Wednesday 23 March 2011

Skin & Bones - Not A Pretty Sight (1990)

What makes me chuckle more than anything about these sleaze bands is the fact we've got the singer and two guitarists with names ending with Bones, Vamp and Pagan, and yet the drummer and bass player have simply opted for their own names....duh! Make it one or the other guys! Anyway, Skin & Bones never stepped into the big league, in fact they never got close but I ain't gonna deny that opening cut 'Nail It Down' is blessed with a dark, killer riff and an almost Bon Jovi meets Poison chanted chorus which sticks in the head as that wicked guitar lurks ominously behind - cracking stuff. 'Resurrection Love' isn't quite as mysterious but the "Oh oh oh...." backing is quite effective and the band do know how to write a half decent tune without resorting to too many cliches. Oops, I spoke too soon, as 'Cover Me With Roses' slides in on a snakeskin bed, all dressed up with no place to go, but hey, there were so many bands around at the time creating similar pompous rags to riches rock, but I have to laugh at the lyrics, and we know what to expect, but at least it's not as weak as rats piss and delivers some type of fire behind the smoke. 'Hey Stupid' and 'Nymphomania' up the hip shakin' to see us out of side one, the former is a Faster Pussycat style jig with Johnny Vamp gettin' all catty on his vox as Gregg Gerson trashes the drums. These New York boys were never masters of their trade, but the thundering opening of 'Kiss This' and swagger of 'Out With The Boys' enables Skin & Bones to emerge with a smatter of respectability. Ooooo yeah!

6.5/10

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