The Black Box Revelation - Set Your Head On Fire

Mainland Europe. What is it with you and producing crazy alternative bands? Take crazy Swedish boys ‘The Hives’ for example. Yes only one example, but it’s hard to think of another - its hard to think of another Swedish band actually without swearing ABBA. So thats 50% of Swedish bands are crazy, and the others are called names such as Benny and Bjork. I make that 100% crazy. You crazy country Sweden, you.

I digress.

Take a small hop, skip and a jump away from Sweden and you might end up in Belgium. Thats where these crazy alternative rockers dwell. Yes, I’ll admit, Belgium doesn’t exactly shout out “CRAZY ALTERNATIVE ROCKERS” as much as it might shout “CHOCOLATE” or.... everything else Belgium is famous for... but these guys must have refused the family business of becoming a chocolatier - as all Belgians obviously end up as - and discovered that outside of Belgium, there are things like guitars and a music industry.

What is clear, is that there are definite influences from The Hives and flashes of Primal Scream appear throughout. Its quirky guitar riffs and bouncy drum beats are what really keeps this album running throughout with “love in your head” contributing to the “heavy britpop”/”heavy Stone Roses” feel.

“I think i like you” is a surefire hit and is a very impressive, catchy tune. Although, the video is slightly less impressive as it consists of the lead singer walking down a subway and...walking a little bit more, until he turns around and.... walks back. Beyond the mediocre videography - not sure if thats a word, but its staying - is a light alternative bright album, that, largely, doesn’t bring an awful lot new to the world. Just Belgium - they love it so much its been in the Belgium “Ultratop” charts for 85 weeks now. Told you they loved it.

In a bid to let everyone know just how m.e.n.t.a.l. they are, they thought it would be a marvelous idea to write something equally crazy as their homeland is. Entitled “Set Your Head On Fire” - they blatantly thought up the craziest thing they could and wrote a song about it. Told you they were crazy.

You might not take an awful lot from this as its same old same old feel runs throughout, and is, probably, disappointingly unable to divert anyones eyes from the murderous tones of “La Roux” - why oh why must we listen to someone who calls herself “The Ginger” and all of whose songs sound like Pong sped up - but what you will get, is a good ole, 40 minute jangly guitar fueled shout. Enjoy, all you closet crazy alternative Belgian/non-Belgian, rockers.

Best Song: I Think I Like You

Rating 6/10