Somewhat in the shadow of American 'neo new wave' bands such as The Strokes and The Killers, the self-titled debut album from New York's The Bravery was released in 2005. With a leading role for the charismatic dandy / singer Sam Endicott, the group offers an American take on fresh Britpop in the traditions of The Cure and The Smiths. The successor The Sun And The Moon is also dedicated to this.
Unlike The Killers, The Bravery doesn't make a big step forward on their second album. Short songs with bouncy rhythms (The Clash classic London Calling is more than once cited rhythmically) and choppy guitar work form the basis for Endicott's slightly tormented performance. On the cover the band looks like a wild live act and you can also imagine that this energetic music comes into its own on stage. On a disc it mainly lacks its own identity. This has simply been done before and better. (MR)more
