Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mesmerizing, August 21, 2007
Passover is just a phenomenal debut (full length) record for The Black Angels. I have not heard any contemporary record that so strongly fits the 60's psychedelic rock vibe. That said, I do not intend it as a compliment or complaint, just a statement of fact. I am neither a product of the 60's, nor do I care a great deal for its music. That said, this recording sounds to me like it was transplanted from that era - in tone at least. Something must set it apart, however, because if it were straight up 60's, as I said, I probably would not like it.
The rhythms are "hard" (not fast); driving and pulsing. The sound is mesmerizing, hypnotic. There is a drone to the music and an equally effective drone to the vocals in many instances. The lead vocalist is a great compliment to the music. Great guitar licks that supplement the rhythm are sprinkled throughout. There is occasional dissonance and distortion.
The music is blues-infected; the lyrics are plaintive, politically informed, and socially conscious. Perhaps they sound like a throwback to the 60's in part because a common subject is war (they obviously reference Vietnam and Iraq). There is a depth of symbolism in some songs and a more overt meaning in others. And despite the fact they can best be categorized as psychedelic, there is a lot more going on. The final listed track hints at U2's Bad and the hidden track is mostly folksy acoustic. This is a very talented group.
It's just a very solid recording. Dim the lights, turn it up, and let the music wash over you. This group and particularly this recording are tremendous finds.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
perhaps the greatest debut album since pearl jam's ten or nirvana's bleach, April 17, 2006
i know, a bold statement. but this album is amazing. the black angels call their music "native american drone 'n' roll." it's actually a pretty fitting description. as some newspaper columnists have noted, their music seems to be creedence clearwater revival meets the doors meets the texas chainsaw massacre. the music is dark, brooding, and deceptively monotonous. their sound is quite original and brings together a lot of different instruments, including the mysterious drone machine, harmonica, slide guitar, and even a bit of violin on the final track.
another thing of note about this album is the relevancy of the lyrics. while most of their songs deal with death, destruction and other apocalyptic themes, they also apply these images to contemporary problems, most specifically the iraq war. in fact, there is a hidden track (and i am usually opposed to this type of hijinks) at the end of the album, which is an acoustic song about a guy who goes to fight in iraq and never comes home. along the same lines, the first vietnamese war is a powerful song (although about the vietnam war, i believe the band is asserting the connection between the two, futile war efforts) and empire addresses some of the issues behind the iraq war.
overall, the music is a trip. fusing together the darker moments of the velvet underground (think heroin, femme fatale, etc.), the satanic themes of early blues music (ie. the myth that robert johnson sold his soul to the devil for his guitar skills) and their own sense of apocalyptic urgency, the black angels have crafted a modern masterpiece.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
DROOOOONNNNNEEEEE., February 18, 2007
I can't get enough of this band. Ever since I heard of them through The Black Keys' website, I've been digging them like crazy. The Black Angels are a 6-piece psychedelic drone rock band from Austin, TX. Now when I say drone rock, I don't mean stuff like Sunn O))) and Earth, I mean more of the mid 60's swirly sound of The Rolling Stones, along with the jagged punk of The Velvet Underground. Songs such as Empire, Manipulation, and Black Grease have a long drone underneath it all, combined with excellent guitar playing, and a singer that brings Jim Morrison back from the dead. Listen to Better Off Alone and tell me it doesn't sound like The Doors. There is also a feeling of urgency in the music, with a anti-war message on songs like Young Men Dead, The First Vietnam War, and Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven. Blues starts to incorporate into the later tracks, and you're left with an incredible debut that never gets old. I look forward to hearing more from this great band.
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