Now you should have guessed that this was coming…
Hanoi Rocks resolutely break no bounds on the band's
third studio effort, Self Destruction Blues, but then again, anyone expecting
that was in the wrong place; those expecting obvious nods to the likes of
Ziggy-era Bowie, Mott the Hoople, and the like, though, would be in heaven.
Michael Monroe's confident singing, if nowhere near as wonderfully unhinged as
the Scandinavian hard rock monsters of the '90s, does the job with the right
amount of implied strut and sleaze; if anything, the bizarrely sweet backing
vocals on many songs seem to undercut what he's trying to do. Andy McCoy and
Nasty Suicide do their expected riff-and-roll, Sam Yaffa doesn't disgrace
himself on bass, and the end result is entertaining (if not mind-blowing) fun.
The genre exercise of the title track works better than some might have
thought, with Monroe blowing on his harmonica in prime Chicago electric blues
style and getting a reasonable wail going (the production on the track
intentionally sounds old, to boot). The best moments, though, come from the
unexpected moments; check the low-key verses on "Café Avenue," with
Monroe quietly purring tales of decadence and surviving on the streets, or the
giddy pop nuttiness of "Desperados," one of the least threatening,
but still fun, rough-guy songs ever. "Kill City" finds drummer Gyp
Casino (who was replaced by Razzle after recording and prior to the album's
release) pulling off a bit of introductory percussion that might not be out of
place on a Santana record. However, the of-the-time synth line on
"Whispers in the Dark" should be taken out and shot.
Ripped from a CD release to Chicago electric blues style
MP3 @ 320kbps
Hanoi Rocks; Self Destruction Blues
1. Love’s
An Injection
2. I
Want You
3. Café
Avenue
4. Nothing
New
5. Kill
City
6. Self
Destruction Blues
7. Beer
And A Cigarette
8. Whispers
In The Dark
9. