#The Mick Review

[deadndonejoepublic]

Guns N’ Roses in Kerrang! 24th October 1987. Review by Mick Wall. Features Faster Pussycat

[winterkittenreads]

Review: Dead Boy Detectives [Season 1]

Audience: 16+

Stars: 4.7/5

dear radish,

I LOVED this show. I felt so alive at the end of it. Go watch it!!!

Things I loved:

Found family

Tied to the Sandman universe but tells its own story in such a wonderful, engaging way

The way our titular dead boy detectives Edwin and Charles have been through the meat grinder, but still want to help others. The way they keep each other afloat omg. Precious.

A LOVE TRIANGLE THAT I ACTUALLY DON'T HATE OMG. I know who I'm rooting for though ;)

The way it doesn't shy away from depicting violence. Because the world IS brutal, even as there's pieces of light in it.

Crystal finding strength through the past women of her family. Loss of memories as a metaphor for how the slave trade stripped Black Americans of their history and identity (maybe). And the empowerment that comes with reconnecting with one's roots/lineage.

Pacing. Look, I admit it. I'm someone who often watches shows at 2x speed. Well buddy, this show moved so fast that I felt no such compulsion to speed it forward. Possibly because the show's creators needed to fit so much within just 8 episodes. But they pulled it off!

Niko's room is full of manga and anime posters, and I loved that for her.

Spoilers:

I HOPE NIKO COMES BACK IN SEASON 2 ARGHHHHHH.

WAS THE GUY IN THE FISH DESTRUCTION???

Night Nurse redemption arc I'm readyyyyyyy

CHARLES IS A BI-KING CHANGE MY MIND

[groovyghostnotes]

Album Review: Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

i figured i’d kick my reviews off with one of my all time favorites. i consider this album one of my “evergreens” since it never seems to lose its place in my heart. i know this one is sort of a “no brainer” when it comes to favorite albums, but that’s all for good reason. this album is a classic, and quite possibly the closest humans will ever be to creating a masterpiece. it’s clear why so many people love this album, and its story is even more compelling.

first of all, it’s a wonder this album even exists. the fact its so good is even more of a mystery to me. let’s set the stage shall we? it’s 1976, and fleetwood mac has come together to write an album. only problem is, pretty much everybody has a problem with somebody else in the band. stevie nicks and lindsey buckingham, as well as christine and john mcvie, had split up (while his ex may not have been in the band, mick fleetwood was also going through a divorce while recording this album). yeah, imagine trying to write an album with your ex. and double it. imagine the tension in that room. no wonder they wanted to credit their dealer as one of the reasons the album came to be. take this as a warning kids, don’t date your bandmates. it never ends well.

but the strange predicament fleetwood mac found themselves in gave them a unique writing opportunity. christine, lindsey, and stevie were all writing songs for other bandmates. so, you get an album that’s essentially letters from different people experiencing heartbreak. i also find it funny that they basically wrote diss tracks for each other while the other had to play it with them. like taylor swift thinks she’s cool for writing songs about her exes? stevie nicks was singing songs about lindsey buckingham, and he was up there playing guitar with her. that’s a major power move.

regardless, fleetwood mac turned their heartbreak into a beautiful album. it truly goes to show much emotion and music go hand in hand. humans are always turning their lives into art, and i think that’s pretty neat. it also shows just how incredibly talented the band was. most people probably wouldn’t have even survived making an album in that situation, let alone a timeless classic.

when you think of the 70s, odds are you’ll think of rumours. it’s a walking paradox, really. it perfectly encapsulates that 70s rock sound, but seems untouched by time completely. rumours is still a beloved album, with plenty of young folks today embracing its messy beauty. but why? i assume one of the reasons is that it’s just that good. but i also feel as though its message is universal. everyone, from any point in time, has experienced heartbreak. who doesn’t like putting on a good song and getting in the feels? that kinda thing transcends time.

rumours became an iconic album, and one very close to my heart. maybe it’s my old soul talking, but i really hope this album will continue on forever. long live fleetwood mac.

(ps, if you wanna count it as a rumours song, sliver springs is my pick for the best live performance of a song ever. i’m obsessed with it.)

Listen to the album here:

[cruesuffix]

Here we are again folks, back for another….ranking Crüe fits!!

I know it’s been a long while, I’ve been a bit busy posting wayyyy too much Mick, but we’re here now! Today, we’ll be reviewing the teaser pics of theatre of pain!

Vince

- I will say, the dress shirt definitely fits him well

-THE GLOVES thank you whoever forced Vince to wear those gloves they fit so well, especially with those gold bracelet things (idk what those are tbh)

- the jacket looks a bit big on him ngl…still it’s a serve I fear

- the way he’s posing in both photos, ok cuntatron lets werk!!

- sorry guys I just wanna simp over Vince real quick, let he’s so pretty I’m not sorry for this intermission…

anyways, personally I would like to see Vince in a suit more often, it works for him. he’ll get a nice 8.5/10 good job Vince!

Next up,

Tommy

- a tall man in a suit? Always going to eat

- love the flower on his suit, love that stance in that second pic

- sorry the first pic doesn’t really do him justice (wtf is that face Tom?)

- not much to say here, can’t see the dress shirt and vest, it’s just big giant with suit on

- it makes his head look a bit small (you didn’t hear it from me tho)

all in all? Solid 6/10 sorry Tommy…it’s better than nothing!

Nikki

- ok while I love this I can’t help but laugh

- he looks so silly in the second pic i can’t

- being serious, he looks great in the suit

- I have no idea why they gave Vince and Tommy jackets and not Nikki and Mick…interesting

- Nikki also has a flower and it’s cute

- THE LACE GLOVES AHHHAHHHAHAH

- love it love it love it!!

- makes him look classy (last word you’d ever use to describe this man)

- sorry I know I’m supposed to be a hater but he looks good here love it

- also his shoes in the solo pic looks really nice I love it

good job Nikki, I’ll give you a 7.9/10

Mick

- …I’m so sorry for what I’m about to say

- that shirt does NOT fit my mans

- also he’s not wearing a flower…would it kill you to wear a flower??

- if they were a K-pop band there would have been mad theories being made about his flowerless ass

- the vest and the pants work, but that shirt looks like it’s hanging off him.

- would have also loved to see him wear more suits

- he looked the best at Tommy’s wedding

- pls someone help my mans he’s drowning in that shirt!!

I hate to do this to my guy but 5/10 pls try again sir

ok, that was all…this was pretty short, so lemme give y’all their individual teaser pics (because they look so cool).

don’t these photos make them look cooler than they actually are? need a mystery thriller movie about a gang made starring these guys.

