Review Summary: They were loud, angry, high, wild, insane, horny, drunk, a bit dumb, but most of all they were a lot of fun and too fast.
Motley Crue ruled the Sunset Strip from the start of the 80's to the release of Nirvana's Nevermind. They had their ups and down, Ups being the great heavy metal album "Shout at The Devil" and the arena rock super-hit album "Dr Feelgood", and downs being their weakest album "Theatre of Pain", and the hit and miss polished blues album "Girls Girls Girls". Motley Crue is no doubt the best Hair Metal band ever, in fact by the time Hair Mania swept up a storm on MTV, all bands were creating pale photocopies of Motley Crue's formula, something that angered Nikki Sixx while writing in his Heroin Diaries. However this album was before all that, this is simply a fun and original rock album, a bit darker, dangerous, rawer, and has more variety than your usual Cinderella's album. It odd to hear this album at the modern period we live now, before rock bands started to whine, become all pretentious, and like to pretend to be deep, rock music used to be actually fun, weird now huh?
I rather hear the classic exciting sound of Motley Crue, than be bored by Nickleback or Linkin Park.
Motley Crue was a blender of many influences, they had Hanoi Rock's image, Sex Pistols' rawness, Kiss' bigger than life attitude, a bit of Black Sabbath's heaviness, Van Halen's fast party sound, and David Bowie's flair. Motley Crue technical skills was not at their peak at this point, Mick Mars guitar work is fast, a little heavy, but simple, Tommy Lee was the most talented person in the beginning with his great drumming. Vince Neil's voice is a love and hate thing; I love his voice, its fun, cheesy, sleazy, and over the top. Nikki Sixx's bass work serves the song well enough, he is pulling double duty as chief song writer. This was made with only chump change from saving money from clubs gigs, which makes this their least polished album. But what they lack in production value, they more than make it up with their no holds bar attitude. They were streets kids that sound like bar buddies having fun, they may be a bit loud, but what you see is what you get, no influence by any corporate suits. This album has a bit of Punk feel, with some pop hooks, but Mick Mars guitar works makes the album classic Metal and Hard Rock.
The album consist of 9 songs, I will also be reviewing the new edition with 5 extra tracks available for purchase on iTunes.
"Live Wire" is a great start for the album, its fast pace, has a great hook, cool-ass lyrics great choir parts. There an interesting slow bridge that is also fun to listen. There are some hints of taking advantage of a women, which shows Crue's dangerous side. This gives the edge of the album that as I stated before, separated from the other Hair bands. This sets the mood of the entire album very well.
5 Stars
"Come on and Dance" is their weakest song of the album, which thankfully is also their shortest. There is an odd melody that does not gel together, but a decent song.
3 and 1/2 Stars
"Public Enemy #1" is about song about young guys raising hell and having fun. Great sing-along lyrics, Vince Neil does great work here. This is probably their anthem song, its has a great last minutes with the claps and pauses
4 Stars
"Merry-Go-Round" is their first slow song, about how is it like to be drunk, which fits wel with the slow pace. It has a great hook with Mick's guitar work, also a fun guitar solo.
4 and a half Stars
"Take Me To Top" has the best drumming of the album from Tommy, the drums itself makes a great musical hook on its own. There is great guitar solo.
5 Stars
"Piece of Your Action" is easily the best song before "Live Wire" and possibly heaviest of the album, an unappreciated gem from the entire Motley Crue career. Its a bit of experimental during the awesome bridge and solo.
5 Stars
"Starry Eyes" is the token "love" song of the album, if by romance you mean having casual one night sex. It has a cool intro that sounds like a bit mysterious and magical in a dirty perverted way. Has a fun slow hook, awesome lyrics. Cool bridge complemented with "oohs" by Vince.
4 Stars
"Too Fast For Love" the title song of the album is fun listen. Its fast, loud, and probably its most punk influence track of the album. Vince screams his ass off in this, which is fun to scream with.
4 Stars
"On With the Show" is a perfect end to the original album. It has the best and deepest lyrics, about a death of a friend. There is a great mid-level pace and hook.
4 and a Half Stars
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and now the extra unreleased tracks
"Toast of the Town" is a great anthem. Possibly taken out for being a bit too Pop for this album more raw sound. Awesome bridge, solo, and clapping parts.
4 and Half Stars
"Tonight" may be a bit more intimate than Starry Eyes. A decent love song nothing more, nothing less.
4 Stars
"Too Fast for Love" (Alternate Version) What change here is a 30 seconds intro with a slow melody. I think its an improvement, sets up the bulk of the song very well, somehow makes the song better for me. I always to this version instead of the album version.
4 and Half Stars
"Stick to Your Guns" is the most experimental song of the whole new edition album. Sounds a bit like Come and Dance, but a bit of a improvement. There is great bridge with Nikki Sixx's Bass.
4 Stars
"Merry-Go-Round" (Live) this is from when they toured with Ozzy in 84. The other songs from that show were terrible due to stage technical problems, a guitar was buzzing out a bit in the intro. But this is a great live concert song, Vince is a great lead men, along with a great reverb echo sound, and the audience, its a great concert song. A bit less well played than the studio version, but its still a great version to hear
4 and half Stars
I wonder while any of the other 3 unreleased would not replace "Come Now and Dance"
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There is a debate among Crue fans wether this album or their sophomore effort "Shout at The Devil" is the best. I personally think Shout at The Devil is their best album. But this is a great debut, and is great to hear what they are like before they got big.
