Friday, March 25, 2005
"EXITS" BY THE BOXER REBELLION
Self diagnosed “alt.rock” foursome The Boxer Rebellion are most often compared to The Verve, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Cooper Temple Clause. That’s because they really do sound like all of these bands. I had them down as a post-hardcore band on the strength of their name, but I wound up with a load of old drivel, derivative of three bands that I really dislike. The long line of shambly-limbed cod-epic British rock trundles on, ladies and gentlemen.
In “The New Heavy” (track 5, track number fans) the singer manages to make the line, “If you want me, come and get me” sound like a whinge from a dullard rather than a statement imbued with exciting sexual potential from a young man in a band. This is mostly representative of the entire album; something which could be exciting always turns out to be exactly the opposite.
They do try to rock, but when they do it sounds like a badly produced Muse with more multi-tracking. When they’re being quieter and sweeter it’s not so easy to hate them because, well, they have a sweeping melodies, a piano, and they sound heartbroken for Gods sake! You’ve at least got to have pity for them.
I read somewhere that they were a band for “MEN” (capital letters theirs, not mine). Ha! Some men weeping?! Men don’t weep, they fight with their muscles! And then they win over women after effectively seducing them with the line, “If you want me, come and get me”.
[Published in The Beaver]
In “The New Heavy” (track 5, track number fans) the singer manages to make the line, “If you want me, come and get me” sound like a whinge from a dullard rather than a statement imbued with exciting sexual potential from a young man in a band. This is mostly representative of the entire album; something which could be exciting always turns out to be exactly the opposite.
They do try to rock, but when they do it sounds like a badly produced Muse with more multi-tracking. When they’re being quieter and sweeter it’s not so easy to hate them because, well, they have a sweeping melodies, a piano, and they sound heartbroken for Gods sake! You’ve at least got to have pity for them.
I read somewhere that they were a band for “MEN” (capital letters theirs, not mine). Ha! Some men weeping?! Men don’t weep, they fight with their muscles! And then they win over women after effectively seducing them with the line, “If you want me, come and get me”.
[Published in The Beaver]
// posted by laura wolf @ 7:08 PM 
