Thursday, 14 July 2011

Vince Neil - Exposed (1993)

Motley Crue's peroxide prince steps out of the shadows to assemble a serious band of muso's, including shredder Steve Stevens, and heads off through the grunge-infested waters with what I consider one of his strongest deliveries. With Crane (bass), Foxx (drums) and Marshall (rhythm guitar) at his side, 'Exposed' comes as a big surprise, because despite Mr Neil' distinctive whine, this is very much a serious hard rock record that boasts a handful of mini classics, mainly in the form of the anthemic 'Forever'  and scarf-waving 'Can't Change Me'. Opener 'Look In Her Eyes' is bereft of cheese and sewn together tight by Stevens' majestic twiddlings and 'Sister Of Pain' follows te trend, bringing to mind White Lion and their dazzling array of harmonies and guitar licks. The band have constructed a lush, precise slab laced with Vince's forever cheeky drawl, so it's only natural that some will find some similarities to Crue, 'Fire, Fire...' plods like a Crue b-side save for those searingly hot guitars and Foxx, whilst lacking Tommy Lee's tribal thuds, still beefs up this record and plays a vital part in making this record more than just a swaggering chick magnet that some may have expected. This is a serious project, and tracks such as 'The Edge' rattle at such a weight, giving it an almost late '80s feel yet far more cutting. Again, 'Can't Change me' and 'Forever' give the opus a sugary quality but also prove that Vince is a top songwriter if he puts his mind to it, and I'd like to see him more involved in Crue's song writing, but I guess it's a little late for that. Even so, Vince, in between racing cars and owning restaurant's, should put more of his hours to music, because as a solo artist, 'Exposed' proves that there's much more to him than tattoos and tequila.

8/10

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