[yeahiwasintheshit]

I’ve heard people say that ‘Gimme Shelter’ is the best concert movie ever made, and after having watched it tonight, I can’t disagree. There’s nothing more boring to me than seeing a movie of a band just playing music, but this movie is not that. Yes there’s a handful of songs entirely played, but what makes this movie more than a regular concert movie is that they really documented the crowd at altamont speedway. You see drug dealers calling out what they have, people freaking the fuck out on who knows what kind of drugs, naked people, naked people freaking out, babies, lots of hippies, car parked for miles and miles all happening in a sea of over 300,000 people. You really get a sense of 1969. And it doesn’t look much different than it does today. Lol The hells angels just beating the shit out of people with pool cues. Bloody people on stretchers. It really is an insane document of this day. In the first minute on arriving at the altamont speedway, mick jagger is punched in the face, all caught on film. And the violence and chaos just keeps ramping up. Jefferson Airplane are on stage and people just rush it, and someone punches the singer Marty balin. They stop the music and grace slick tries to calm down the audience and calls out for the audience and the hells angels to stop the violence and someone in the hells angels grabs the mic and yells at her that they can’t talk to their hells angels brothers like that. These people are all clearly drunk or on something. It’s really a wild scene in a movie of wild scenes. All culminating in a real like stabbing death caught on film right in front of The Rolling Stones playing ‘under my thumb’. Definitely worth a watch

[mickules]

Changing of the Guard

---

I do find a lot of joy in adaptation. In seeing new eyes interpret concepts that I've fallen in love with. Sometimes it's a whole new chapter for me to adore, and sometimes it's just not for me.

Stampede so far has fallen more into the latter category for me, which is a shame, because on a technical level - it is outstanding.

Studio Orange have put an enormous amount of effort into the character body and face animations, the cinematography, lighting, character and landscape designs - their passion for their craft is obvious, and their skill with CG undeniable.

But I'm afraid the same can't be said for the pacing and the writing. Trigun has so many interesting themes and conflicts, character dynamics and motivations that Stampede just hasn't had the breathing room so far to explore, and that has left me wanting.

It's certainly not the FMA:Brotherhood style manga faithful adaptation I might have hoped for.

But it is still early days and I've a lifetime of nostalgia for the original versions to colour my opinion.

At the very least, I'm just pleased that Trigun, a series that against all odds found an audience despite not having much homegrown appeal, is still finding new fans through this new series.

Love and Peace

[villagegreenpreservationist]

may 28th review— the kinks are the village green preservation society!

what better way to start this blog than with the album it’s named for! the kinks are the village green preservation society by the kinks (shortened to VGPS from here on out) is the 6th album by the kinks and the second in what was considered one of their musical runs (something else, VGPS, arthur, and lola vs the powerman).

this album is truly an experience and while I’m super biased towards the kinks as a band, I do think this is a great album with lots to offer musically and lyrically.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1. the village green preservation society

• what. an. opener. the entire song sets a nostalgic but ironic and sarcastic tone that carries through the rest of the track. all the references to old british… things basically. the vibe is so wanting of a better, older time and the idea of a village green (which to my understanding is sort of like a park minus all the swings and stuff, basically a nice open area void of anything urban) preservation society as a concept, doing their best to hold onto traditional british society here, is done super well. preservation societies are a real thing, and it’s interesting to think that through all the social change of the 60s, this song was really only concerned with the way things were. food for thought (or am I insane?)

2. do you remember walter?

• I couldn’t tell anyone why, but this song reminds me of mr. blue sky for some reason?? I’ll admit, this one took some warming up to. apparently, walter was a real friend of ray davies’. after drifting apart for a few years they reunited and found they had nothing to bond over or talk about. I don’t know if I’m just a punctuation nerd or what, but it comes across more as if ray is asking if someone remembers walter rather than if walter remembers something (do you remember walter? vs. do you remember, walter?). I honestly think both are pretty valid listens of the song, and could be combined into ray asking him if he remembers his old self.

3. picture book

• PICTURE!!! BOOK!!!! this song was my third top song of 2023. the fun guitar riff, the jaunty upbeat tone, the imagery that comes with the music in this one. this is a song where I think the music does a lot of the storytelling. the tambourine in the background and the campfire song esq riff makes it so just, fun sounding. even then, I feel like the opening line is just a little ominous?? “picture yourself when you’re getting old” is just such an insane line to open with. like yeah. picture yourself fighting the inevitable passage of time but at least the guitar part is fun :) I know the entire album is meant to be nostalgic and a love letter to the way ray davies grew up, and I’m going to say the word nostalgic 20000000 times, but it’s seriously just the set vibe. picture book is a wonderful look back at childhood memories through the lens of someone who didn’t know how much they’d miss those days once they were gone.

4. johnny thunder

• fun fact, new york dolls guitarist johnny thunders did get his stage name from this song! in all honesty, I don’t take much from this song tbh. it’s just one of those I’m happy to listen to, but won’t actively seek out, you know?

5. last of the steam powered trains

• a really solid blues-rocker! in the review I watched (vinyl mondays are great!!) abigail devoe mentions that this is the song that kinda loses the nostalgic focus of the album. I agree for the most part, but I don’t think the britishness is lost at all like she adds. steam train preservation societies are a thing and I think that’s more what ray was going for. that sense of holding on if that makes sense? anyways, musically this song is the most rock out of the baroque landscape and I really enjoy it for what it is.

6. big sky

• your girl loves a good old critique of religion. ray’s sarcastic nature shines through here and the idea of a “big sky” being uncaring towards humans is only a little scary. the switch between spoken word and singing also vaguely reminds me of church? going from songs to preaching to more songs. maybe just a me thing? who knows…

7. sitting by the riverside

• this song. wow. I think this is where the music tells most of the story. the big build into the dissonance after the first and third verses is so off putting yet so, fun with the honky tonk piano in the background. you really just have to listen to know what I mean. anyone who’s a fan of a day in the life by the beatles would probably like this one!

8. animal farm

• this song, sadly, has no relation to the orwell novel of the same name (which is kinda what I was hoping for when I went in, at least we have pink floyd!) this song is pretty straightforward in its imagery. ray laments his home life and instead wants to live with animals on a farm, and have a much “simpler” life. I think this can also be a way for ray to express his disdain for city life? the “people are real people” line seems to be a jab at city goers and how people in the countryside are more genuine. just my thoughts, though.

9. village green

• in my opinion, one of the best songs from this album. the opening orchestra is beautiful yet haunting and I love the way that vibe carries throughout the song. there’s such a genuineness to lines like “I miss the village green” which is just so. straightforward in its writing and delivery. ray does miss the village green and all the simple people. the delivery is so melancholic and I just can’t get enough of it. he’s melancholic yet jealous and nostalgic and maybe even a little angry at what could have been. this is the kinks at some of their finest imo. just. wow.

10. starstruck

• ray davies seriously just hates city life. this entire song is just one big warning about city life and how it’ll affect you. it’s pretty pessimistic, honestly, but it’s not like anyone was complimenting ray on his wonderful personality. it sorta reminds me of life on the road (for anyone who’s also a big kinks fan). ray is very obviously not a fan of the usual rockstar life and the manufacturered. on the music side, the harmonies in this one are great and the vocals are probably my favorite part! that chorus will be stuck in your head for days.

