Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Album: “American X: Baby 81 Sessions”

Earlier this year, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club released the excellent "Baby 81" album, going back to the sound of the first two albums and proving that the "Howl" album was a one time diversion, as excellent as that was. As they did with the "Howl" album, the band has released a companion EP to the new album.

"American X: Baby 81 Sessions" (7 audio tracks, 32 min, plus 1 video) brings songs that didn't make it onto the "Baby 81" album, but what a joy these songs are. The opener "The Like of You" is a slasher from the beginning, with threatening drums and bass. "Vision" is just as hard charging. "The Show is About to Begin" is as good as anything on the "Baby 81" album proper. "Whenever You're Ready" is a great bluesy track, and "20 Hours" is about as fine a "ballad" as you'll ever get from BRMC. The last track is the instrumental "Last Chance for Love", an outstanding mood piece and one of my fave tracks on here. The EP is filled out with a video on "American X" from the "Baby 81" album.

At 32 min., this might qualify as a proper album by many bands. As it is, this EP is an excellent companion to the "Baby 81" album, and highly recommended for any BRMC fan.

Quote from BRMC's website:

American X CD

We're proud of all our songs, even the ones that don't make it on the final album, they have a life force of their own... And we simply wanted to find a way getting those songs out there. As well as this short 9 minute film we created for "American X" with our friend and artist Jamie Dagg, with whom we believe in and even paid out of our own pockets to get this released.

The strange thing is that for every album we've recorded there's at least twice as many songs that never see the light of day. So someday, hopefully when we're dead, maybe someone will unearthed all of it remember that, hey maybe those 3 strange kids that all dressed in black weren't so bad after all.

From,

Robert

The track list is as follows:

01. "The Likes Of You"

02. "Vision"

03. "The Show's About To Begin"

04. "MK Ultra"

05. "Whenever You're Ready"

06. "20 Hours"

07. "Last Chance For Love"

08. "American X" (short film)

Besides it's an EP, it's a great disc, with very good songs and a video clip included. It's BRMC at its best shape. Worths every cent.