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honest mistake single sleeve

The Bravery: An Honest Mistake

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by Jack Lowrey
  • Type: Single
  • Release date: 28/02/2005
  • Label: Polydor
‘An Honest Mistake’ is the single that’s supposed to launch The Bravery’s assault on the world, and make them the biggest thing since erm... The Killers but wait! What is this I hear? No Baptist choir? No massive trumpet-led cathartic release?

Such is the groundswell around this band that hearing the single is a bit of a let down (no matter how good it is). That's not to say that ‘An Honest Mistake’ is a bad tune because with its tight drumming, coolly disinterested vocals, and A-Ha-esque guitar to boot it hits all the right buttons.

That said the song is so tidy and self conscious that one can’t help but feel it’s as disingenuous as the lyrics ‘Don’t look at me that way/it was an honest mistake’. Everything feels too practiced and cold; the band’s soul cynically sacrificed in favour of lipstick and eyeliner. Right now the gamble is paying off – their upcoming sold-out tour of the UK is predicated on their cool image but how long will that last?

As the new new-wave niche slowly erodes, The Bravery arrive at an interesting time for bands trying to mould themselves in a similar way. Their success will be the ultimate litmus test for the health of the group at large.

  • The Bravery 6 / 10

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

"Their success will be the ultimate litmus test for the health of the group at large."
I think its fair obvious this will be the year of the neo-morrissey Killers/Bravery/Kaisers type bands...

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Roll on next year, then...

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

we all know 2005 will be the year of The Bravery, but what are the chances they'll stay strong through '06? not very good I think.

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

i'm fucking sick of this nu-wave revival shit. lets move on for god'sakes

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

I went to see these guys in Newcastle last night, and i can tell you i am far far from impressed. I went their full of expectation, and returned very angry. This band were either too pissed to play their instruments, or they REALLY CAN'T play their instruments. The singer was prouncing round the stage singing out of tune, and sometimes missing the mike completely (plenty of drop out). The guitarist was ok with the melodies (when he actually managed to keep in time with the drummer) but whenever he attempted a solo, he fluffed it!! Yet still he stood there all proud and smirking!!! The bassist, hahaha... what a joke! He was so drunk he didn't know what he was doing and seemed more interested in drinking his 'many' bottles of beer on stage! Shambolic!! The keyboardist!! Well, how hard was it to press a few buttons? I felt sorry for the drummer, he played his heart out while all around him fell to bits! This was you're chance to really impress boys, and you failed!! Sadly, i think far too many young gilrs and boys will eat this up and not notice they are being disrespected.

Sorry, but you stank big time!!!

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

The Bravery make boring boring boring music.
This, quite predictably is a boring boring boring song.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

I've liked both singles, but they're not amazing and i have been slightly disappointed because of all the hype. I think it's alright for bands to drink on stage, but when they get pissed and turn the gig into a shambolic mess, they need to fuck off and grow up, and come back when they learn to respect the paying public, who have the power to either make the band a success or a flop.
I'm still looking forward to the album, i've pre-ordered it, because i like their sound, but i hope there are a few awesome tracks on it, cos i haven't been blown away yet.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

At least it's not fucking post rock

x

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

...JESUS CHRIST, man.

what the f__k's THAT supposed to mean?

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

They're mediocre. The should be listed as BEING mediocre. I really, REALLY hate NME sometimes/most of the time/all the time/ah fuck it, I just hate them.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Yes, I'd take this shite over say, Slint or Mogwai anyday. Obviously.

Let's avoid the 'post-rock being a void term' argument, for now, btw.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

the bravery... oh dear oh dear.

I saw them support the remainder of the libertines in NYC last august and the best they could do to introduce the band was.. "this lot are kicking up a fuss in the UK right now!!"

I was like "fuss???? what fucking fuss??"

The only fuss this band will ever make (or induce) is when someone tries to pull them out of their over stylised, stylist induced, major label, big money, haircut orientated, middle of the road, market led threads.

Steer well away.

As for the drummer being the most competent member... well....

.. he'd probably fail an audition for the Others.

wack as fuck.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

I like The Bravery. It's pop music. it's not fucking rocket science. Just cos they've got nice hair cuts and decided to earn a living by signing with a major, it doesn't make their music crap.

If they were a bunch of ugly bastards like Mogwai, with a name that had over 5 words in it I, bet half of you would herald them as the best thing that's ever happened to modern music

The NME likes them, they're media friendly. Get a grip and stop being such fascists.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

STOP BEING A FACIST?!?!!?!?! I PAID GOOD MONEY TO GO AND SEE THEM PERFORM!! DON'T YOU THINK THEY COULD AT LEAST SHOW SOME RESPECT AND ''''PERFORM'''' FOR EVERYONE?? I PAID MY MONEY, I'LL SAY WHAT THE HELL I PLEASE!!!

