The uncrowned kings of lush rock return, the ballads are bigger, the choruses catchier, yet somehow this is vocalist Matt Kramer's last outing with the band, and the end of a brief god-like existence.Again, when the riffs need to rock, they are overloaded, something akin to the heavier moments of Crue's 'Dr Feelgood', but when it comes to the more subtle shades, 'Love Is On The Way', 'All I Want' and 'Feel The Same Way', none do it better, these are truly classy compositions that were minor hits on the airwaves, the band slipping between styles with such grace and ease, combing Beatlesque melodies with bombastic glam rock, snake-like hips of Kramer cavorting between the grooves, 'The Lizard' and 'Peppermint Tribe' being down right rockers, 'God Of 42nd Street' and 'My Dog' contrasting styles, the band emotional yet raw, well packaged and complete, flying a hair-metal banner but in reality way too intelligent for the simplicities of such a genre.
This is simply clever metal, file alongside the more bruising Warrior Soul, the sleazier Love/Hate and the sugary Enuff Z Nuff.
8.5/10
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