We Are The Radio [Import]

Brian Jonestown Massacre is one of the most respected bands in Los Angeles and the world today. They are a band of a high caliber that has paved the way for many bands. Anton Newcombe is one of the great songwriters of our time. For years his band has been working in the margins and in the underground because of Newcombe's intensity and his staying true to his pure vision. Since the movie Dig! has come out, a wider audience now is aware of his various talents. Now Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Perry Farrell, and Steve Jones (of The Sex Pistols) are fans. In the past three years BJM has done many successful tours and have spread the gospel. A few tours in the UK have added to the legend. Now people who have seen the film expect Newcombe to be this bizarre wildman. That was more where he was in 1997. It's only a fraction of his personality. Years have passed and it's obvious by now that he has a dedication and a love of music. Anton Newcombe is one of the last real rock and rollers. Most others are doing karaoke in comparison. Newcombe is a shaman. He revives the ghost of real rock and roll every night in a club. Whether or not the hipsters "get it" is not his job. They will be talking about BJM years from now when all these media fads and pretenders have disappeared. So we have an EP, which is supposed to be a taste of the new album possibly. Newcombe is always developing and changing his musical landscape. The previous album "And This Is Our Music" featured many different lead singers. It was as if BJM was this traveling troupe and anyone could join. This EP is much similar. Except all the songs are co-written by Sarabeth Tuceck. The first song "Never Become Emotionally Attached" is a soft mellow folk song that features Tuceck on vocals. "Seer" has more techno elements. Newcombe is a genius at manipulating sounds. The clicking sound in this song is very addictive. This song reminds me of some of the stuff Mazzy Star did. "Time Is Honey" has great multiple vocals. This is a classic BJM song. Newcombe sings the lead on this one. The next one "Teleflows vs. Amplifaction" reminds me of some of the Bowie/Eno collaborations around the time of Low. A fascination with Krautrock it must be. The final song "God Is My Girlfriend" has the vibe of "All Tomorrow's Parties" but goes further. It's good that all this attention is on BJM. They are a great band. Now you just have to shut up and listen.

I am a huge BJM fan. I actually think this is Newcombe's best album to date. Each album this guy makes tends to be great, regardless of the constant abandoning membership of band members. This album seems to be more artistically inclined -- more on the order of something you'd hear from Brian Eno -- and less pigeon-holed on 60's revilalism. I am frankly surprised to hear any poor reviews on this album. It is a great album.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre are well-known for their '60s revivalist style of psychedelic rock, but what they have to offer with 'We Are the Radio' is something a little different. Is it a sign of evolution for the band or simply a one-off experiment with a new sound? With Anton Newcombe, it's hard to say; he has quite the knack to do the unexpected.

Part of what makes this mini-album/EP sound so different from the rest of the band's output is the skeleton crew used to record it. On vocals, guitar, bass, and synths is Anton, also on vocals is Sarabeth Tucek who wrote "Seer" and co-wrote "Time Is Honey" with Anton, and Dan Allaire is on drums. If that's not a skeleton crew then I don't know what is! Sarabeth's vocals dominate this record as she takes lead on 75% of the singing duties (she sings lead on "Never Become Emotionally Attached to Man, Woman, Beast or Child;" "Seer;" and "Time Is Honey"), while Anton sings on only one song, "God Is My Girlfriend." My favorite track, "Teleflow 5 vs. Amplification," is purely instrumental and probably the trippiest of the 5 songs.

I guess this is the part where I admit I'm not a lifelong fan of the band but a bit of a newcomer. Having been a fan of the Dandy Warhols since 2003, I learned about the BJM about a year or so ago when I watched the documentary "DiG!" and became rather intrigued by the band. I'm always listening to new music and have found my tastes gradually drifting more and more into earlier decades. Lately, the music of the '60s has me highly intrigued, and I find it obvious Anton has a great deal of love for the music and sound of that decade.

The BJM have been called over and over again a '60s revivalist band, and I would agree with that sentiment. Anton has spent his career revitalizing not just the music but the culture of what was '60s psychedelic rock. Aside from this record, I've listened to 'Tepid Peppermint Wonderland: A Retrospective' (the 2004 edition) and 'The Singles Collection (1992 - 2011)', and I feel like those two albums/compilations have given me an understanding of the band's musical direction. For the most part, I feel like 'We Are the Radio' continues that tradition, though it has perhaps a more modern feel to it. All of the songs on this record are still deeply rooted in the '60s, but the music sounds and feels tighter and more polished than much of what I've heard. Except for "Teleflow 5 vs. Amplification," which sounds downright futuristic but oh! so cool in comparison.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that 'We Are the Radio' stays true to the core of the BJM while taking something of a new direction in terms of the band's sound. Long-time and die-hard fans will probably be upset by this change in the band's sound, but some of the world's greatest bands have been known to experiment with their music style from time to time. The '60s, for one reason or another, were known as a time of experimentation, so a change or shift for the BJM shouldn't come as a big surprise. Bottom line: this record rocks just as hard as it grooves.