The Rescues - Blah Blah Love and War

Album review by KevW

There can be perks to signing to a major label; their publicity routes are long established and reliable, their marketing budgets are substantial. They'll get you radio play, they'll get your name in the press, they're also capable of sucking the creative life out of a band through trying to engage in unwanted artistic control and unrealistic demands. They can spit you out and leave you for dead, moving on to the next bunch of bright-eyed starlets to suck the blood from. LA band The Rescues found out the hard way, their departure from Universal leading to a break for the band and some self doubt. After letting the dust settle and gathering their thoughts (as well as working on other projects) they reconvened to record 'Blah Blah Love and War'.

This time everything is on their own terms and has been funded by the substantial fanbase they built up a couple of years previously. Has that confidence returned? Stick on the sweeping, ambitious and powerful 'Be My Cure' and you'll get your answer in seconds: it's a bold statement for sure. Further proof of a renewed confidence comes in the arrangements; each carefully thought out and executed to squeeze the very best from each song. 'Under The Weather', 'Did It Really Even Matter' and 'Get Back' are immaculate, and you believe them when they say 'Everything's Gonna Be Better Next Year'. The grand 'Bigger Picture' definitely feels like they're a band with unfinished business.

Maybe lyrics like "When you've had all you can take, when the ground beneath you shakes... when it's all slipping away from you, I will never let you go" on the countryish 'Never Let You Go' are a rallying cry to each other, a message that together they can achieve what they want. Much of 'Blah Blah Love and War' would fall into the AOR category, but they also incorporate more alternative styles that help keep the album sounding fresh, and indie-rock is never far away although it may be a little too straightforward for more left-field listeners. Still, with tracks like 'Run Away' and 'Love Like Cyanide' there should be a certain cross-genre appeal. Overall you have to admire The Rescues for taking a punch, getting up from the canvas and battling on to win the fight.





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