Servere Case of Rock'n'Roll: Brain Surgeons NYC:
Denial of Death (Cellsum BS10021)
What do one expect from the new Brain Surgeons NYC CD
Denial of Death? Pretty much I'll say. Not at least due to the fact that
the band was joined by no less than guitar-hero and hardrocker
extra-ordinaire Ross the Boss who since the fall of 2004 has been
performing with the band.
For anybody aquainted with Brain Surgeons NYC they'll
know what super-group these musicians are. Consisting of top-drummer
Albert Bouchard (Ex-Blue Öyster Cult), his wife and ex-rock critic
Deborah Frost on guitar and bassist David Hirschberg BS NYC has, since
their previous guitarist Billy Hilfiger's sadly premature death from a
brain-tumor in the fall of 2001 and with their other guitarist Peter
Bohovesky subsequently leaving the music business for good, till Ross
joined the band been performing as a well-playing power-trio
Deborah and David alternating on bass and guitar respectively. With
Ross' affiliation to the band BS NYC has now not only added a
unique player but also a great songwriter and an 'architect of sound' to
the band Ross being resposible for the music for the majority of the
songs on the record as well as a vital part in shaping the sound
and arrangements for DoD.
A current theme on DoD is the nature of the love
relationship and how our existential circumstances code for our
behaviour in such. Starting out with Rocket Science, an triumphant ode
to the fulfiled relation, this is also one of the greatest
lovesongs I have ever heard. Making nods to both The Dictators and Black
Sabbath the song works great as an opener Al's 'laughing drums' and
Deborah's sultry voice paired with the more sinister sounds of David and
Ross next portrait Dark Secrets telling a different story of how even
sinners connect before the mandolin appear flimsy in Strange Like Me
throwing a compasionate but also satiric view on a life of
superstition. The sinister mood continues in Constantine's Sword a song
about the irony of the idea of salvation turning into fascism once
straying from the love relationship theme just to return with the
ultimate horror-love story of Jimmy Boots Fetisch telling the story of a
scarred soul's escape into sex outré before the headbanger rocker
Plaugue of Lies comes raining down on you.
The headbanging continues in 1864 a song based on Al's
great grand-father's experience in the civil war telling the story of
how circumstances of war haphazardly gives the ordinary person a chance
to stand out by their courage this way being able to pass on the
gift of an example for their descendants to follow. The theme of
courage also dominates the next song Tomb Of The Unknown Monster yet
another headbanger tune slightly slower in tempo than 1864 displaying
a great sing-along ability, at this point leaving the listener
without doubt about the freshness of the band before Deborah's and Ross'
guitars rolls in on you like one big warm wave making the way for the
marching beat of Swansöng leading into the breakdown of the
song about being 'on the run from the summer' making the room
for Al's 'talking drums'. The bleakness returns in yet another song
about unfulfiled love the medium-tempoed groove-rocker Verböten dealing
satirically with the phenomenon of the swinger culture before the
marching beat is resumed in Lonestar telling the story of the pride and
passion of a person acting tough on the outside but keeping a warm heart
underneath the facade.
Ending the record is a beautifully riffing rocker
Change The World Henry about how the little people of our world
becomes consumed by their dreams once sustained by pop-music against the
harsh realities of the circumstances they being in.
Clocking in at minutes 51:58 DoD comes on loaded like
a book combining the clever with the popular with an appeal to both
Dictators, Blue Öyster Cult and Manowar fans alike probably this being
among the best work of both Al, Ross and the Brain Surgeons ever
each song having a stand-out long-lasting quality I am not afraid
to say this is one of the greatest rock records ever made!
Rating: What?!
Anders Röder, Copenhagen, 2006/03/03
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