Search - :: The Sun And The Moon (2 CD Set)

Uncomplicated but entertaining from start to end

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 06/05/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"New York-based The Bravery sort of stormed onto the music scene in 2005 with their self-titled debut album, which contained one of the great singles of that year, "An Honest Mistake". After tireless touring, now finally comes the band's follow-up album.



On "The Sun and the Moon" (12 tracks; 40 min.), the Bravery does not falter far from the sound that made their debut album a success. The opener "Intro/Believe" brings a strong reggae undertone. First single "Time Won't Let Me Go" is a compelling ballad, Bravery-style. The songs generally flow well from one into another, and there are very few weak moments on te album. Other favorite tracks for me include "This Is Not the End", "Split Me Wide Open" (inviting an obvious comparison to the Cure), and "Above and Below", another one of those uptempo reggae-flavored songs. The only strike-out on the album is the pensive "Tragedy Bound", which misfires and simply is misplaced on this set.



This limited edition comes with a second CD (2 tracks, 6 min.). "Rat in the Walls" is a highly charged anthem that would've fitted nicely on the proper album. "Faces" is nice, but non-essential. Overall, while this certainly is not art with a capital "A", I have nevertheless found myself playing this album over and over again. This is uncomplicated but very entertaining from beginning to end.



As a last comment, am I the only one to notice how eerily similar this album compares to and sounds like the latest Kaiser Chiefs' album "Yours Truly, Angry Mob"? Listen to these 2 albums back-to-back and you'll see what I mean. That aside, the Bravery is coming to Cincinnati next month, and I can't wait to see how they sound live.

"