Named after a rather odd anti-foreign uprising in China around 1900, The Boxer Rebellion are self-releasing this, their second album. Consequently, it can only be purchased on iTunes, putting it in a rather odd position. Unfortunately the band’s position is further weakened by the fact that, for the most part, Union just isn’t very likeable.
The Boxer Rebellion are a guitar-based band, through and through – the trouble is that the guitar work here is rarely, if ever, appealing. Often surprisingly quiet in the mix, the guitars are hazy and often fail to create either effective atmospherics or decent riffs to get your teeth into. This half-baked feel gives the album a gloopy, viscous sound, which makes it an exhausting and sleepy experience. It’s the kind of album where your attention wanes as each song goes on, and when the next one starts, its subtly different approach is barely enough to wake you from your stupor.
There’s just something inherently and curiously unsatisfying about Union’s sound. Perhaps it’s the queer off-kilter falsetto with nonsensical platitudes for lyrics, or the treacle-esque mess of much of the instrumentation, or the fact that instrumentally speaking only the drums can really be heard properly, but it’s more likely a combination of all three. The Boxer Rebellion seem to want to be populist but also cool, and to make some musical contribution to understanding the human condition or something. In all these aims they fail, instead creating eleven songs worth of half-arsed, frustratingly mediocre slop. One of the best examples is ‘Forces’, with a chorus that goes “forces, dark forces are everywhere / they won’t stop, they won’t stop / ’til you’re here” – it’s a pale shadow of a proper rock song, a sketchy approximation of the intelligence and excitement the band are aiming at.
However well-intentioned it is, the big neon nail in Union‘s coffin is how it just blends into one… it may not be as ill-fated as the band’s namesake, but it’s still not worth buying.
28%
The Boxer Rebellion on MySpace
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This is such a strange review of one of the best albums I’ve heard in years. These guys are onto such great things, striving against a dying industry, and deserve every bit of support they get. They are quite frankly amazing. Either a) you’ve not listened properly or b) you just don’t get it!
Uh – yeah – couldn’t agree with the last comment more. I heard about this band through a friend and this record is already in my top LPs of 2009. You’re either deaf or you need new headphones. To create a record as impressive as this requires serious dedication to craft – the instrumentation is almost flawless, and the lyrics (if you were to actually read them) are f’ing fantastic. I’m still scratching my head trying to figure this review out…!
WTF?!?!? You are out to friggin’ lunch Andy.
I definately don’t want any of what you are smoking dude. You are really getting ripped off there.
Unfortuantely, as mentioned above, you don’t/didn’t get it.
With all the garbage that’s being signed to record contracts these days, let alone released, I find it extremely hard to believe that this band doesn’t receive any recognition in your review for actually having the balls to release their own music. It kicked The Kings of Leon and Coldplay’s asses all over Itunes that first week. It opened on Billboard at #82, with no label!!!
Personally, I think it’s really touching that they can come back after so long and care about making an album that says as much as this one does.
And no two ways about it, The Boxer Rebellion makes a significant musical contribution to understanding the human condition, on every level. You didn’t even read the lyrics, did you?
I find your review to be nonsensical, insipid, banal, trite, stale inherently and curiously unsatisfying. It’s frustratingly, half-arsed, mediocre slop.
It’s quite a blow to the head for them to do this album and then have it shot down by a nonmusical idiot.
You, sir, are one of the stupidest pieces of mongrol-death that I’ve ever had the misfortune to come across. I’m surprised you can even string together coherent sentences with your obvious brain afflictions. Or maybe you can’t- maybe they actually just got a machine to write this review at random, because that’s how it comes across.
Did you even listen to the record? How anyone cannot get the point of this record is beyond me, it is one of the most important works of our time. The Boxer Rebellion do not produce mere music- what they produce is so much greater than that, so much beyond that. They have made, as the member of the commentary above mentions so wonderfully, a genuinely important work re: understanding the human condition. Their work stands side-by-side with Kant, with the existentialists Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, with Siddhartha Gautama, with Nelson Mandela, with Martin Luther King.
I would underestimate the mightiness and special-ness of The Boxer Rebellion at your peril because you might just find yourself with a pipe in the knees.
^ Nice message, managing to be both insulting, offensive and threatening all in the space of three paragraphs. And I know I’m out of touch but even I would have noticed Nelson Mandela releasing an album. I’ve not heard the album reviewed but if this is what their fans are like I think I’ll steer clear thanks.
^^ That HAS to be a joke posting, surely? (from Joseph Heller)
Simon,
This record is that good. I think that that is Mr. Heller’s point. I took offense to his comment’s, almost personally. I’m not sure I even know why that is, but I feel a deep connection to this band. Deep.
I’m a H-U-G-E TBR fan as well as Joe and this Andy Johnson guy is really lost. All points taken, he makes no sense, at all. Granted not everyone is or will be a TBR fan, fair enough. At least have the decency to LISTEN to music you are reviewing. This clown didn’t even do that. Give Union a listen, regardless of fans comments, good or bad. That’s like bands boycotting live shows in a specific city, because someone stole your guitar last time you played there.
No, not really, its more like steering clear of a band because their fans seem slighty disturbed.
