Posted: December 14th, 2008
Contributed By: Nick

	Purchase @ MySpace Release Date: January 2009
	Bulletproof Messenger is: Marcus (Vocals) Voley (Guitar) Scott (Guitar) Jesse (Bass) Alex (Drums) Matt (Electronics)

Overview: Finally, New York’s BulletProof Messenger are strapped with their sophomore record ‘Arm Yourself‘, the follow-up to 2006’s ‘The Crucial Line‘. All I’m gonna say is that if you don’t yet have ‘The Crucial Line‘, shame, shame, shame on you. But there’s no time for ridicule, because there’s a new BPM effort to talk about.

The Good: Well there’s good. Then there’s great. And then there’s ‘Arm Yourself‘. Once these gurus of groove crank the ignition with “This Fantasy”, you know you’re in for something special. Although steered by bossy riffs , “This Fantasy” has an undeniable warmth, contributed largely by voluptuous choruses and unbreakable melodies. The first three ticks of “Move On” are the audio doppelganger of Janet Jackson’s “If”, a dope connection to a gnarly pop hit. It doesn’t stop there, because like “If”, “Move On” is fed a healthy diet of crunchy guitars and forceful snare and bass drum thumps. Unlike “If”, the bridge of “Move On” is f—–g illin’! “DLD” might only be a brief segue into the following song, but BPM carves out a niche for the little guy, dropping bass chugs in that foreshadow the title track waiting on deck. “Arm Yourself” boasts a masterful dichotomy, a colorful and spirited number birthed by a down-tuned string section. Punchy and pepped up, “Control” is aptly branded to describe its chorus, an omnipotent team of titanic musicianship helmed by Marcus’ impassioned vocal urgency; BPM throws a real curveball with a rebel inspired epic solo, which makes you wonder what else the band can pull out of their hat. The intro of “No Way Out” is a melting pot of a trio of goodies: Silverchair’s “Abuse Me”, 3 Doors Down’s “When I’m Gone”, and Oasis’ “Champagne Supernova”. However the song travels its own path, floating unhindered down a stream of majestic and reflective splendor with an enviable effortlessness. After a rousing intro from the pages of Depeche Mode and The Cure, “Wasted” rolls on with blazing consistency. The bridge is when “Wasted” truly shines, an equal part tribal and ethereal séance and a perfect way for the band to peak. “Where We All Belong” is like Prince, in that success and talent never waned despite an identity crisis. From a Baroque era piano lullaby, to romanticized synth-rock, to a macho, pre-grunge anthem, “Where We All Belong” proves the versatility of its six creators. The runway ready chorus of “Grand Disaster” is dressed for success, sweeping and peachy and with an overwhelming amount of sincerity and charm. BulletProof Messenger is still blowing steam by the time “Step Out” comes knocking, a stale ending out of the question. “Step Out” starts off with an eerie, samba-ish build up, tip-toeing into verse one and then letting it ride, as it gradually becomes more involved. After one last riotous eruption, “Step Out” begins the album’s final descent with the samba pattern from earlier, this time infused with a suave smooth jazz vibe that carries you to the end; this best proves the trend of ‘Arm Yourself‘, that BulletProof Messenger continuously outdo themselves.

Special praise is in order for “Lose It All”, a 3 minute 17 second audio-definition of beauty. I guarantee you will lose yourself in the rapture of this dynamically brilliant song. What pulled me in were the uber-hooky harmonies beaming from the chorus, as well as the energy and radiance of the post-chorus jams. I’ve listened to “Lose It All” 18 times and counting and I still get goosebumps every time.

The Bad: I had to dig HARD for my only two gripes about ‘Arm Yourself‘. The progression of the chorus of “Grand Disaster” sounds almost too close to the chorus of “On My Own” by Hedley and BPM would have benefited from taking the bridge of “Wasted” and running with it a bit longer. That’s about all I got.

Bottomline: Wow, what an album. The fact that BulletProof Messenger remains unsigned is not only scary but an injustice. ‘Arm Yourself‘ has left me speechless.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10