CD review: Stir the Blood - The Bravery

BRAVE OLD WORLD: Stir the Blood is bland and unremarkable rock.

Music Review With Joanna Hunkin

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New York band The Bravery are most notable for recording and releasing two different versions of their last album, 2007's The Sun and the Moon, in the same package.

Their new album is just as confused. While Stir The Blood adds plenty of electronic flourishes to their skittery, faux Strokes sound, most of their third  album is bland and unremarkable rock, led by the ropy vocals of front man Sam Endicott.

They're obviously aiming to craft anthems like Julian Casablancas and co but fall well short, only really connecting with the disco stomp of Red Hands and White Knuckles, and the warped chorus of Slow Poison.

Mostly, it's an endurance event thanks to the scratchy chorus of Adored and the out-of-place samples on I Have Seen the Future, while the ridiculous 80s synths on Song For Jacob and The Spectator sound like they're meant to be ironic, but just look dated.

"It's a brave new world," claims Endicott at one point. No it's not. It's a decidedly bland reimagining of the past with no identity whatsoever. Go find yourselves, lads. Be brave.

* What did you think of Stir the Blood? Post your comments below.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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