Track Listing -
1. Motherfucker of the Year
2. L.A.M.F
3. Face Down in the Dirt
4. What's it Gonna Take
5. Down at the Whiskey
6. Saints of Los Angeles
7. The Animal in Me
8. Welcome to the Machine
9. Just Another Psycho
10. Chicks = Trouble
11. This Ain't a Love Song
12. White Trash Circus
13. Goin' Out Swingin'
I once heard a commentator on the radio say that all AC/DC songs are about sex and all Motley Crue songs are about drugs. While humorous, this might hold true for AC/DC, but certainly not Motley Crue. They have definitely adapted to the times and proved it with their newest album, The Saints of Los Angeles. With this album, Motley Crue has managed to retain a lot of what originally made them famous and add even more to that stature simultaneously. I would even go as far as to classify this album as hard rock. I would consider a lot of their older material classic rock sounding, but this new album is definitely heavy, hard, loud, rough, and in your face. That's the kind of attitude that I expect from the likes of Motley Crue and Tommy Lee, and I love every second of it. For anyone who isn't too familiar with the band, the original lineup consisted of founders Nikki Sixx (bass) and Tommy Lee (drums). The two were later joined by Mick Mars (lead guitar) and Vince Neil (rhythm guitar, vocals).
From just looking at the names of some of the songs on this album, you might think that Motley Crue are just a bunch of derelicts out of Los Angeles who happened to make it big and get out of all the drugs, alcohol, and other pleasantries associated with hard rock music stars. This is absolutely not the case. The band even brings this to attention in the second track, LAMF. The lyrics towards the end of the song really highlight just how fake a lot of people/bands out of LA can be. "This city, full of plastic angels will seduce you." Motley Crue strove to set themselves apart from the Los Angeles standard, and they've certainly succeeded in doing so. This song has a really dark feel to it, which is accomplished most likey by Mick and vince using a drop D tuning on their guitars and various synthesized effects on Vince's voice and other elements of the song.
Another notable song that generally characterizes the album as a whole is "Down at the Whiskey." "Down at the Whiskey" is a nostalgic song about remembering the good times of your life that you've shared with your friends and how you should really live the life you have left to the fullest. It's put in the perspective of the band, mentioning how they "got drunk on sunset strip" and "were on the run, got loaded like a shotgun. Living out our dreams down at the whiskey." While maybe the partying scene isn't your favorite choice, (it can be a hell of a good time in moderation) the band had many good times doing this and it is portrayed throughout the song. Tommy Lee really pounds the hell out of the drums in this song with lots of energetic rolls and intense beats. Mick has an intricate and melodic guitar solo that lasts through the better part of the song, and Nikki Sixx's bass can be heard as loud and powerful as always. The song even ends in a fade out to reinforce the nostalgic element of it after the band tears it up. This would arguably be one of their best songs played live.
A similar song, "Saints of Los Angeles" you may have heard on the radio, as it is a single from the album and is probably the most mainstream song off of it. This track is also on rock band as downloadable content and features a hip-hop element to it as well, as the lyrics seem like more of a rap almost the way that vince sings them. Mick, Nikki, and Tommy throw their two cents in (of course, duh) to make one of the most popular singles of the last couple of years.
The final song on the album "Goin' Out Swingin'" is literally a song about fighting, but I prefer to think of it as a song about going out with a bang. If you're going to make your presence known, you might as well have everyone know it, and not just a few people. One of the faster paced songs on the album, Tommy and Nikki keep a very imperssive rhythm that's reinforced by Vince and Mick. However, it seems that Mick has the dominating presence in this track. It's just an awesome song that's one of my favorites on the record as well. It can really pump you up.
So that's just a glimpse of Saints of Los Angeles. This album really does kick some serious ass, and that's what I love about Motley Crue. They're always right up there in your face, they're loud, and they're pretty metal. They're definitely one of my favorite bands, and I'm looking forward to hearing new material from them in the future. I've also always wanted to see them live, and I suggest that you go if you have the chance. That's all for now, I hope you've enjoyed this review. If you're interested, I suggest buying the album. It is definitely worth it.
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