Ever get tired of wimpy rock bands? You know, one of the seemingly hundreds of four or five member groups that would rather woo fans through trendy or flashy outfits rather than attempt a guitar solo? Yeah that’s right, the same bands that appear to be rigid second cousins of Pinocchio while performing live, the difference being they don’t have the talent or desire to break free of the ubiquitous Geppetto that pulls their strings from the offices of the record label. Fear not my fellow rock aficionados; there exists one band that made it the hard way with a big sound, ruthless self-criticism, and one wardrobe that has remained stoic throughout.

For Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, playing in front of a raucous sold-out crowd at the historic Wiltern Theater, it’s difficult to discern who appreciates their toilsome rise to this stage more: themselves or their fans. Indeed, in a hometown performance showcasing the release of their fourth studio album “Baby 81,” the three members of BRMC must feel like the sturdiest of rock veterans having already battled personal identity demons, government, a near break-up, and an audacious sonic metamorphosis in the six short years since the debut of their eponymous first album. It is for precisely these reasons that their May 8th performance was admittedly the biggest yet in what has been a journey of peaks and valleys offering an abounding array of sublime summits all in an effort to answer the self-imposed question of “Whatever Happened To My Rock and Roll?”

To comprehend the music of BRMC it is paramount to acknowledge the group’s all-encompassing embrace of individuality. Though often compared to The Jesus and Mary Chain for its use of fuzzy, distorted guitars and hauntingly morose arrangements, BRMC has never shied away from pursuing the paths less traveled with regard to songwriting. Bassist Robert Levon Been, on the one hand, brings about an intensity that combines hard-hitting bass lines with passionate lyrical selections that veer toward confrontation. The band’s second album, “Take Them On, On Your Own” (2003), channels inner aggression on tracks titled “Six Barrel Shotgun,” “Generation,” and “U.S. Government.” The outwardly combative elements featured here left the band questioning its own self identity and resulted in drummer Nick Jago leaving the group for several months to battle personal issues of his own.

Guitarist Peter Hayes, on the other hand, has become somewhat of a keystone for the group by making a point of instigating change through agonizing self-reflection. For sure, Hayes took us along on the band’s critically acclaimed third album “Howl” (2005) and in the process instigated one of the most daring and comprehensive transfigurations in recent rock history. Perhaps not since Pearl Jam abruptly ditched its grunge sound, or Radiohead put its guitars away, has the genre seen a group do a proverbial 180 from one album to the next. “Howl,” unlike its two predecessors, contained virtually none of the psychedelic distortion or garage rock elements that had put the band on the map. Instead, Hayes and Been turned to acoustic guitars, pianos, and even a few dazzling harmonica solos that would make Woody Guthrie smile.

Though the risk was enormous, “Howl’s” folk-rock approach propelled the band to new heights and tapped into a new demographic of music lovers. In addition, drummer Nick Jago returned to the group in time for their two international tours to promote the record. But aside from a headlining slot at the 2006 Sunset Junction festival, the band has been quiet in recent months. Yet fans have been eagerly awaiting the follow-up to “Howl” and on May 1 “Baby 81” arrived.

As the band took the stage at the Wiltern, the crowded room was treated to several “classics” from previous albums, yet it was the finely tuned new tracks off of “Baby 81” that created a frenzy. Robert Been clearly moved back into the driver’s seat as many of the tunes feature the blistering guitars of the first two albums. Yet he seems to have taken a page out of Peter Hayes’ book by looking inward. Indeed, lyrics have gone from this from their angry second album:

No one really listens
nothing's really there
I'm choosing sides
I'm keeping up with you and your invasion eyes
You got the world in a coma
You put the knife in our back and no one even cares

To the more interpersonal on “Baby 81”:

Took out a loan on my empty heart, babe
Took out a loan from my patient soul
I feel alive as long as I don’t need you,
I feel alive as long as I keep hold

Don’t think the band has lost its edge. The first single off of the new album is titled “Weapon of Choice” and is rife with political overtones. The political establishment in this country has provided the boys of BRMC plenty of ear-wringing material over the last several years. Certain critics still argue that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club brings nothing completely original to the table, but even they cannot argue that there are not many other bands in the world that effectively combine elements of psychedelia, folk, blues, and garage rock all in one driving force. For those who are lucky enough to see a live performance, you will be treated to a heavy dose of everything.

Be sure to keep a lookout here at LA2DAY.com for Paul Losada’s take on BRMC and their new album!

Chris Virnig