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Brave Empire - Be All You Can Be
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Not sure how this all works but somehow big chief Many Fingers, Many Pies (Ed: I think he means David Pendragon but don't quote me on that) seems to have got involved with this Australian band - giving the usual helping hand. So nothing to do with him other than the review request itself, for which be thankful... Anyway, casting insults and slurs always tires me out. Hiphop isn't an area I would have associated David with though, he's more of a rock animal like me. Moreover, also like me, he's a musical sponge so I guess just about anything goes eh?
So, Brave Empire are not just another hiphop artist, there are SEVEN of them!
If you have had any exposure whatsoever to American culture, the title will tell the tale. It's the recruiting slogan for the American Army and Brave Empire put it to a different use but, as you can imagine (this being hiphop), there isn't a lyric sheet in sight. Personally, I wouldn't have classed this as hiphop although it does have consistent hiphop feel. The track is definitely a whole lot poppier than I would have imagined from the band's blurb over at Mixposure, but - in my eyes - none of this is a bad thing. The track slams out of the gate from the first note so fergedabout chancing the first ten seconds to see whether you like it or not.
It's an intriguing blend of rock, alternative, hiphop and God knows what else but what comes out the other end is a very energetic, fresh look at a very worn format. Come on, serious, don't you find a lot of hiphop tedious? All those riches and bitches...it all gets a bit like Christmas doesn't it? Brave Empire temper that ennui with a sharp, highly listenable mix of different styles that works a treat powering the lyrical content down your ears like one of those huge steel thingies with the sticky out bits (Ed: that would be a tank, Gilmore). Underneath it all though is a very keen pop song that just cries out for listeners, and they will come. Oh yes, they will come.
MUST HAVE (very fresh) blend of at least three genres 
Thanks for this really insightful review Steve. I am indeed helping these young folk find their way around the Internet and live music/gig scene. It is very much a pleasure to be back out there at the 'coal face' talking with venue operators and the like.
Here is a thing.......who could help us come up with a genre that fits this band? We had to use Rap simply because that was the only one that remotely fitted on most sites listings. We are thinking Rap /Rock /Pop or variations thereof? Its a challange for sure, but new genres have to start somewhere. Who first came up with the term Rock or Punk? Well.......there were two musos in a pub and one said to the other........