11. phenomenal cat

• now this song is just plain weird. apparently it’s about a cat who tries LSD??? it sounds a lot like a children’s song or fairytale and the chorus is just so goofy. dave davies sounds like he’s seriously on helium. bringing up vinyl mondays again, I agree with her comparison to syd barrett!! if you liked piper-era pink floyd, this is a great song for more of that storytelling.

12. all of my friends were there

• this song is apparently based off of a true story in which ray was supposed to play a show, but got sick and didn’t go on, and all of his friends were in fact there :( this song has a much better plot twist though, and I like the music hall vibe of this one! not the best song on this album, but I have fun with it.

13. wicked annabella

• probably the least “oh I miss old britain!!!! woe is me!!!” of this album. the drums in this song tho?? the vocal delivery???? there’s still plenty to enjoy here and it’s a fun track that has some great witchy vibes pretty similar to rhiannon or witchy woman tbh. if your name is annabella and you like the kinks you basically won the lottery here. dave pops off on these vocals and his scratchy tone is a lot better suited for songs like these.

14. monica

• somehow a song about a prostitute was snuck on here and made it onto the radio through subtle writing. the beat here really shines! it’s got a beachy vibe and I could definitely lay around on a pool float with this song in the background, it kinda loses the theme of the album, but with the way recording for this album went I’m really not surprised it lost focus on some tracks (for anyone who wants to hear the full story of its creation— shoot me an ask!)

15. people take pictures of eachother

• as someone who comes from a picture family (my mom is a photographer and my grandma is insane about her pictures) this song really hits tbh. the whole idea of people just taking pictures of each other to prove they exist is somehow still relevant today?? (enter “we are a society” and “instagram bad” here.) anyways, especially for me, it can be hard to find the balance between preserving memories and wanting to live in the moment without a camera shoved in someone’s (or my) face. the reference to the oak tree from village green (the song) makes me think this was meant to be a closer, but who knows.

overall I give this album a solid 8/10!! it has its weaker moments, but the stronger songs seriously hold up to the test of time and I still revisit some of them and find new things to enjoy.

[galahadenough]

I admittedly went into the series not expecting much. It’s a superhero show. It’ll be fun! But somehow fucking DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is hitting almost every itch I have for queer representation that I don’t see enough, or any, of elsewhere.

First off, it’s a fun show. It’s hilarious. It doesn’t take itself too seriously in a way that lets it be fun, but clearly the writers take the the show seriously because of the inside jokes that don’t break the mood if you don’t get it and because of how well they treat their characters.

But I’m here to talk about the queer rep. BTW, spoilers ahead (I say while having one more season to go…)

I suppose that I’ve been taught to not expect much, especially from action or superhero genres where every hint of a gay character is treated like an amazing first that people are suppose to be grateful for. But I really wasn’t expecting this.

First remarkable thing is the sheer quantity. You want a queer character? How about 7? How about they be main characters? How about they be emphatically queer while being queer has nothing to do with that character’s plot??

But the best thing for me is how they show queerness.

I have always felt that, as much progress as we have made, the goal for media should be that Indiana Jones (or Bond, or anyone) can be queer in an unquestionable way. It shouldn’t need a big explanation or be a shock. My personal goal would be that any generic action hero can unexpectedly turn out to be queer because it could easily go any direction. And Indiana Jones casually gets the guy. Or whatever. And that’s what Sara Lance does.

Sara Lance is ~arguably~ the main character. Hard to have a main character with that big of a cast, but she counts enough to make my point. The main character is bi. Visibly and emphatically and gleefully bi. And the show makes damn sure this fact never gets forgotten, but it is not a part of her backstory. It just is, without reasons or explanations.

She spends a lot of the show Casanova-ing her way across history, seducing women right and left in such a traditional male-adventure-hero type role that had me so happy. She took on such a traditional role that women have never had and did it is such a matter of fact way. Her confidence was never questioned. Her competence was never questioned. Her sexuality was never questioned. She didn’t even need to “come out”, she just existed like it was normal.

And this same character is the one who has had the longest, healthiest, most stable relationship in the show. I don’t know what happens in the last season, but it honestly wouldn’t even feel like “burying the gays” if Ava died at this point. It wouldn’t feel like a punishment for being queer because it was so openly celebrated for so much of the show.

Now that I’ve got Sara out of the way (because I love her too much to write this without her), it’s time to get to Mick Rory. Because Mick is fucking fantastic.

Mick is even more shocking than Sara when it comes to queer rep because he represents so much of the less visible representation. He is so visibly male and tough and abrasive. He comes across as questionably literate and is known for being the brawn and pyromaniac of the group.

This isn’t the sort of character that is known for getting any queer representation, then he stops drinking just long enough to pop off one of the best, most impassioned speeches about being “othered” that I’ve ever heard, and probably the only time I’ve every heard the phrase used outside of niche online communities.

He turns out to be a writer… of space opera sci-fi romance novels. A prolific, published author who adores his army of female fans, which is more respect towards a female audience than most shows seem to have. An author who, when he finally revealed who he was, preferred that his fans continue to call him Rebecca when talking to him. This isn’t quite trans representation, but it is incredibly satisfying and normalizing. Someone who looks and acts like him being comfortable being called Rebecca combined with the fact that he didn’t even get a strange look over the choice.

He has been referred to as a “skirt chaser” but rarely shows interest in anyone. Honestly feels like decent rep for aromantic and/or monsterfucker (which is one of those categories that I feel belongs under the queer umbrella).

And I just love how queerness permeates the show. There is never a shocked “wait.. you’re gay!!”. There are no token gays that are quickly forgotten and there are also no queer characters whose plot point is being gay. It just exists naturally and normally and it feels fucking fantastic.

I could probably polish this up a bit, but it’s really gotten away from me. I really love this show, and I just needed to get this out!

[thats-h0w-th3-light-g3ts-in]

Book Review…

Making Rumours by Ken Caillat

So I have given this book a try… again I say it right at the beginning that I didn’t read the entire book just excerpts about members I‘m interested in (Omg, yes I only read the parts where he mentions Chris, stop looking at me like that!!)

I was very cautious about this book because I‘d read a weird summary of it which made me immediately assume it was full of shit but in the end, I think it was miles better than the CAH one. (See previous post!)

Ken Caillat was Fleetwood Mac‘s producer during the recording of Rumours in Sausalito and thus spent a lot of time with the band. His stories add up, they seem honest and are very sincere. There‘s no sensationalist energy really (which I was afraid of at first!!) You can feel that he really liked band members portraying them like a friend would. There‘s a lot of technical talk about the making of the individual songs which you gotta be interested in to enjoy but then again I skipped most of it. (Side note: with this book I‘m even sorry I skipped parts and I feel guilty for not reading it properly, to fully honor Mr. Caillat‘s work, but where‘s the time!?)

The split personality in any diehard fan of something of course wants ALLLL the juice details while at the same time wanting to respect the [in this case] band members privacy. Saying, I would be mad at Ken for gushing about them but at the same time I really wanna her about it ALLL!

