BEGGARS & THIEVES – We Are The Brokenhearted (2011)
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BEGGARS & THIEVES achieved great success in 1989 with their self-titled debut, but when the 2nd album was ready the musical landscape changed. Now the band returns with vengeance releasing the brand new CD “We Are The Brokenhearted”.
Founder members Ronnie Mancuso and vocalist Louie Merlino were talking all these years about the possibility of a resurrection of Beggars & Thieves.
To everyone’s surprise, the band rocked the audience at Firefest 2010. The NYC based duo recruited drummer Erik Gloege and a 22 year old bassist, Blake Newman, as a rejuvenating injection on the band.
“We Are The Brokenhearted” finds B&T offering a mature – but also fresh – take on the classic melodic rock that make them famous.
Merlino has lost nothing of his strong and focused vocals, as still holds a classic American rock mode and is stabil and clear, especially in all the ballad songs, while Mancuso developed his six-string technique and sound delivering a solid guitar work.
From the album opener “We Come Undone”, onward you are treated to top notch melodic rock from a group out to prove they never should have been lumped in with the whole hair metal movement. This extremely melodic rocker is one of the best song of the album.
Next song “Oil & Water” has a calm and gentle intro, then the track develops into a stirring mid-tempo melody featuring an incredible guitar performance from Ronnie, with layers of guitars mixing acoustics with electrics.
But there’s also some keen rock tunes on this album.
Songs like the great rocker “Innocence” and the smoking guitar riffs of “Seven Seconds” are quite edgy and decidedly unfluffy, whilst “Midnight Blue” have a more a determined groovy delivery and, at times, a warm heaviness.
“Stranded” lands into American melodic territory, and the soaring “Wash Away” is a heartfelt quality emotional ballad with smooth vocals.
“We Are The Brokenhearted” is loaded with the kind of timeless melodic hard rock that people can get into easily.
It’s an entertaining platter of well-crafted songs, reflecting as much strong composition and musicianship, as emotion. Louie Merlino sounds amazing boasting his intact impressive voice with unique warmth and some sense of inner melancholy you do not come across often in post-80’s singers. Ronnie Mancuso job is truly exceptional, orchestrating the music with tons of guitar layers, different sounds and tones. The new rhythm section is tight and solid, particularly the drums.
With “We Are The Brokenhearted”, Beggars & Thieves has returned in great form, putting the band back on the map of the Melodic Rock scene.
Recommended.
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
Louie Merlino – Vocals
Ronnie Mancuso – Guitars
Blake Newman – Bass
Erik Gloege – Drums
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