In August 2004, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club split up onstage in Scotland, fists flailing and sideburns bristling. Drummer Nick Jago temporarily huffed, with singing guitarists Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been left to question the shelf life of their greasy, heroiny garage rock. From crisis has come something of a sonic retread: Out go the overdrive pedals and in come a collection of bolt-on country and gospel references. But sadly, only the Been-sung “Promise” offers the requisite flicker of fractured soul; the rest sound like bad Southern swamp songs covered by the world’s most miserable bar band. BRMC’s heroes—Spiritualized, Primal Scream —have trod this path before, and with chutzpah. From the boys who sang “Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll,” this is extremely disappointing.

Download: “Promise”