Does that make sense to anyone but me?

Anyhow, so he does spill some beans but not too many and not in an unkind way. All in all — of what I’ve read — it‘s an interesting and most importantly decent recollection of the band that is Fleetwood Mac during those ominous and widely discussed Rumours recording sessions.

Conclusively, yes FMac fans should read it - all of it — properly — not just parts as lazy me did.

[metal-sludge]

COVER REVIEW #7 | You Really Got Me

ORIGINAL: The Kinks, featured in the album Kinks (1964)

COVER: Van Halen, featured in the album Van Halen (1978)

[lisamarie-vee]

[asherlockstudy]

Hackney Diamonds

Heads up: this isn’t very positive…

I finally sat my ass to listen to Hackney Diamonds, expecting… honestly not much. I don’t know why, maybe it was instinctual. I never fell for all the praise from the biggest music editors. It saddens me to write this one day after my eternal love’s birthday (yep that’s Keith) but I was right to trust my gut. When I see that the reviews for this album range from a Four from Financial Times to a Five from the Telegraph, and there is a 4.5 from Classic Rock in between, I can’t help but laugh. It is saddening because it feels like a pat on the shoulder to the old fellas, who “still got it”. Supposedly. A younger famous band would be lucky to get a 3 for this album, let’s be real. What frustrates me also is that they said this album is so much better than the “mediocre” A Bigger Bang and… uh… no? A Bigger Bang is a much more inspired and original work than this thing, with much more sophisticated compositions and well thought out lyrics. So below is my list from best to worst, but in truth, I doubt any of these songs will make it to my playlists, maybe the first three, maybe none.

1. Rolling Stone Blues. I read an interview in which Mick spoke almost dismissively about this song, he had a vibe of “oh yeah we put that Waters stuff there to remind nostalgics it’s us, whatever, who cares”. Well, it grieves me to say it is the best song in there.

2. Live by the sword. The critics have been gushing about how the new album sounds like the old them, some even dared make Exile comparisons, Jesus. This is one of the two songs at most that sound like the old them.

3. Whole Wide World. This is the other one. It gave me some vague Paint It Black vibes, like an extremely mediocre copycat but it’s an interesting song on its own right.

4. Tell Me Straight. I was waiting for Keith’s song with hope, I was let down. However the song has more character than most of the album.

5. Dreamy Skies. Some distortion of Far Away Eyes there?

6. Depending On You. This is like a Eurovision “rock” ballad that is super generic but somehow stays with you for a few minutes.

7. Sweet Sounds of Heaven. Whoever compares this song again to Gimme Shelter needs to stop working as a music critic. It’s not all that bad but it’s too mediocre to make such comparisons anything other than crazy.

8. Driving Me Too Hard. Now starts the horror of “Mick thinks he is in a pop-rock boyband” which frankly is the theme of the album.

9. Get Close. Please don’t.

10. Mess It Up. Well I call this self-awareness. The most entertaining thing about this album is listening to the songs they chose to release as singles!

11. Bite My Head Off. So I can’t hear this thing anymore.

12. Angry. Okay I don’t know if Angry is truly the worst, because everything from place eight and lower is a music-less blur in my head, however it deserves last place because they had the abysmal judgement to release it as first single and music video. Unbelievable.

[omg-hellgirl]

I once read that Jerry Hall ate before she went out to dinner because she understood that ordering food in a restaurant had little to do with actually eating. And she certainly didn’t want to be photographed with her cheeks bulging with food, as this would not be good for her image.

Lorraine Gamman, VISUAL SEDUCTION AND PERVERSE COMPLIANCE/Reviewing food fantasies, large appetites and ‘grotesque’ bodies.

[cruesuffix]

Ranking Crüe Albums

Because it’s their anniversary and I want to do something special for the band who’s currently keeping me sane!<3

(Warning: this is an extremely long post so… you’ve been warned!! For those choose to continue reading, I hope you enjoy this, and please don’t crucify me for my opinion!)

Today, I will be ranking the first five Crüe albums, because I can’t rank them all in one post… plus, maybe no one wants to know my thoughts on the later albums. To the Crüe, happy anniversary you old bastards!! sorry I couldn’t send a card or anything!!

Too Fast For Love

Too Fast For Love was the bands first studio album. The one that started it all, it would only take two more years after this was recorded to see the band hit superstardom. When listening to this album, I can automatically see why that was the case. Chock full of punk hits and gritty songs, this to me is quintessential Crüe. I know everyone pinpoints ‘Shout’ as the “Mötley Crüe sound,” but to me, this is it. Singles include: Live Wire and Stick To Your Guns. Anyways, here’s a play by play of my thoughts on each song:

Live Wire: This is what mostly everyone thinks when they think of the Crüe. This is the song that started it all, and boy what a great start it is! From the opening riff to Vince’s epic high note, this song is the best example of the band I can think of. What else can be said about such an iconic track? It’s timeless, unforgettable and guaranteed to make you stop everything to just listen to it the whole way through. A fast paced track that’s bound to get you jumping, at least it made me get hype the first time I listened to it! This to me is the perfect way to start an album. My ranking: 9.7/10

Come On And Dance: I might get flack for this one (and so soon in my ranking!) but… while this song is really good, it’s not one of my favourites on this album. Maybe it’s just me (it is!!) but I’m fine with it playing in the background but… I wouldn’t put it in my top ten… or my top twenty. Still, I can admit when it has its good moments, and it’s by no means a filler track (we’ll talk about that a bit more later). My ranking: 6/10

Public Enemy #1: Now this is a song I would put in my top twenty! It’s fun, fast and catchy: exactly what I like in a song. Oh! And also… cowbells. I am a complete sucker for a good cowbell moment. At least… when done correctly like Tommy does in this song. I know they played this song a lot in the early days, but you’ll see as we continue just how many songs off this album they stopped playing once they hit the end of the ‘Shout’ days into ‘Theatre of Pain.’ My ranking: 7.8/10

Merry Go Round: I am completely biased here. This is the song that really forced me to truly dig deep into Mötley Crüe’s discog. We’ve all heard the big hits, we all know what that’s like, but before last year, I hadn’t really dug that deep into their entire discography. Only the hits. So, when I heard this play towards the start of ‘The Dirt,’ I fell in love. What a melancholic and melodic song this one is. So beautiful, with lyrics that kind of pierce my heart. I owe this song my entire life actually and I will be selling my possessions to it (kidding…but still!). Also… that solo,,, absolutely spectacular!! Thanks for going crazy on this one Mick!! my ranking: 10/10

Take Me To The Top: Another classic track from this album. My go to song when I need to just dance it out, also a fun song to lip sync along to! This is a song that’s usually guaranteed to get stuck in my head all day, that’s how iconic it is to me. (I apologize from now I will be saying iconic a lot… that’s just how I feel about this band.) Also the solo is amazing, though it is said that this solo was used in ���Running Wild in The Night’ and ‘Why’re You Killing Yourself?’ One being a song that was probably set to be used on the ‘Shout’ album, the other was an unreleased track from their early days, most likely repurposed into TMTTT. ‘Running Wild’ was never released so I guess we’ll never know how that song would have worked out. My ranking: 8/10

