The Bravery - Self-Titled
By: Patrick Vu | Category: Album Archive | 05/03/05 | 08:49 AM
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 Grade: B+ |
Genre: New Wave Rock
Summary: Listening to The Bravery's self-titled debut, it's difficult to ignore all the other similar bands currently rising up the charts. However, as long as this New York club band continues to update their sound, they will surely have what it takes to carve out their own niche.
If you have yet to get into current "It" band, The Killers, but are into 80's synthesized pop, then The Bravery's self-titled debut might be the album for you. This five-piece outfit from New York City rivals similar bands caught up in the New Wave resurgence that is currently receiving quite a bit of airplay. The Bravery (singer/guitarist Sam Endicott, guitarist Michael Zakarin, bassist Mike H, keyboardist John Conway and drummer Anthony Burulcich) takes an old sound and are able make it fresh and new. Unfortunately, they are all dressed up but a little late for their own prom because bands like the Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, and the aforementioned, The Killers have crowded the dance floor leaving marginal room for these late bloomers. |
We can forgive their tardiness because, as the opening track proclaims, it was "An Honest Mistake." We are definitely reminded of other bands, but once we get passed the similarities, we realize that The Bravery can stand on their own and are here to stay. Franz who?
"No Brakes" continues the new wave sound and stays with you all day long. It hardly slows the pace of the album and "slits the line" between classic Cure and Depeche Mode. Keep listening and you'll see that this album's infectious melodies won't leave you alone.
"Tyrant" is like a Depeche and Robert Smith collaboration that intros like DM's "Policy of Truth" with its mid tempos and Smith-like vocals. It's a strong stance of opposition against a former love with smirking words that brood, "Violent ties with hands like a steeple / Tell me lies with a tongue like a needle." It's clear that the damage is done, and there's no chance for things to get better.
The Bravery's "Public Service Announcement" is catchy pop satire that has you tooting along to its chorus. Memorable lines like, "You put the broke in broken hearted / You put the art in retarted" isn't Shakespeare, but more like a drunken spout of unthought verbiage. It's what comes out of your mouth when you have nothing else to say.
"Unconditional" and "The Ring Song" foreshadow The Bravery's potential for a long shelf life as they stretch to fit a more progressive rock sound while maintaining their neo new wave sensibilities. A band must evolve in order to succeed and The Bravery will have to do it if they want to get out from under the shadows of their contemporaries.
Listening to The Bravery's self-titled debut, it's difficult to ignore all the other similar bands currently rising up the charts. However, this movement is still relatively new and as long as this New York club band continues to update their sound, they will surely have what it takes to carve out their own niche.
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