The Brave - Gravedigger - (reaction)

Who else has heard this great album?  Love it.

Yeah, I am LOVING it!!!!

I am trying to download it now, but my crappy internet is moving so darn slow.  I think I would be better off using smoke signals around here.  I might have to give in and see if I can get Starlink.  It is more expensive to get into, but I might have a better connection than I do using CrapT&T.

Just bought it on Qobuz. It's OK. In my opinion their Battle Cries album released on Pakaderm Records in 1992 is much better.

I have it. I plan on listening to it tonight, along with other new music.

It's great, Gravedigger is a great opener, just rips and sets up the rest of the album. Ghosts and Temples are also very good and The Undertaker has an almost Galactic Cowboys vibe.

Will hopefully spin it this weekend!

Dr3ams wrote:Just bought it on Qobuz. It's OK. In my opinion their Battle Cries album released on Pakaderm Records in 1992 is much better.

While I do love that one, you hear a lot more of the John & Dino Elefante sound than you do that of The Brave on that album.  There were so many layers of keyboards added to that album that they didn't play live.  Their next album, to me, was a much more honest sound for the band.  The two newest releases seem to really nail that down as they are continuations of that sound.  Seeing that "Trust" is my favorite album of theirs, I love that they have stayed true to that style for the most part since reforming and starting to record again.

Just listened to this whole album but did not enjoy it much at all.   I'm not sure what they are thinking here after the very strong showing of "Evie's Little Garden."  

At times the material on Gravedigger is too over-dramatic and sing-song-y.   There's less emphasis on muscular, sharp guitar riffs that grab you, and more emphasis on these long, expansive vocal melodies that can sound musically trite and annoying (e.g. "BraveNation," "Ghosts," "AfterLife," "Strange New World"). 

Some songs fare better but it's hit or miss.  "Bad Day" harkens back to the heavy blues rock of their 2nd album "Trust."  Other songs are melodic rock / AOR similar to something you'd find on a Frontiers Records release ("Heaven Knows," "Someone's Watching Over Me").   "Love Is The Only Place" has a pop-punk vibe.  "The Undertaker" has a cool Aerosmith meets Beatles vibe.  The title track is clever and unique.

The band seem to be taking a new direction with this album but I'm just not too into it I suppose.

Best songs:  Temple, Gravedigger, The Undertaker

I think this is another good to great album from them, but so far it’s not kicking my face in like the wonderful ELG did. So far, I like the title track and the more AOR moments the best. 

At first I felt like Constantine, but as the album went on it grew on me. But it didn’t bowl me over like ELG.

I LOVED Heaven Knows.

I like the song, Ghosts. Little different and I had to listen to it s couple times to really get it.

I have given it a first spin

I instantly like it
Wonderful guitar work
Blatant Christian lyrics

I’m finding evaluating this album difficult. There are moments and songs of brilliance. But I can’t help hearing it as the follow-up to ELG and, seen in that light, I find it a disappointment. Too much of it is just kinda meh to me. I don’t think it’s bad by any means, and there are some tunes I love, but on the whole this is easily my biggest disappointment for 2022 albums.

It's rare I like a whole album but this one is close for me.

I didn't fall in love with ELG at first either.  It took a few spins before it grabbed me and became a favorite for that year.  I am giving this a few more spins before I even try to decide how I like it.

ELG grabbed me from the very first listen. But different albums hit differently.

For me, it’s also somewhat dependent on genre. Typically, melodic hard rock will hit me immediately or it just won’t hit me. Heavier styles often take more time to digest.