Piece Of Your Action: Another one of my favourites. For some reason I just think Vince’s voice suits the song so perfectly. The solo is also pretty top notch, but then again this album is full of memorable guitar solos so… I’m probably going to sound like a kiss ass throughout this review. If you haven’t noticed yet… this is my favourite album of theirs… but for a good reason! My ranking: 9.5/10

Starry Eyes: Now, if Merry Go Round kickstarted my obsession with this band, Starry Eyes cemented it. You can’t help but bop your head to this one! Oh, and another kick ass solo from Mick! I think this one is a bit under appreciated, and it deserves more hype in my opinion! Then again, there’s a lot more songs I feel we should be appreciating… some of which may be controversial?? You’ll see! My ranking: 10/10

Too Fast for Love: Surprisingly, this wasn’t a single. I would have put out a different single aside from ‘Stick To Your Guns’ to be honest with you, and ‘Too Fast for Love’ would have been a contender. Then again… when it comes to songs that should go on an album, the Crüe really fumble the bag sometimes. You’ll see. Either way, this is a really great track, well it’s the title track, it should be good! Not to toot Mick’s horn every single time but, they’re not lying when they call him the riff master. There’s so many examples of it on this album, but I just want it to be known from now. My ranking: 8.5/10

On With The Show: Honest to god, this song resonates with me so much. From the depths of my soul, I love this song in such a crazy way. It’s just this weirdly hopefully sad song. Sad as in wistful at least. Especially when they brought back during their Red, White, and Crüe tour after not playing it live for such a long time. That must have been a treat for the old crueheads! I view this as the quintessential Crüe track, like that’s a good introduction to the band if I ever heard one. If I ever have the honour of picking up an instrument and learning to play it, I want this song to be the first Crüe song I learn to play. My ranking: 9.8/10

Toast of The Town: A more upbeat and actual hopeful track, it’s not the worst song on this album (there is none!), but it’s also not one of my favourites. Still, it’s the cutesy upbeat tone that makes me unable to skip it whenever it comes on! My ranking: 7/10

Tonight: The bands first cover of a bunch more to come! And what a damn good one too! Sure, I’ve never actually listened to the original… but do I have to? I think the Crüe owns this song personally. I hate repeating this but there’s so much nostalgia in this album for me, like sure I wasn’t there when the band put this album out… but every time I listen to it I feel like I was. Ok… enough of the tangent. This is a great song, a great cover and I think for the most part… they used to eat with their cover songs! My ranking: 10/10

Stick To Your Guns: Funnily enough, the history with this song is weird. When TFFL first came out, Stick To Your Guns was on it. When they released it under their own label ‘Leathür Records,’ the song was on the original pressings for the album, but when they re-recorded it for Elektra Records, the song was omitted. If I remember correctly, from what I heard (from Mick), was that Nikki had sold the song to Rodney Bingenheimer. Of course, take that with a grain of salt cause I can’t remember exactly what he said about the song or why Nikki sold it… but it would explain why the song got removed from the album and why it took so long for them to recover it to put on the deluxe version of the album. Besides all that lore, the song is pretty good, and just the opening bit with the cowbell and guitar chord is killer. My ranking: 6/10

Honorable Mentions:

- Nobody Knows What It’s Like To Be Lonely (also known as I’ve Got The Power): So… I love this song. I understand why it didn’t make the album, but I recently heard a sped up version (aka a recreation of what it should sound like), and… god I love this song. This still would have been nice as a single. Mind you, the slowed down version is nearly seven minutes long, with the sped up version being just two minutes shorter than that.

- Why’re You Killing Yourself?: Another cute little track. Maybe this one could have made the album if they… changed all the lyrics and the name lmaoooo!! Oh… and that pesky guitar solo… well, we could fix that up too I guess. It’s weird cause sometimes I like their unreleased songs more than the ones that replaced them.

- Two Timer: Surprisingly I haven’t heard this one! I know they performed this one a lot in the early days, and it probably would have made it on the album hadn’t everyone clocked that it was a cover! Yes, apparently this song was a cover too. I’ll listen to it and figure out if I would have added it to the album.

My overall score for this album, out of twenty is: 20/20 (sorry, I am biased I love this album the most.)

Shout At The Devil

Shout At The Devil was the band’s second album, and a foray into heavy metal. This is the album that skyrocketed them into stardom. There was plenty of controversy behind this album, with all the satanic imagery starting a campaign against heavy metal as a whole. In a way, you can thank this album for the ‘parental advisory” stickers that plagued the cover of explicit albums beyond the years. Still, this album is chock full of the bands greatest hits, and other killer tracks. Singles include: Looks That Kill and Too Young To Fall In Love. Here’s my opinions on the tracks:

In The Beginning: Now, this is just an intro to the album. An atmospheric one, and it definitely sets the tone for the album, especially with the quick transition into the first song. Dark, with that message to rise up against whatever oppresses you. My ranking: 10/10 only because I like a good intro.

Shout At The Devil: The title track, and the most beloved song the Crüe has to offer. This, of course, is for good reason. This song, and album, was a great way to push back from detractors and scare the general public that refused to understand them. Aside from the controversy, this song just kicks the most epic of ass. Tommy’s pounding drums, the riff that just cuts right through you… everything about this track kills. It’s like a marching song for the masses, excited to rip everything apart. Also… when we talk about this song, let’s just forget the ‘97 remix doesn’t exist! My ranking. 10/10

Looks That Kill: Another fan favourite, and the first proper music video of theirs. I don’t really have much to say except that it’s a great song and there’s a reason it got its own music video. As I edit this (cause I’m finding a lot of mistakes as I read this), I think I should just add a bit more. I think this is a lot of fans introduction to the band. This song a perfect anthem for the band in my opinion, there sound was fully curated by this song, and while we’ll see plenty more fan favourites as we go on, this song is undoubtedly the band’s definitive sound. My ranking: 9.8/10

Bastard: This song has its own controversy to it. It was specifically targeted by the PMRC, due to its lyrics. This song is also very obviously about Alan Coffman their first manager, who they parted ways with as soon they signed with Elektra. No matter what happened behind the scenes, that situation gave us this absolute killer song and I’ll always be thankful of that. Maybe they should have been allowed to… ok nevermind. My ranking: 9.9/10

God Bless the Children of the Best: This is essentially a Mick solo track and how fucking beautiful it is!! The combination of acoustic guitar and electric guitar is quite pleasing to my ears. Also including the most beautifully haunting guitar solo I’ve ever heard. Personally I think they should have let Mick do this style of interlude for every album. you know me though, I’m Mick biased… so my wants are probably not shared by others. My ranking: 10/10

