Motley Crue--Motley Crue (1994)
Rating--7.3
Uncle Jack--RealAudio Smoke the Sky--RealAudio
Exit Vince Neil, enter John Carobi.
Quite simply, people had been treated to bad-boy rock for over ten years, and were
not prepared for what was essentially a completely different band. However, facing up to the facts, this disc has some amazing
metal riffs on it. The sound is also probably the freshest on any Crue offering ever. Still, though, all of this was overlooked by
fans and media alike, and the album was destined to the used bins. 'Tis a shame-- if this had been a "debut release" from a
band, it would have been much more readily accepted.
Dispite having the above-mentioned killer riffs, and getting (probably
unjustly) slagged, the band/label didn't help themselves out too much by choosing "Hooligan's Holiday" and its
alternative/distant-metal sound as the first single. This set a lot of people off, and proved costly in the long run.
So was
there anything good?... Yes... oh, yes. "Uncle Jack" is one of my favorite Crue tunes-- from any of the band's releases.
Other highlights include "'Til Death Do Us Part," "Welcome to the Numb," "Hammered," and the pulverizing riff of "Smoke the Sky."
HOT CHOPS: All of "Uncle Jack," but especially the first verse. A creepy, crawling feel to it, and then when Nikki comes in with
that plodding, whip-like bass line.... Good stuff. Also, check out the opening riffs in "Hammered," "Smoke the Sky," and
"Power to the Music."
TRACK LIST: Power to the Music/Uncle Jack/Hooligan's Holiday/Misunderstood/Loveshine/Poison Apples/Hammered/
Til Death Do Us Part/Welcome to the Numb/Smoke the Sky/Droppin' Like Flies/Driftaway
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