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

good song sounds alot like the killers methinks

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

hey.. i don't particularly like mogwai, am not a post rock obsessive and do like a band to look good. But c'mon kids... the bravery are music for the lowest common denominator. The killers are pretty bad and I know they dont' rate themselves half as much as the Bravery.

I can't put it any better than a coked up bad U2 for stupid people.

Oh.. and nice hair cuts.... fuck man.. the only person who would endorse those cuts are american A+R men who got into the industry via law school to get "chicks".

Pop music can have substance too y'knaa.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

everytime this song comes on MTV2 i reach for the remote to either

a) hurl at that tosser of a singer
b) turn the tv off
c) drive it into my skull to end my worthless existence

I suppose though i could just switch over.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Well why don't you stop moaning about something you hate and talk about something you like on a different thread?

Try being constructive rather than being spoilt brats.

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

it's pop and it's good.

moaning is fine if it says something new. just saying 'it's shit' irritates everyone.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

earlier someone suggested they'd take the Bravery over Slint.
Now I agree that we all have our own opinions and shit like that. But the aforementioned comment means the person who made it knows nothing about music.
at all.

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Well I read it as meaning that they don't like Slint very much, but maybe you picked up on hidden subtleties that others missed...?

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

are you two referring to the person who said:

"Yes, I'd take this shite over say, Slint or Mogwai anyday. Obviously."

I think there is a slight chance they were being sarcastic.


Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

I'd take The Bravery over Slint or Mogwai anyway for the simple reason I think Slint and Mogwai are shit. But there you go. Obviously, I have no knowledge of music whatsoever. Or maybe I just think post rock is a lazy, boring, pseudo-intellectual genre that only appeals to middle class white kids who are still angry because they got bullied at school...?

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Are you a middle class white kid angry at other middle class white kids for being white and middle class cos youre embarrassed to be both those things? Just out of interest cos Id imagine most people on this site were, and so complaining about middle class kids (as people often do on here) is pretty funny. Yes Im white and middle class. I know thats really bad cos it is so much better to be working class.

Also I didnt get bullied at school. I like Slint and Mogwai (to a lesser extent). "post-rock" can be lazy and boring just like any other genre of music (e.g. fucking garage-rock or this "nu-wave" retro stuff). It is hardly pseudo-intelluctual or intellectual unless you have a very low threshold for what that means. I dont hear Mogwai attempting to justify or intellectualise their music AT ALL, EVER and that goes for most other "post-rock" artists so I am not sure you can justify that statement.
I think what you have done there is mistaken you thinking "oh i bet the people who make this music think they are so incredibly clever cos it can be a bit long and drawn out or vaguely experimental" with the people ACTUALLY THINKING THAT. aaah

Fist of fun was good wasnt it?

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Who really cares about this band? This is an ok song, that will go top ten, the album will sell well, they'll sell a few brixton dates, do some festivals, the NME will salvilate over them for 10 months, then ditch them for the next indenikit New York indie band. Their ascent and steady decline is so predictable its unbelievable.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Fuck off we all heard this in July and it was shit then.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Oh dear. Where to start...I could slag them off endlessly, but I get tired of doing it, so I'll just say that 'Chewing Gum' by Annie has more meaning.

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

Lost for words as to HOW BAD THIS BAND IS. Atrocious...PLEASE SPARE US and give them no move coverage on here. The singer looks like a mix between Jimmy Hill and one of Good Charlotte, the music is electrolite discolite crap. Send em back to New York...

The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

MY OPINION:

This song just lacks something. It's a perfectly reasonable New Wave of New Wave song, but amidst those sparse guitars and controlled drumming, there's something lacking. Maybe it's in Endicott's voice or the lack of a memorable chorus. This effort is certainly weaker than Unconditional, which was pretty good. I give it 3/5. But in the words of NWA

Don't believe the hype!

Re: The Bravery - An Honest Mistake

"there's something lacking."

The Bravery. Pfft. Something lacking is one way to describe them certainly....

Harsh Comments.....

I think the Bravery deserve a lot more credit than they get.

I love this band. Their is no point me trying to justify as to why, because on this site, it would be like talking to a brick wall.

I think their second record will be better than first. They have brought me a lot of joy The Bravery, and i associate them with some really good times i have had over the past year.

One point i must make though, is that the Bravery are not contrived or vacuous as suggested by many people. They are not IMO like the kaister chiefs, making shite pop music that has lyrical meaning.

I enjoy this band, they have been a really cool influence on me in my late teen years.


Correction!

'They are not making shite pop music like the kaiser chiefs IMO that has no lyrical meaning'.