Helter Skelter: Another cover for the Crüe! As the band swiftly forayed into heavy metal, this song was ultimately a great idea to add to the album. Helter Skelter has been regarded as one of the songs to really popularize the growing metal movement (though some people go as far as to say it was the song that originated metal as a whole). So, it’s kinda obvious the Crüe would go on to cover it on their second album! Some people don’t like this cover but personally I love it. They do a great job at capturing that sort of chaotic energy of the original and cranking it to eleven. It also helps some of the members were already fans of the band. (Mick was very notably a fan of the band as a kid and even went as far as to start a Beatles cover band. Nikki, while being slightly critical of the band, named the ‘white album’ as one of his favourites) My ranking: 8.7/10

Red Hot: I would say this is one of, if not my favourite song off this album. I’ve always loved a good double bass moment, and Tommy’s double bass literally makes the whole song. I mean… it starts off the song! And the intro to this song is undeniably iconic. I also have to make mention of Mick’s solo in this one. It’s very memorable and… it’s just so beautiful to me, very melodic and just cuts through to my soul. My ranking: 10/10

Too Young to Fall in Love: Talk about another iconic intro! This is the second single off the album, and the second song on this album to have its own music video. Another fan favourite, unfortunately I’ve overplayed it a bit too much to really enjoy it much any more. I know this ranking is going to offend some! Don’t worry, one day I’ll revisit it! For now I need a good long break from hearing it in order to listen to it with fresh ears and a better perspective. My ranking: 6/10

Knock ‘Em Dead, Kid: Now, this one is a real kickass track. This song also has a part of the solo from Runnin’ Wild repurposed into this track. That is now two released songs that have taken things from Runnin.’ You’ll see as we go on that this song has some more connections to another released Crüe song. It makes sense though, as it feels like the Crüe were really trying their hardest to put that song out. I guess they just couldn’t remake it in a way they all liked. Overall, this song is just a real heavy, hard hitting song. My ranking: 8/10

Ten Seconds To Love: A real sleazy track that’s just one big innuendo. It leaves nothing to the imagination. The lyrics tell you enough, it’s extremely tongue in cheek. Other than that, this has one real good bass line, which is something I’ve always appreciated. Personally I think this is one of the only songs that really lets Nikki shine. It’s dirty, sleazy, and fun… all the things I love! My ranking: 7.5/10

Danger: I don’t think we talk about this song enough. The more I listen to it, the more I like it. It sort of grows on me. Of course, I get why it might not be a favourite, after listening to songs like ‘Red Hot,’ or ‘Looks To Kill,’ how could anyone remember this much slower and brooding track. To me, it feels like a song you listen to when you’re out on your balcony (one that overlooks the city btw) and smoke a cigarette while you look out at the scenery around you pensively. Yeah, it sounds weird but that’s just how I feel about it. My ranking: 8.5/10

Honourably Mentions:

- Runnin’ Wild In The Night: I’ve talked about this song almost extensively now. While it’s never been officially released, you can find this track on YouTube. Mind you the audio isn’t the best, though I have found versions that have tried to edit it the best they can. It’s a great track, and it would have been amazing to hear officially.

- Black Widow: A song a lot of older crueheads have probably already heard decades ago. The first time I’ve heard about it was during an interview with Mick and Nikki in the early 90’s. A fan asked a question about the track, and like usual, Nikki gave them a vague answer. This one was released on the 35th anniversary version of ‘Shout’ so, I guess that fan finally got what they wished for.

- I Will Survive: A pretty infamous track. This is another song I personally wish they would have released. The band talked about it in ‘The Dirt.’ This was the song where Nikki and Tommy (and possibly Vince as well) chanted “Jesus is Satan” backwards… which ended up sounding like “scrambled eggs and wine.” I’ve heard said track and I think it sounds more like gibberish! Fun fact: on the back of the album, there’s a warning message that mentions the album containing backwards messages. Not thinking anything of it, you might think that was probably just a ploy to get more people to buy the album because… well none of the songs on this album contain backwards messages. I can’t help but wonder if this was a song that nearly did make it on the album and that’s why that message was put onto the album. Just something I think about a bit.

Hotter Than Hell: If this sounds familiar, you’d be right. This was also supposed to be on this album, and luckily for us, we got to see it in another form on the next album. we’ll get into this one a bit more. I think you might get the gist of what I’m trying to say.

My overall score for this album: 19.8/20

Theatre of Pain

Theatre of Pain was the band’s third album, and the most contentious. There’s a lot to be said about the circumstances surrounding what happened before the album’s production and during it. Unfortunately, that is another story for another day. The album features two extremely successful singles, ones that still feature in commercials to this day. There is a lot of debate on this album, with it being panned by the band and most of their fans as their least favourite album. It’s seen now by many as, essentially, the bands collective mental breakdown. Now, if I may cut in here: I love this album. I absolutely love this album. Sure, there are certain songs that aren’t necessarily the best, but it’s an amazing album. I may lose some people here, and that’s totally ok. Just know, I’ll be trying to defend this album the best I can. Singles include: ‘Smokin’ In The Boys Room,’ ‘Home Sweet Home,’ and ‘Keep Your Eye On The Money.’ Let’s get into the tracks:

City Biy Blues: Out of the bat I feel I have to defend this song. Yes, I think this song is good. It’s a good song to start the album off with in my opinion. Sure, It’s obviously not as great as the other tracks on this album. Still…the cowbell makes up for it. If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I love a good cowbell moment. My ranking: 7/10

Smokin’ In The Boys Room: Another cover!! Yep, we’re still going here, and I’ll be the first to say it’s one that I’m more impartial to. This is a song that really got a really good reception. Its music video went platinum on MTV and the song topped the music charts. This song was actually supposed to be on TFFL, but when they tried to record it, they couldn’t get it together. Funnily enough, Nikki apparently hated the song, and especially hated playing it live, as opposed to Vince, who was the one who suggested they record the song again and loved playing it live. Personally, it’s not my cup of tea so I guess I have something in common with Nikki. My ranking: 5/10

Louder Than Hell: Remember what I said about Hotter Than Hell? Yep, it’s pretty much the same song, except they changed one singular word. Either way, this is a great song! It’s one of my favourites on the album. They played this song a lot for the TOP tour and I get why! This song is pretty groovy, and the solo?? Don’t get me started on that one! Not to kiss any ass here but I ascend every time I hear it. I don’t know why people shit on Mick’s playing when songs like this exist!! My ranking: 10/10

Keep Your Eye On The Money: The third single (yes there were three), though less successful than its predecessors. I noticed they performed this song a lot on the Girls’ tour. As someone who likes watching concerts from that era the most, I’ve been conditioned into liking this song because of that. It’s not even that bad! A nice bluesy groove, I can say I get down to this song regularly. I will thank Tacoma Dome ‘87 for influencing me into liking this one! My ranking: 8/10

Home Sweet Home: Now…who could ever forget this song? Probably the most notable Crüe song. A fan favourite to the max, this song went double platinum on MTV, became a staple at concerts, spawned covers (of course), and possibly overstayed on the charts a bit. But all of that is deserved. It’s just a nostalgic song about yearning to go back home after being away for so long. And also that iconic, soul stealing, awe inspiring solo deserves all the love and admiration. Thank you Mick, that solo never fails to make me shed a tear. My ranking: 10/10.

