Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Beggars And Thieves
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2011
Length: 43:51
Rating: 4.5/5
If any melodic rock album deserves the title of masterpiece, it’s undoubtedly Beggars And Thieves’ self-titled studio debut from 1990, released with an Atlantic Records deal in their back pocket. Seven years later came a worthy follow-up, “Look What We Created”, while “The Grey Album” (1999) was a calculated move by the band, a desperate attempt to “buy” the masses, and one we’d rather just skip.
A band with the potential to fill arenas and stadiums all over the world got swallowed by a virus called “grunge”. The days of soaring highs, illusions and dreams were over; the guys grew up, looked inward and coaxed out of their creative egos the thing they do best and know best. Because “We Are The Broken Hearted” is a lot more than just a great album. I can say without mincing words: it’s one of the best melodic rock albums of 2011.
Why does it stand out? Beggars And Thieves pulled off a “revolutionary” move. They kept the instantly recognizable arrangement style of that 1990 debut and dressed the new material in a superb modern production, which is a real rarity for reactivated bands of their caliber. Just think of the new albums from former heavyweights of melodic rock, all of them floundering in experiments: Hardline, Kingdom Come or Strangeways. Then there are the bands that waded through this urge to switch to trendy new-era production successfully and, while updating their sound for the new times, held on to every last speck of the authenticity that built their big name on the rock map long ago, like Tesla with their last two albums. It’s proof that a successful transition of an old band into new times is possible, and that you can incorporate the sonic trends of the day. What’s more, it’s even desirable. “We Are The Borkenhearted” undoubtedly belongs in the latter category. So this is a success story. The rebirth of a classic band with an excellent comeback album in its pocket. What more could you even want from Beggars And Thieves?
The five-piece kept the essential element that really holds up all the credibility of Beggars And Thieves: the unmistakable chemical bond, the huge creative chemistry between two musicians, singer Louie Merlino and guitarist Ronnie Mancuso. During the band’s hiatus, Mancuso didn’t lose a shred of his feel for crafting perfectly finished lead melodies that catch fire right away, resting on gorgeous, clean guitar phrases that let Louie Merlino fine-tune the vocal lines and squeeze out the greatest possible melodic catchiness.
“We Are The Broken Hearted” is loaded with potential hits that in other times could have brought the band a whole bag of rustling greenbacks. Innocence, Stranded, Never Gonna See You Again, the ballad Wash Away, or the closing title track are practically competing with each other for who’d be the better fit for radio airplay. In some other era, of course. The arranging is fantastic and golden proof of how to squeeze out the maximum of melody and under-the-skin hookiness that enchants the listener on first spin. So Beggars And Thieves kept that songwriting power embodied by their unforgettable 1990 debut.
The sound in which Louie Merlino’s vocal is safely sunk is built from multiple guitar layers. It’s deliberately a little dirty and crunchy, with less control. Smeared, in other words. Often the acoustic guitar is doubled with a distorted guitar riff, and extra ornamental melodic guitar lines are laid over them, breaking up the stiff, predictable form set out by the AOR/melodic rock songwriting template. The production also makes room for a bass that sounds almost like a thick, tightly wound kick, creating a wonderful contrast to the smeared riffs and filling the space especially where the riff is built from a sequence of fully voiced, “open”-sounding chords. A clever trick from seasoned old foxes. The cherry on top comes from the keyboards, which, like a light veil, bind compatibly to the massive wall of guitars and deepen the atmospheric reach of the songs’ moods. The tracks where these sonic contrasts and moods are especially pronounced are: We Come Undone, Oil & Water, Seven Seconds, We Are Brokenhearted (with a theatrical outro that an alto sax sneaks into), the particularly gritty Midnight Blue, and in Beautiful Losers that contrast between the bass line and the guitar wall is almost erotically prominent. The drum production keeps a decisive, deeply detonating snare sound! Everything is in its place, contrast perfectly stretched out, with an atmosphere that gives you goosebumps. In short, you couldn’t wish for a better production. An album you absolutely have to listen to on headphones!
Then there’s Louie Merlino. With his phenomenal vocal performance, full of emotion and passion, and a range aimed at weaving seductive harmonies in the midrange, he literally enchants the listener and leads them for a good 44 minutes through a special world that belongs only to the vibe of this album. Louie won’t let you breathe! A one-of-a-kind performance from head to toe.
“We Are the Brokenhearted” is the triumphant return of a classic AOR/melodic rock band, proof that you can keep the authentic originality that brought you recognition and respect in the past, and pour it effectively into the trendy findings of today’s studio craft in new times. The Mancuso/Merlino bond works at full strength, and Beggars And Thieves are clearly fully motivated in these new times, freshly inspired and firmly determined to once again deliver to the community the best they can do. Welcome back aboard, guys!
Lineup
Louie Merlino – vocals
Ronnie Mancuso – guitar
Gregg Fox – keyboards
Enzo Penizzoto – bass
Tommy Price – drums
Production
R. Bernard Mann
Tracklist
01.We Come Undone
02. Oil & Water
03. Innocence
04. Never Gonna See You Again
05. Beautiful Losers
06. Seven Seconds
07. Stranded
08. Wash Away
09. Midnight Blue
10. We are the Brokenhearted