I don’t speak for Joe Heller. He’s made his bed. I hope you aren’t crucifying TBR because of one person’s comments? If so, that’s pretty sad. He doesn’t speak for me, the band, or any of their other fans. Who are all, I might add, very well grounded. TYVM.
Intrigued by all this I zipped over to MySpace. Quite liked ‘Flashing Red Light Means Go’ but then I’m all about indie-lite :-) There’s definitely something about fans of bands who wear too much black though …
Actually, wait… having listened to the record a second time… Boxer Rebellion are actually really shite.
Sorry to get ahead of myself there guys. False alarm.
Hey, Hellhole,
It’s THE Boxer Rebellion to you pal.
Do the initials F.O. mean anything to you?
You are a waste of bad clothing.
What’s shite? Go to english 101, it’s spelled ‘shit’.
You should know that Joe, it’s your middle name.
*Knew* it :-D
I’ve seen them live a load of times, used to play Cambridge once a month it felt, and I quite like this album too.
Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I respect that. I personally love Union to bits but I can understand how it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But anyone who picks fights and starts namecalling over this is a fucking fag who needs to be shot after they watch me lay their mother in all sorts of positions.
The review of this album didn’t put me off listening to it, the fan comments did.
Imagine liking this band, going to a show and having to stand in a crowd of these people?
I’ll go for something else.
This one is the best record so far this year! I absolutely disagree with this review. It`s a pity they haven`t got rich label behind them. If I see so many worse bands being broadcast frequently on MTV2, it makes me sad.. btw.first half of album is amazing and Evacuate or Flashing red lights means go are great anthems..
I got a promo of this album 2 months ago. Not sure what album Andy listened to. This is a solid piece of work and the sales speak the same. It’s one of the best sellers on iTunes. Only suggestion I have is to use an open mind and take a listen before believing one person’s review.
I thought this album was a lot better than the new Coldplay album, it seemed so much more real. The music isn’t really groundbreaking, but there are really a lot of good and catchy, yet still very raw songs on here (Flashing Lights, Soviets).
This is an album that would appeal to many people, it’s just that it doesn’t get enough promotion to get big.
And by the way, I thought sir Hellers comment was quite funny.
I have to totally disagree with the review above. I was very impressed with Union, there are at least 6 outstanding songs on the album. Sort of reminds me of the Walkmen & Radiohead, with a bit of Sigur Ros thrown in there. I’d definitely recommend it. Haven’t heard the first album though so can’t comment.
I am disillusioned with this review. So impressed with this album I was I google’d it to see what kind of reviews it got and was truly shocked to see this scathing attack. This for me is easily the best album of the 1st half of 2009. Loving ‘Evacuate’ and ‘Flashing Red light means go’ and this album has been on repeat for days. I remember coming across the watermellon single a few years back and eing impressed so to come across this little gem was a real treat.
For me a more accurate score for this album is 87%
Some of these comments really made me laugh. Andy Johnson wrote a really well written review about an album he didn't particularly like. A review is a personal opinion (not a 'scathing attack'), and he gave us just that, by way of some back up and lovely prose. I've listened to Union a couple of times; it seems to have some attractive moments (Soviet stands out) but seemed a little samey and didn't blow me away. Disagree with the reviewer by all means – debate is healthy, yes -but there's no need to take anyone's opinions as a personal affront and get nasty.
Some of these comments really made me laugh. Andy Johnson wrote a really well written review about an album he didn't particularly like. A review is a personal opinion (not a 'scathing attack'), and he gave us just that, by way of some back up and lovely prose. I've listened to Union a couple of times; it seems to have some attractive moments (Soviet stands out) but seemed a little samey and didn't blow me away. Disagree with the reviewer by all means – debate is healthy, yes -but there's no need to take anyone's opinions as a personal affront and get nasty.
it’s a classic album. There’s just something about the band’s chemistry that is makes the band greater than the sum of its’ parts. Nathan’s amazing voice and lyrics coupled with Piers’ minamilistic, yet very smart drumming are the standouts for me. Close your eyes and just listen to this album, it’s so beautiful. I can’t stop listening, I’m addicted. If I was being hyper critical, I’d say that the first half of the album is slightly better than the last. Still, album of 2009 easily. There’s something romantic about the fact that the band are of such genuine quality, yet so underappreciated, that makes them more apppealing. You get the feeling they are only going to get better and better with there forthcoming albums. Ranks in my top five albums of all time behind the likes of led zep 4, what’s the story morning glory, entertainment by gang of four and siamese dream by the Smashing Pumpkins. I think that’s why people found this review so offensive, as many people have fallen in love with this album, and when you read a bad review it’s like someone has just insulted the woman you love or something a long those lines. TBR are the kind of underrated artist that will explode into popularity if something terrible happens to one of their band members – or perhaps worse – are picked up by a major record label :)
popularity if something terrible happens to one of their band members – or perhaps worse – are picked up by a major record label :)
worse – are picked up by a major record label :)
read a bad review it’s like someone has just insulted the woman you love or something
popularity if something terrible happens to one of their band members – or perhaps worse – are picked up by a major record