Simple, Yet Amazing

“These days rock is dead, punk – we won’t even go there, and emo dudes are carrying purses. Music – well, music is exactly where it should be.” This is one of the truest sentiments recently spoken in music, and comes from The Bronx, a loud, noisy rock outfit from Los Angeles. Their songs are simple, brash, and in your face. At times on their self-titled album they screw up, or the singer falters. These imperfections help in making the album that much better.Every track is an audio assault, which hits you like a truck. Songs like “False Alarm” and “They Will Kill Us All (Without Mercy)” are so catchy and well done it’s amazing that they haven’t been played on every radio station yet.

On the first listen, the album doesn’t sound terribly unique, especially with many other “noise rock” outfits out there. After the first time through though, it’s noted that this album, in all it’s simplicity of production, is a complex web of thought, distress and anger. “I Got Chills” and “Gun Without Bullets” have dynamic vocal changes, which while not overbearing, show the range of the band, and help drive the originality of the group. At the end, we are treated to the slower tempo of “Strobe Life”, which helps to show the Bronx’s musical skill.

While music isn’t where it should be these days, it is a wonderful thing that there are groups like The Bronx who are willing to put their collective middle finger towards the music industry and play music that they want to play.