My friend The Stillness got me into Black Rebel Motorcycle Club by playing me their song Spread Your Love, off their 2001 self-titled debut. Seeing them live made me like them even more, and by now I consider myself a fan of the San Francisco band.

This closing track from their 2005 album Howl always gets me, and I can’t figure out why. I find it haunting, both musically and lyrically, with echoes of Bob Dylan and John Lennon. And while the words seem to point to the dissolution of a relationship, I find the last line, repeated over and over – “When did you stop caring?” – incredibly touching, as the main character gasps for one last shot at connecting with his loved one before it’s too late. Just beautiful.

Click on the cover and check it out.

Carlos I. Cuevas