Roxy Blue - Want Some ? (1992)

By the time Todd Poole had finished stuffing dollar bills into the knickers of the lap dancer, Roxy Blue were history. 1992 brought with it the strains of Nirvana's freakishly overrated 'Nevermind', and Roxy Blue crawled away into some dark pit never to rear their pompous heads again. Even so, without the grunge invasion, Roxy Blue appear manufactured, from the embarrassing band shot on the back (which novelty metal act Steel Panther have made a killing out of) to the brand of sleaze rock within, there's something just not right about it. This isn't to say that Roxy Blue are completely inept, the first three cuts are half-decent, if mundane rockers, but as Poole croons that, "Baby, times are changin", little did he realise how much. For me, the band duck and dive too much between influences, at times it's a bit Warrant, and that's not a good thing, whilst there's the Aerosmith strut and goodness knows how many other bands from the late '80s creep into their sound. Strange that major label Geffen put this record out too. I prefer Roxy Blue when they get their heads down and drive into a track, 'Main Attraction' is an upbeat stomper that hits the spot. Trouble is, when bands such as Love/Hate and Spread Eagle have already left a trail of fire in the sky, bands like Roxy Blue just prove too timid. Maybe it's the feeling that 'Want Some ?' is so out of time, of the fact that the band members look like they've been dressed by advisers, because when there is rarely a hair out of place and jeans are that blue, you know it's not party time. Want some ? Not really.

6/10