The Bravery Album: “The Bravery”

Depending on how you feel about the latest trend in alternative music I guess you can credit/blame The Strokes for starting a new wave revival of sorts. However you feel about, its quite apparent that the sound has arrived.

The Bravery are another in a recent wave of NYC new wave revivalists proceeded by The Strokes, Interpol, Ambulance LTD and a handful of UK acts and a band from Vegas.

Scoring more points for execution than originality The Bravery have definitely listened to a few New Order records in their day as witnessed in "An Honest Mistake", the lead track. However, when the songs are this good its easier to forgive the lack of originality and just enjoy the show.

"Unconditional" & "Give In" are also highlights on a record that's pretty solid from start to finish.

I'm not sure where The Bravery will be in 10 years or how long this new wave revival will last but as for the here and now in April 05 they sound pretty fresh and vibrant.

Wow, where do i begin...?

I never heard of these guys before and I chanced upon this album through a mate of mine. On first listen, several bands came to my mind... (and i can certainly see where all these comparisons came from). New Order... The Killers... The Cure... U2... The Smiths... Duran Duran...

These Electro-Rockers hail from New York and this is a solid debut album. These guys have been panned as unoriginal. So what if they sound like bands mentioned above? Heck, we enjoyed those bands then, so why not now? The way i see it, music has come full circle and seems like we're moving backwards in order to progress. People should stop being so snobbish and enjoy the music for what it is... (Let's see you put an album out and see how it does!)

The lead off track "Honest Mistake" is a catchy lil bugger with a right stylish music video. "Swollen Summer" is a frentic, dance friendly rock track that just makes you want to bop around and not care what everyone else thinks about what you're doing.

Other tracks like "Give In", "Public Service Announcement" and "Unconditional" are noteworthy tracks in a thoroughly enjoyable album. While these guys may not be coming up with anything "new", they make fun, catchy music. It's a polished rookie effort, considering they did everything themselves, from the artwork to the records to the videos...

I'd recommend this album to anyone who enjoys danceable rock music...

well most of what i'd want to say has already been said so i'll get to the point.. you either love this, think it all sounds the same and a cheap 80's rip off, or hate this and all that the 80 ectro had to offer.... i guess i'd fall into the cheap 80's rip off catagory... an honest mistake was at least a glimse of what the cd could of done but instead made a cd full of sound a like songs never crossing too far into a differnt style...to compare them to the killers which mostly everyone does, this cd is but a quarter of the worth that hot fuss was.. if you like all that is depeche mode and want more? buy the bravery's weak attept at glory. if you just like the killers and not much else of this style of music.. you can go without them.

I have read and heard about the Bravery being nothing more than a lesser-quality of the Killers, and I don't get it. Sure, there is a vague similarity of sound, but so what? I don't remember that when the Seattle grunge scene was big, everybody was saying "this band is a second rate version of that band". The fact is that many bands today are (re)discovering the glam 70s (see Louis XIV) and the new wave early 80s (see the Killers, the Bravery), just to name these. Have we become such music snobs that we will leave that stand in the way of enjoying good music? I sure hope not.

"The Bravery" (11 tracks, 37 min.) is the New York band's debut album, and starts off with the totally irresitable (and lead off single) "An Honest Mistake". I was afraid that radio was gonna play it to death, but it hasn't happened yet (knock on wood). Other great hum-alongs include "Swollen Summer", "Unconditional" (which is the second single, released in the UK), and "Public Service Announcement".

There is no great "artistic statement" on this album, just a bunch of fun songs, and done well at that. At 37 min., the album blitzes by in Strokes-like fashion, and you'll fing yourself wanting to play it again.

This CD is a great addition to anyone's CD library, especially if you're into this particular brand of rock. If you like the Killers, chances are, you'll like the Bravery even more.