can crank out E G A and descending chromatic riffs in their sleep, everything is well-executed but ho-hum until the middle of the album. "Ha Ha High Babe"**** pushes content all the way to the side, as all instruments are reduced to an entrancing low grumble. "Shade Of Blue"**** embraces its hyperbolic chorus "I don't care if you can take it I can't take it anymore I'll die" with a charmingly cavernous bleakness, paired with a sweetly melodic guitar lick. "And I'm Aching"**** explores the same cheesy depths with an un-ironically pretty acoustic ballad. "Generation" and "US Government" don't venture this far off the well-beaten shoegazer-goth trail, but both also have some the more jarring and memorable riffs on the album. Closing "Heart + Soul"**** may be saving their best for last, with propulsive and catchy riffs, and a satisfyingly anthemic breakdown as a perfect live show closer.

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