After his underappreciated masterpiece
Izzy Stradlin' and the Ju Ju Hounds, Izzy Stradlin' took a 6 year hiatus from the studio, but returned in 1998 with
117°. Heavily influenced by older rock, including Chuck Berry, the Stones, and others, this album is laced with many different styles crossing many eras, but managing to seem so modern. His hard rock edge he gained from playing with Guns N Roses also makes it's own appearance.
The album starts off with rocker "Ain't It a Bitch," with wailing blues guitar lines and upbeat tempo to get things started off right. Rick Richards, the collaborating guitarist on all of Izzy's albums is present again, trading off great guitar licks. Duff McKagan (off GnR fame) also is here, along with Taz Bentley on drums. Other hard rockers include "Memphis" (a Chuck Berry cover), "Parasite", the title track "117°", and others.
The lighter side of that would "Gotta Say," easily one of the best songs on the entire album. It's slow-tempo acoustic sound and whimsical lyrics make it a very powerful song. The slide guitar on "Bleedin" is also a joy to listen to. Besides those are "Grunt" and "Surf Roach," two instrumental tracks that show Izzy's mastery of his instrument. The progression is simply amazing to listen to.
Duff McKagan adds much to the bass part of the album, especially on "Here Before You" with his metallic sounding bass, and his own solo. Fans of Duff's work should at least check this song out to hear one of their favorites doing some of his best work. The driving drums by Taz are also very fitting for the CD, setting the pace and direction of many of the songs and complimenting Izzy and Rick's guitar style.
A solid piece of work by Izzy and his buddies, mixing many styles together and featuring both Izzy's soft and harder sides. His voice, while not the greatest thing in the world, certainly is not bad like many people make it seem. His songwriting abilities is what made him such a big part of GnR, and he keeps up the brilliance. Although some songs lack substance, many ring true with his feelings and energy.
Overall: 4.0 / 5.0
