Gomez drives me nuts with the bat, but if kept that first at-bat approach to right more, with his speed, he'd be worth 10mil/per easy.
Speed kills no matter what sport you play.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Warrant "Rockaholic" review
So I've been living with the new Warrant disc for over a week now & I've come to the conclusion that while it is a nice slice of melodic rock, it really should not be under the Warrant moniker.
New vocalist Robert Mason (Ex-Cry of Love, Lynch Mob, Big Cock)is one of my favorite rock singers. He possesses a classic dirty, Sunset Strip voice and is an outstanding performer. But here's the rub, and something the four original Warrant members need to remember: Jani Lane, being the primary songwriter, was the possesser of the Warrant sound.
On the other hand, taking it for what it is, Rockaholic is an interesting, fun romp through pop metal fields:
1. Sex Ain't Love: Reminds me of the sexual innuendo days of the late '80's. Anyone familiar with Mason's previous band Big Cock will no doubt feel this tune. 3.5 stars
2. Innocence Gone: Starts off with a Jackyl-style intro, then veers off into a tune that would not have been out of place on Dirty Rotten. A rolling chorus really pulls the start-stop of the verses into an interesting place. 4 Stars.
3. Snake: Another late 80's groove, evoking the title. I really like Mason's voice on tunes like this. Guitars are reminiscent of Hollywood Vampires-era L.A. Guns. 3 stars
4. Dusty's Revenge: Southern-rock swing, with a nice chugging, crunchy guitar riff in the verse. The chorus falls a little flat for me. The first relative dud, aside from the guitars
5. Home: Yet another Home-titled ballad... But this is where Mason's organic vocals shine. His phrasing is quite emotional and he easily goes from subdued to the huge chorus. Joey has some nice guitar fills, but I rather miss the opportunity to put on a majestic solo. 3.5 stars
6. What Love Can Do: Here's where the band really hits their stride. The chorus melody is absolutely gorgeous. The subdued verses really highlight the chorus sections. Reminds me of something Khymera has been doing for years. Joey's solo almost has an Ace Frehley tone to it & is strangely tucked back in the mix. 4.5 stars
7. Life's A Song: The 1st single... much more modern sounding, but the melodies in the verses are quite good. A nice laid-back groove builds through the bridge and really comes together in the chorus. I like the tension built into the tune, but more in a poppy way. Seems like a decent cruising song. And here's the first Joey Allen classic solo. 4.5 stars
Halfway through the disc & I'd say it's very solid.
8. Show Must Go On: Another song that I think must have been on a Big Cock album at some point. Maybe it's just Robert Mason's distinctive pipes. Kind of a throwaway for me until the solo, when Joey throws in a few dive bombs and some Rainmaker-style attack. 3 stars
9. Cocaine Freight Train: Starts our with an aggressive double-bass attack. Must be this album's "Inside Out". Another song that doesn't do much for me until the solo, complete with accompanying harmonica. 2.5 stars
10. Found Forever: Change of pace mid-tempo groove. More laid-back vocals, but the chorus is pretty decent. Higher-register and almost seems to float on the clouds, if that makes any sense. Light & airy, maybe. 3 stars
11. Candy Man: Presumably not about Sammy Davis, Jr. Another modern-sounding mid-tempo rocker. Could've been left off this release. 2 stars
12. Sunshine: The verse riff almost sounds like a tamed-down Alice In Chains without the teeth. More modern, in the vein of Smashing Pumpkins. Another miss in the 2nd half. 2.5 stars
13. Tears In The City: Second real ballad on the disc... and just a heard-it-before track. After the genius "Don't Ask Me To Be Faithful" from Big Cock's "Motherload" I was expecting some great ballads. 2 stars
14. The Last Straw: This almost saves the second half. Driving riff, classic vocals, almost early Sammy-Hagar sounding. Great, loud, huge chorus. Outstanding finish. 4.5 stars
All in all a great listening experience. Again, if you're expecting Rainmaker II or Dog Eat Dog the second, it's not here. This is a different band, but not a bad band. I would've liked more Joey Allen ripping-solos, but Robert Mason's voice is rock gold.
