My Amazon Reviews: Vince Neil "Tattoos & Tequila"

Platinum Roots
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Motley Crue started life as glam-metal before morphing into hard rocking, and "Tattoos and Tequila" is front-man Vince Neil's tribute to the bands and songs that helped formulate his contributions to the band, While it's not terribly inspiring or all that original, it is in good fun and Neil acquits himself just fine. It's also a pretty interesting look into the guy's pysche; just what was he listening to while he was dreaming little rock star dreams?

Some of the choices are obvious. I'd easily guessed Scorpions and Aerosmith, and perhaps Elton John's "The B---- is Back" given Elton's omnipresence on seventies radio. A bit more interesting are Sweet ("Ac/Dc") and a selection from the first Cheap Trick album, "He's a Whore." Then you get the oddballs. I wouldn't have pegged Vince for a fan of Elvis or Creedence Clearwater Revival, but they both turn up with "Viva Las Vegas" and "Who'll Stop The Rain," respectively. And how about them Sex Pistols?

As to the performances, they are spotty. He's got a basic three piece combo backing him for the bulk of the disc, and they bludgeon their way through just about everything here. Drums are pumped to arena boom levels and the drenching of reverb over everything (especially Vince's vocals) doesn't allow the songs much room to breathe. The couple moments of subtlety ("Who'll Stop The Rain" and new song - one of two fresh cuts - "Another Bad Day") unmask the fact that Vince isn't much of a singer these days, which is why he blasts his way through most of the CD. Frankly, the CCR track is painful to listen to.

But this is Vince Neil we're dealing with here. If you were expecting "Sgt Pepper," you were gonna get snookered anyway. "Tattoos and Tequila" is Neil have a good laugh with a night of oldies at the local pub. It's also tied into a book and Vince's own brand of Tequila, so it's just one prong in a three point marketing strategy. He's not taking it all that seriously (I have a hard time listening to him trying to snarl like Johnny Rotten on "No Feelings" without imagining him cracking up), so take "Tattoos and Tequila" for what it is; a bit of a lark and a savvy piece of salesmanship. To assume more would be exaggerating your expectations.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Crhis Isaak "Beyond The Sun"

I'll Follow The Sun
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Early in Chris Isaak's career, there was a common critical dig that Chris was a slavish Elvis impersonator with a jones for Roy Orbison heartache. His videos for "Dancin'" and "Blue Hotel" did little to dispel that notion, despite that his second album had already shown Chris to be an astoundingly good singer and rapidly coming into his own as a songwriter. "Wicked Game," which out-Orbisoned Roy finally pushed the comparisons aside and made Chris a star. But he never shed that love of the Sun Sound, which followed his albums as he delivered them over the last three decades.

It's on "Beyond The Sun" that Chris pays homage to his old 45's. A chance comment by Sam Phillips that he was a fan of Chris' musical style and sincerity made Chris decide to gather his band, bone up on those classic Sun Studio 45's and make a trip to Memphis to record them on their home turf. I went for the double disc edition as a long-time fan and, while not disappointing, feel a bit awkward at rating the set higher than 3 stars. If you're going to dig into classics from Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, or Jerry Lee Lewis, you have to wonder if Chris wanted to claim them for himself or just make a record of tributes? "I Can't Help Falling In Love" (Presley) is such a stunning recreation that you could easily fool friends into thinking it's the King himself. Johnny Cash isn't quite the same, but Chris takes "Ring of Fire" and does little to change the song from the sound of its original single.

Lesser known material fares better. Songs like "Dixie Fried" (Carl Perkins) or "So Long I'm Gone" (Warren Smith) help to balance the familiarity factor. Chris also chips in an original titled "Lovely Loretta," a cool bit of Memphis swing. Michelle Branch shows off her chops with a duet on "My Happiness" (Presley), a highlight on the set. All across "Beyond The Sun," Isaac delivers convincing performances and shows his reverence for the material. It's thoroughly enjoyable, just don't expect transcendence.