Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
‘Beat The Devil’s Tattoo’
(Abstract Dragon)

You have to hand it to BRMC, they’re persistent. After two albums of ill-judged experimenting (falling asleep on your keyboard doesn’t count as ‘ambient’ chaps), San Francisco’s most famous stoners return with a sixth album that growls and fuzzes like the intermediation since 2005’s ‘Howl’ never happened. On that level, ‘Beat The Devil’s Tattoo’ is a return to form. Peter Hayes’ cooler-thanthou snarl is back to its rawest – a familiar juxtaposition of self-loathing and stoic pride- whilst Robert Been and new drummer Leah Shapiro rattle on imperiously behind him. Yet on another level, it’s a depressing reminder that BRMC have had to retreat to the well-beaten path upon realisation of their substantial limitations. These particular devils may well have just been beaten.

Simon Jay Catling