The Bravery | Stir the Blood Album Review

The NYC based band The Bravery has come out with its third album Stir the Blood and you can tell that this band has had an effect on the musical currents in the world when you listen to a band such as White Lies, a recent edition to the Robert Smith-centric style of music. That is why we should take notice of The Bravery when they release a new album. Stir the Blood, doesn’t offer much more than the predecessors did, in terms of innovation. Though by maintaining the status quo in terms of style while working on refining what makes The Bravery great, synth heavy creations and a floor rattling level of pumping drum rhythms, the band has produced a noteworthy album. The music of The Bravery often attractively dresses it’s drearily sung vocals with the swirling energy delivered by the instruments. The combination of these elements allows for some interesting song designs and this album Stir the Blood is no exception. The overall tone of the album is that of a disgruntled lovers quarrel, tipped off by some of song titles, Hatefuck and She’s So Bendable. But that same tone continues throughout Stir the Blood moving from lyrics depicting the bendiness of a certain someone to the more heartfelt yet provocative imagery by the end of the album in Sugarpill. Whoever this Flexible Sweetie is, I think we would all like to meet her and in a way by listening to this album, we do. Key Tracks off of Stir the Blood are; Slow Poison, She’s So Bendable and Sugarpill.

Here's a question: there have been a number of bands of the same genre to come out with an album this year. Which was the best? Not exactly the same but similar in sound, bands like Franz Ferdinand with Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, White Lies with their To Lose My Life, Arctic Monkeys with Humbug and Editors In This Light And On This Evening. Which was best?

Track List for Stir the Blood. Due out December 1st 2009
1) Adored
2) Song For Jacob
3) Slow Poison
4) Hatefuck
5) I Am Your Skin
6) She’s So Bendable
7) The Spectator
8) T Have Seen The Future
9) Red Hands And White Knuckles
10) Jack-O’-Lantern Man
11) Sugarpill