Review Summary: The last great glam metal album
In the 80s metal scene, there was only one solo artist who could compete with Lee Aaron for the title of Metal Queen, and her name was Lita Ford. They each have their own strengths, but here are Lita’s: she’s a great guitarist, and she’s been more consistent with her hard rock/glam metal sound, which has a lot more bite than the average late 80s glam band. This is why, in 1991, while the glam scene was slowly dying, she made a hard rocking, memorable and really fun album called “Dangerous Curves”.
This album kicks ass, it’s catchy, it’s a lot of fun and great songs. She has attitude but she’s also having fun, that’s the main theme of the album. Her voice is powerful but has a sunny, friendly tone as well. The songs are pretty solid too, even though there are some I don’t like that much, it’s because they’re a little duller compared to the others, rather than actually bad.
But let’s focus on the good songs instead. “Larger Than Life” is the kind of opening that lets you know what the album is about, with its ferocious energy, wild guitar riffs and insane catchiness. “What Do You Know About Love” is another infectiously catchy song with a great riff and chorus. But the heaviest tracks, where she lets it all out and goes crazy on the guitar are “Hellbound Train” and “Holy Man”. The first one is about living it up in a crazy and fun hell, to some explosive riffs. The second one is about comparing desire to religious ecstasy, basically her version of “Like a Prayer”, but with an amazing soaring chorus and blues rock riffs.
This album is at its best when it’s heavier, but its softer songs can be nice too. “Playing With Fire” is more synth-driven, slightly slower but still incredibly catchy. Like with “What do you know”, its chorus sung by Lita and the back-up singers really sticks in your head. “Little Too Early” and “Tambourine Dream” are simple rock songs, destined to be the more forgettable filler tracks, but still pretty catchy and enjoyable. Lita and co really know their way around a catchy hook, even in the too soft and synth-driven “Shot of Poison”. Even a slower track like “Bad Love” still shows some attitude, with its most memorable lyrics “Ain’t no fury like this woman that you scorned”. Likewise, “Black Widow” isn’t that interesting musically, but it’s fun to hear her play the black widow, I guess.
Many similar albums from that time period haven’t aged well, but this one never gets old. It’s full of energy, and simple, catchy fun, from beginning to end. I think this might be my favorite Lita Ford album, even more than “Lita” or “Out For Blood”. It’s pretty consistent in quality, and it has some of my favorite songs of hers. If this album was going to be the last glam metal album, it’s a really amazing note to die on. And luckily for us, this would not be the last we’d hear from Lita Ford.