Tonight (We Need A Lover): I never cared for this song much until I listened to a radio interview with Tommy and Mick and this song played in between the breaks. Instead of just skipping through the song like I usually would, I decided to just listen to it. I know I need to have a more open minded approach to music, so I just sat there. There’s a great use of a keyboard synth thing in the background in the middle of the song. And then towards the end it speeds up and fades away. It’s great that I chose to give this song a second chance cause I ended up really liking it. My ranking: 8.8/10

Use It Or Lose It: Not that bad, like I said I love myself a good double bass moment! While it isn’t that bad, it also could be better. I will say it definitely sounds like a filler song. And that’s possibly the reason why so many people hate this album but… this is just one filler song so far, we’ve been hit with gold this entire time so far! My ranking: 7/10

Save Our Soul: Can I just say something: I LOVE THIS SONG!!!! Ok, thank you. I absolutely love this song! No one really talks about this song. I’ll be the first to say it’s the best song off this album hands down. “But Lily, what about ‘Home Sweet Home’???” SORRY I don’t care!! This is the best song off this album, no arguments! Now, you might remember when I talked about Runnin’ Wild In The Night, I said there was another song that took inspiration from that song. Well… surprise! This song is pretty much a rewrite of running wild in the night, well… at least the first verse is! Yep, they ripped off the first verse of Runnin,’ but that’s fine cause this song is killer either way! You know what it is? This song makes me feel like I’m walking down the streets of a barren dirty road, with violence and bloodshed all around me. And songs like that tend to make it to my playlist automatically. Weird imagery, but that’s just how I feel! My ranking: 10/10 (but if I could I’d give it an eleven.)

Raise Your Hands To Rock: A cute little ditty about… I don’t know, rock n roll?? Another one of my favourite cuts off this album. It feels like the perfect song for a rock road trip playlist. It’s even funnier when knowing this song caused Mick a bit of hell. He was stuck trying to figure out a good solo, so in his frustration he downed a bottle of wine and cranked out what you hear on the track. Suffice to say, I find it’s a pretty good solo so… wine 1 Mick 1! My ranking: 9.8/10

Fight For Your Rights: For me, this is a very… meh track. I was making fun of Use It for being a filler track, but at least it wasn’t a filler track that happens to be the last song on the album! I think that’s a no no in the world of rock (and music in general) Not the best way to end an album, but we take what we can get, right? My ranking: 5/10

Honourable Mention:

- Run For Your Life: Yes, this is actually a track made during the ‘Shout’ days, but it sounds like it could have been a ‘Theatre’ track… and I can name a bunch of songs they could have replaced with this one!

My overall score for this album: 17/20

Girls,’ Girls,’ Girls’

Girls,’ Girls,’ Girls was the bands fourth album. It spawned two very successful singles, one of which still plays in strip clubs to this day. This album managed to launch the group to number two spot on the billboard 200 chart. Their sound also changed drastically with this album, going for a more bluesy approach. Now, for the record… I think this was the band’s collective mental breakdown. The band was delving deeper into their own respective addictions and most of the time they were high/drunk during the recording of the songs. They weren’t exactly churning out the best songs, and even they had admitted that they weren’t putting out their best work and were only focused on writing two good singles for the album. Still, it’s not that bad of a record… but also it’s not one of my favourites. (Please put your pitchforks down!!) Let’s just get into the tracks now:

Wild Side: We start off exceptionally well with the hard hitting and blues ridden song ‘Wild Side.’ It’s so good I’ll forgive Nikki for getting inspiration for this song from his little catholic schoolgirl girlfriend… but remember, that’s only because this song kicks major ass. That completely sleazy guitar riff, the computerized beats and sounds… all of it is amazing. Won’t go as far as to say this is Nikki’s magnum opus, but it’s pretty damn close! My ranking: 10/10

Girls,’ Girls,’ Girls’: where would strip clubs be if the Crüe never made this song? Out of business of course! Sure, it’s purely objectifying and degrading to women but… if you let the feminism leave your body for a bit and just rock out, you’ll get the appeal of the song. It would have been even better if we had gotten to hear what that last little staccato riff would have sounded like if Mick didn’t fall out of his chair while recording it… alas, we didn’t so I’ll- no! I’m kidding I’m not taking points off for that!! My ranking: 10/10

Dancing On Glass: Just slight insight into the bands mindset during this time. Mainly inspired by Nikki’s own addictions, and his first overdose back in ‘84. It’s a great track, with a great vocal performance by Vince and background singer Brie Howard. I’ve also conditioned myself to like this song through various concert performances of the song. A very catchy song that occasionally gets stuck in my head at times. My ranking: 9.8/10

Bad Boy Boogie: And just like, we’ve hit a snag. It’s not a terrible song at all, but it’s definitely not a favourite of mine. I’ll say, looking back, I do think Mick’s bluesy riffs save this one. You can fully tell the blues bug had bitten Mick during this album, and no one was going to stop him this time! And thank god they didn’t. My ranking: 6/10

Nona: A beautiful, mainly instrumental track. The only lyrics to be heard are very self explanatory and to be honest, complete the track as is. This is a beautiful tribute to the woman who pretty much raised Nikki throughout his entire childhood. There’s a full instrumental version on the deluxe version of this album that’s just a bit longer and equally as good. My ranking: 9/10

Five Years Dead: Back to filler. The title comes from a book Nikki found at a used bookstore and read. The song has nothing to do with the book though, and I guess that’s a good thing. No other thoughts on this song… I told you this album was the band’s collective mental breakdown and all the filler we’ve already come across can tell you that. My ranking: 5/10

All In The Name Of…: Well… if you ignore the opening line, or that entire verse as a whole, it’s a pretty good song! Argue over the meaning of the song all you want, I only pay attention to the instrumental! Off the bat it’s fast paced and demands attention. There’s a good reason they started their Moscow peace festival set with this song! It gets the people going! (And by the people, I mean me!) my ranking: 9.9/10

Sumthin’ For Nuthin’: To end the album off… some more filler. This album isn’t my favourite… as you can probably tell, and this song is also my least favourite off this album. It’s got its good moments though, mainly the very bluesy slide guitar sort of solo from Mick and… yeah actually that’s it. It does sound good when you rediscover it after not listening to it for months! My ranking: 6.5/10

You’re All I Need: I have a love hate relationship with this song. I hate the lyrics, most of the song, the cheesy little piano in the background. But I love Mick’s solo for this song. His little riffs also happen to save the song for me. You can’t deny that ‘Home Sweet Home’ is the perfect rock ballad… but the rest of their ballads? Could have done without. The Crüe weren’t exceptionally great at writing ballads in my opinion but… there were so many other bands influenced to make shitty rock ballads so I guess they weren’t alone in that. My ranking: 6/10

Honourable Mention:

- Rodeo: If this song was on the album in the first place, I probably would give this album a greater score. This was the bonus track on the deluxe version of the album, and according to Mick’s daughter Stormy, it was between this song and You’re All I Need. In a just society, Rodeo made it onto the album and You’re All I Need faded off into obscurity. Ok… besides that though, this song is just incredible. A melancholic story of life on the road, feeling like you’re in a circus with no way of going home. My favourite part about this song is Mick making his guitar sing the chorus (“Rodeo! Rodeo!) along with Vince.

