If you didn’t get Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Howl in your stocking, go immediately to the bank, cash your grandma’s Christmas or Chanukah check and buy that record. If you’ve been reading the music magazines, checking out top 10 of 2005 lists, listening to KXCI or NPR, then you’ve heard other rave reviews about this album. Believe them.

A few years back, a young band from San Francisco arrived in LA and started playing the tiny Silverlake Lounge, which doubled as a gay bar on non-show nights. They were moody looking, with lots of hair, black clothes and lots of volume. There were a few people who criticized them for sounding like The Jesus & Mary Chain, but A) they were young, B) they were developing their own style, C) they had an even heavier wall-of-noise sound than The Jesus & Mary Chain, and D) I liked them anyway.

Before long, they got signed to Virgin Records and the only small shows they were playing were “secret shows” at a bar up the street from the Silverlake Lounge that was so crammed, they mercifully added an extra show after the first so everyone waiting outside would get a chance to see them. Their excellent first album (self-titled) brought to mind Love & Rockets as well as TJ&MC… the best thing the album had going for it was it’s vibe – powerful, driving, dark, heavy, sexy… you know the drill. A lot of people figured with their guitar heavy hooks and brooding image that they’d be splashed all over the radio and MTV in no time. But life on a major label ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Then they put their third album out. And it was evidence of BRMC finding a lot of things… soul, country, and blues. It’s as though they decided to discover their roots – the roots of rock music – and showcase what they learned on tape. And the best thing about it is they hung on to that vibe. Even when they’re playing a stomping, hand clapping, slide guitar number – they’ve still managed to hang on to that smoldering vibe.

It’s rare to see a young band make leaps like this, which means if the music world we live in changes – you know, the one where labels don’t nurture talent, but pay radio stations to play “marketable” garbage and radio stations are owned by monopolies – BRMC could become another great band that stands the test of time. Of course, quality doesn’t always equal high record sales and low record sales eventually equate the label dropping a band, so the fate of BRMC and potential heavy bands like them is very much up in the air.

So do them a favor and give yourself a late holiday gift… buy this CD.

Happy New Year.

BRMC will be at the atrocious Clubhouse in Phoenix on March 10. Check them out online at www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com