Posted on: June 24, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

It’s been a long, strange trip for Motley Crue. They have been dead, doing their own things, blasted to their gills on panoply on drugs, and have made some of the most memorable hard rock ever. So, with all four original members back, what the hell type of music are they capable of? “Face Down In The Dirt” is the first song on “Saints of Los Angeles”, and it starts off with a driving, punk-infused bass line that rapidly opens up to the band’s first hit. Vince Neil’s vocals are as iconic and as unique as they always were, and they do not seem to have aged a day from “Shout At The Devil”.

All of the bands that are trying to go forth and make hard rock, all of the Rev Theories, Hellyeahs, and Papa Roaches, just need to look at “Saints of Los Angeles” to see how to do hard rock in 2008. “What’s It Gonna Take” is a track that is couched much more in the classic Crue sound, but don’t let that seem like the band is just resting on their laurels. Rather, there is a hard edge to the track that draws on the hair metal, grunge, and current rock style equally, putting this track firmly in the current period. “Down At The Whisky” is another one of those classic-looking tracks that has more than its share of a current sound, but it really feels as the track is just passing time until “Saints of Los Angeles” kicks anyone’s ass that may be listening in.

It’s been a hell of a long time since there has been a solid rock album through and through (I’m thinking that Altar Bridge’s last album was the last album that could be considered impressive), and the Crue has made a gold standard that any up and coming bands should compare their work with in the years to come. Whether it is the bold and brash “MF Of The Year” or “Just Another Psycho”, Motley Crue has made a set of songs that will stick with listeners for years after they first placed “Saints of Los Angeles” in their stereo. Don’t pay attention to their age, don’t pay attention to the Crue of the late nineties and early oughts, and just be ready to rock out through the entirety of the forty-five minutes of “Saints of Los Angeles”.

Top Track: Face Down In The Dirt, MF Of The Year

Rating: 9.2/10

Motley Crue – Saints of Los Angeles / 2008 Motley Records / 13 Tracks / http://www.motley.com /

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