My overall score for this album: 16/20

Dr. Feelgood

Dr. Feelgood is the bands fifth album and the last one I’ll be reviewing today. This is their first album recorded after their brief hiatus and stints in rehab. It’s suffice to say they were pretty sober while recording this album. This album launched them to the top of the billboard 200 chart, their first (and only to do so). Producer Bob Rock had a very specific approach to producing that the band wasn’t used to, so there was a lot of tension in the studio. Along with the pressure of making an album that would top their last one. There’s five singles released for this album: title track ‘Dr. Feelgood,’ ‘Kickstart My Heart,’ ‘Without You,’ ‘Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away),’ and Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.).’ Let’s just get right into it:

T.n.T (Terror ‘n Tinseltown): This is an introduction to the album, something that hadn’t been done since ‘Shout.’ Mainly atmospheric, with sirens and what sounds like a 911 call. This really sets the scene for the album, especially the first song. My ranking: 10/10

Dr. Feelgood: Of course, a quintessential song for the Crüe, everything about this song is amazing. Just the dark tone, purely hard hitting. The heavy groove of the bass and drums, the iconic guitar riff and solo. This was the perfect way to start an album that was supposed to be a clean slate for the band. My ranking: 10/10

Slice Of Your Pie: A very slow and mellow beginning before going straight to an extremely bluesy sounding song. This is to be expected, as Mick has his name written all over this album! I don’t really have much to say about this one actually, it’s a nice track. This would be the soundtrack for a beach trip for me. I can just imagine myself lazing in the sun as this blares out a little boombox. My ranking: 8/10

Rattlesnake Shake: Unfortunately I have to say I don’t like this song. It’s most likely due to the cheesy sounding horns on the song, as the riff is pretty good and the solo not that bad. Unfortunately the horns ruin whatever fun I would have had with that. The breakdown with just the drums and bass is also a good addition, but then we go right back to loud, obnoxious synths and it all just unravels. To me… this one’s a skip. Yep, that’ll ruffle feathers but, I can’t lie! My ranking: 4/10

Kickstart My Heart: With the Crüe, any song based on a real life experience is guaranteed to be a banger. ‘Kickstart’ is one of them. Another famous song of theirs, this one sounds like a machine kicking into gear. It’s fast paced chugging would get anyone’s heart pumping (ha!), it shows the band at their best. With all guns blazing and going out with a bang. This would be even better if the song that played after this one… didn’t play after this one. My ranking: 9.8/10

Without You: …Boring. Bland. Yawning. Yes, the meaning behind this song is cute, but if I was Tommy and Heather I would have asked Nikki to write a better song about us! There’s nothing saving this song, not even the cute slide guitar solo! And that’s saying a lot cause there’s plenty of songs Mick has saved with a good guitar solo. Reminder: this is the same band that put All In The Name Of.. on their last album. Do you really think I believe they can successfully record a beautiful sentimental ballad? NO!! My ranking: 4/10

Same Ol’ Situation: And we’re back to the good songs! This one’s extremely funny when you really pay attention to the lyrics. You’d never figure this band could hold some solidarity with the beautiful lesbians of this world. Cause… at the end of the day, we all go through the same thing with every sort of relationship! No matter what I’ll forgive them cause this song is a banger! My ranking: 10/10

Sticky Sweet: The opening riff is killer, I’ll admit it. Even if I don’t like this song that much, I will admit it’s pretty good. Notable guest backing vocals by Steven Tyler… this was compensation for Mick intruding on their recording of ‘Pump’ with his guitar. If you listen closely, you’ll hear him all over some of the tracks for that album. My ranking: 7/10

She Goes Down: A personal favourite of mine. Yes, the lyrics are questionable but… like I said, I don’t always pay attention to the lyrics! Do you really expect the band that put out such lovely ballads as ‘Girls,’ Girls,’ Girls’ to put out politically correct feminist lyrics?? Yeah… I just pretend Vince is singing gibberish and vibe. Anyways, the key change towards the end is also pretty gold to me. My ranking: 10/10

Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away): There’s just so many good tracks on this album in my opinion. The breakdown towards the end where it just gets faster and louder… ugh I love it so much!! What really sold the deal for me was when I watched their performance at the 2008 pepsi music festival in Argentina. The crowd damn near lost it during this song, and when the breakdown started, they began jumping up and down like maggots. That’s the exact reaction I expect when I listen to this song. My ranking: 10/10

Time For Change: The bands ‘We Are The World.’ At least… in my mind it is! Question: does anyone else kinda hear the melody of 21 Guns when they listen to that last guitar riff thing at the end of the song?? Maybe it’s just me. Anyways, the song has a great message and it sounds great. A really good closer to the album in my opinion, just a nice little mellow feelgood song, something you can wave your lighters to. My ranking: 9.9/10

Honourable Mention:

- Get It For Free: anyone who’s been perusing this blog for a while now knows how I feel about this song. I briefly beefed with the band when this song got taken off Spotify for a while. Thankfully it was returned to me once the 35th anniversary for this album released. No more crash outs now that I can peacefully enjoy this song with no more interruptions. This should have been on the album and I can definitely name a song that could have been knocked off to make room for this one.

My overall score for this album: 20/20

AND THATS IT!! Thank you for coming on this journey with me. I know this was extremely long, but I just felt I had to do this, for both the bands 44th anniversary and for my 1 year anniversary of being a fan! I know it isn’t much, but I wanted to get my thoughts on their music out there, cause all I don’t really talk about it as much. I just needed to take the time to appreciate their music, and appreciate some of the songs I don’t always listen to. I have to thank the Crüe for their hard work and years of dedication to their fans and the music. No matter what, I love this band despite their transgressions and controversy. Like I said, I hope you enjoy this and I promise I’ll stop yapping soon!!

[opulentconceptions]

Review of The Rolling Stones LP Aftermath by Disc Weekly | April 1966

April 1966: Disc Weekly review of new The Rolling Stones LP “Aftermath” on Decca The long-awaited Rolling Stones album is fantastic! As musicians they’ve improved tremendously and the time has come to elevate the Jagger-Richard songwriting team to the ranks of John and Paul. “Aftermath” (Decca LK 4786) proves beyond any doubt that deep down the  Rolling Stones are real professionals, too.…

[moviesandmania]

12 HOUR SHIFT Recommended and free on Kanopy, Plex, Tubi and Vudu

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