New vocalist Robert Mason (Ex-Cry of Love, Lynch Mob, Big Cock)is one of my favorite rock singers. He possesses a classic dirty, Sunset Strip voice and is an outstanding performer. But here's the rub, and something the four original Warrant members need to remember: Jani Lane, being the primary songwriter, was the possesser of the Warrant sound.
On the other hand, taking it for what it is, Rockaholic is an interesting, fun romp through pop metal fields:
1. Sex Ain't Love: Reminds me of the sexual innuendo days of the late '80's. Anyone familiar with Mason's previous band Big Cock will no doubt feel this tune. 3.5 stars
2. Innocence Gone: Starts off with a Jackyl-style intro, then veers off into a tune that would not have been out of place on Dirty Rotten. A rolling chorus really pulls the start-stop of the verses into an interesting place. 4 Stars.
3. Snake: Another late 80's groove, evoking the title. I really like Mason's voice on tunes like this. Guitars are reminiscent of Hollywood Vampires-era L.A. Guns. 3 stars
4. Dusty's Revenge: Southern-rock swing, with a nice chugging, crunchy guitar riff in the verse. The chorus falls a little flat for me. The first relative dud, aside from the guitars
5. Home: Yet another Home-titled ballad... But this is where Mason's organic vocals shine. His phrasing is quite emotional and he easily goes from subdued to the huge chorus. Joey has some nice guitar fills, but I rather miss the opportunity to put on a majestic solo. 3.5 stars
6. What Love Can Do: Here's where the band really hits their stride. The chorus melody is absolutely gorgeous. The subdued verses really highlight the chorus sections. Reminds me of something Khymera has been doing for years. Joey's solo almost has an Ace Frehley tone to it & is strangely tucked back in the mix. 4.5 stars
7. Life's A Song: The 1st single... much more modern sounding, but the melodies in the verses are quite good. A nice laid-back groove builds through the bridge and really comes together in the chorus. I like the tension built into the tune, but more in a poppy way. Seems like a decent cruising song. And here's the first Joey Allen classic solo. 4.5 stars
Halfway through the disc & I'd say it's very solid.
8. Show Must Go On: Another song that I think must have been on a Big Cock album at some point. Maybe it's just Robert Mason's distinctive pipes. Kind of a throwaway for me until the solo, when Joey throws in a few dive bombs and some Rainmaker-style attack. 3 stars
9. Cocaine Freight Train: Starts our with an aggressive double-bass attack. Must be this album's "Inside Out". Another song that doesn't do much for me until the solo, complete with accompanying harmonica. 2.5 stars
10. Found Forever: Change of pace mid-tempo groove. More laid-back vocals, but the chorus is pretty decent. Higher-register and almost seems to float on the clouds, if that makes any sense. Light & airy, maybe. 3 stars
11. Candy Man: Presumably not about Sammy Davis, Jr. Another modern-sounding mid-tempo rocker. Could've been left off this release. 2 stars
12. Sunshine: The verse riff almost sounds like a tamed-down Alice In Chains without the teeth. More modern, in the vein of Smashing Pumpkins. Another miss in the 2nd half. 2.5 stars
13. Tears In The City: Second real ballad on the disc... and just a heard-it-before track. After the genius "Don't Ask Me To Be Faithful" from Big Cock's "Motherload" I was expecting some great ballads. 2 stars
14. The Last Straw: This almost saves the second half. Driving riff, classic vocals, almost early Sammy-Hagar sounding. Great, loud, huge chorus. Outstanding finish. 4.5 stars
All in all a great listening experience. Again, if you're expecting Rainmaker II or Dog Eat Dog the second, it's not here. This is a different band, but not a bad band. I would've liked more Joey Allen ripping-solos, but Robert Mason's voice is rock gold.
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