Motley Crue
Saints of Los Angeles
Eleven Seven Music
It has to be tough for bands that had their heyday during one of the most reviled trends in American rock music. While Motley Crue and similar “hair metal” bands of the Eighties drew their influences (well, their looks anyway) from English glam and punk, it’s a period of music most would rather forget. Of the faux-metal bands still making music today, the Crue’s story—told either via VH1’s Behind The Music special or in the band’s tell-all tome, The Dirt—is probably the most famous. The past 20-plus years have brought line-up changes, vast excess, and near-death experiences for the foursome (Saints Of Los Angeles is the band’s first with all four original members in more than a decade), but two things that haven’t changed are Motley Crue’s dedication to the Los Angeles underbelly and their ability to write a good rock anthem, which are both good and bad things. On one hand, the band hasn’t really ever progressed musically or lyrically; on the other, they can write a decent hit when necessary.
Saints Of Los Angeles essentially picks up where Dr. Feelgood left off—in fact, many songs (“Dead In The Dirt” and roaring single “Saints of Los Angeles,” for example) could be cast-offs from their 1989 release, with familiar melodies and sing-along choruses. Long-time fans won’t be disappointed in “Down At The Whiskey” and “This Ain’t A Love Song” but mind-numbing tracks like “The Animal In Me” and “Chicks = Trouble” are reminders of why these bands disappeared in the first place. It’s an honest try—and one worth checking out at least once—but like all Motley Crue albums, one that’s difficult to take seriously. —David A. Cobb
You can view the video for “Saints Of Los Angeles” at YouTube.
No one is covering Motley Crue at Saturday night’s Hootenanny.
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