Beat the Devil’s Tattoo marks the fifth studio album for the California rockers and the first official full–length release on their own Abstract Dragon label. It is also their first album with drummer Leah Shapiro, formerly of the Raveonettes, who has been touring with the band since 2008. After my first listen I was prepared to toss this album aside, but subsequent spins proved its substance. There is nothing surprising or unexpected here, but that is not a knock on the album. BRMC has identified their niche and they occupy it very well. If you enjoyed their past work you will undoubtedly enjoy this new offering. Beat the Devil’s Tattoo does feel slightly conflicted as it melds the contrasting styles of their previous albums into these 13 tracks and at times plays very much like a Greatest Hits collection. However, the eclectic mix of head-noddin’ foot-stompers, bluesy rock, and edgy acoustic ballads allows BRMC to show off the true range of their musical talent. Certain tracks and the overall album feel unnecessarily lengthy. There are three to four songs (“Evol”, “River Styx” “The Toll” and “Long Way Down” ) that would be better served as B-Sides or should have been scrapped altogether. The remaining nine or 10 tracks would have resulted in tighter, more consistent effort and would allow the album to be enjoyed from cover to cover. Overall, there is enough good music to bring me back to this album, but in doing so I may wear out my skip button. Tracks to Repeat: “Beat the Devil’s Tattoo”, “War Machine” and “Sweet Feeling”
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