The Bronx (2008)

Gluesniffer 007 · 02-05-2009, 08:35 AM

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It's difficult to categorize a band like the Bronx. They’ve got the throat-curling screams, bombastic rhythm section and chugging guitars of a hardcore band, but it isn’t that simple. Hardcore bands can’t write songs like this. Matt Caughthran’s scream is as melodic as it is assaulting. The rhythm section of drummer Jorma Vik and bassist Brad Magers proves that a straight line isn’t always the best way to get from point A to point B. And finally, the chops of guitarists Joby Ford and Ken Horne show up more in their songwriting then in solos or breakdowns.

But what can be said about the Bronx that hasn’t been said before? The L.A.-based band has consistently lived up to expectations and managed to put together a unique sound that has allowed them to tour with bands as diverse as yhe Hives, Lifetime, Thursday, Circle Jerks, Mastadon and the Riverboat Gamblers while fitting in, no matter what the bill is.

Armed with a new bass player (Brad Magers) and a second guitarist (Ken Horne), the Bronx continue a logical progression of albums past with swelling, groove-filled garage punk on The Bronx (III). Only this time, they’ve been listening to Appetite for Destruction. Think Black Flag meets Agent Orange meets Refused meets Hot Snakes meets Queens of the Stone Age meets Guns N' Roses. Yeah, I hate reviews that describe music that way, too.

On opener “Knifeman,” Caughthran screams (bellows? sings?) “We used to be gifted and persistent / but now we’re bored, reminiscent / we used to laugh at our misery, spoon-fed our desire / We’ve lost our fire.” I don’t believe it. What follows is an album both as melodic (“Spanish Transit,” “Past Lives”) and passionate (“Ship High in Transit,” “Young Blood”) as anything they’ve done in the past. But when Caughthran screams on the last track “Digital Leash,” “Change anything and I’ll fucking walk!”, I kind of do believe it. You can tell they had to dig deep to make an album this great. It makes you wonder why every band can’t put this much effort, passion and rock and roll into their music.

http://www.punknews.org/review/7860

I must say that I like their new album. Haven't listened to it enough to decide whether it's better than the other two. What do you people think about this one and the other albums?

chiron · 02-05-2009, 01:24 PM

hmmm... let me check them out first.

chiron · 02-05-2009, 02:51 PM

Pretty catchy, sort of reminds me of the catchier DEP tracks like Black Bubblegum etc.

Geryon · 02-05-2009, 09:03 PM

Hardcore bands can't write songs like this. That's hilarious.

Gluesniffer 007 · 02-08-2009, 05:17 PM

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Originally Posted by Geryon

Hardcore bands can't write songs like this. That's hilarious.

What do you mean?

And why is there so little discussion in here? A good album of a good band, recently released, finally something new to talk about here...

Geryon · 02-08-2009, 05:52 PM

I mean I think its ridiculous for a reviewer to say that hardcore bands are by default limited in their ability to write music when there are so many hardcore bands that have made incredible music.

As for the Bronx, this is a band that I've been meaning to check out for a long time and so I checked out this album. The music is halfway decent, but the vocalist doesn't do much for me and neither do the lyrics. It's catchy but that's about it, and catchy isn't something I often look for with this type of music. Its ok but I can't say I'm impressed and its definitely not something I'd listen to frequently. It's just not really my style. Maybe it'll grow on me but in the meantime its nothing special IMO. Are their other albums better than this one?

I think you should check out Refused.

Gluesniffer 007 · 02-08-2009, 06:53 PM

I'd say their other albums are better. You'll probably like The Bronx (2003) best, since it's more raw and The Bronx (2006) is by far their catchiest one.

Downloading Refused as we speak.

About hardcore, I do think that there is lots of shallow ranting and violence promotion in it, altough their must be exceptions, but I think that that's just what lots of people are looking for in hardcore and so maybe it's not really a problem all the time. I for one do not think that bands like Black Flag or Agnostic Front have deep lyrics, but I do dig their music. But the reviewer is wrong in his generalisation off course.

tanjello · 02-09-2009, 07:47 AM

I love the bronx, although I have not heard their latest. A friend said they have gone a bit more rock.?? They are insane live! I actually like them more than I like refused, and I do really like refused.

Geryon · 02-09-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tanjello

I love the bronx, although I have not heard their latest. A friend said they have gone a bit more rock.??

Yeah that was one of my biggest problems with it, it was too much rock and not enough punk.

Geryon · 02-09-2009, 10:51 AM

Yeah you're right Gluesniffer their first album I really, really like, mostly because its heavier and faster. Big difference!