The Black Angels - Passover

by Nick Roberts

The sound of the revolution?

"This group of American boys and girls create sprawling, no-comply rock 'n' roll, tinged with the dark lyrics and melodies of Jim Morrison"

Summer of Love, America 1967. Panic of the streets of Washington, of San Fransisco, of major colleges throughout the US. Opposition to the Vietnam War was strong. America had seen the power of its people. Unlike the Civil War though, these masses came with LSD and music as their weapon.

Skip to 2006 and, although opposition for conflicts undertaken by the Bush office remains, the nature of the masses has changed. LSD and music have been substituted for the internet and documentaries. One band though believes in delivering their message the old fashioned way. The Black Angels, through their debut album ‘Passover’.

This group of American boys and girls create sprawling, no-comply rock 'n' roll, tinged with the dark lyrics and melodies of Jim Morrison. In fact their sixties-esque, anti-war sound could have been used in a variety of Oliver Stone movies.

The sound of despair, the sound of the desert, the sound of angst is all apparent in this moving debut. The driving beat of ‘The Prodigal Sun’ takes you on a trip to the Mojave on the back of some VW camper van, travelling to some city or college, ready to stick it to the man.

Some things are best not forgotten, and The Black Angels believe the Vietnam War and the mistakes we are making today that replicate that atrocity are most certainly not. A compelling album that’s both eloquent and emotive, ‘Passover’ is a rock 'n' roll gem.

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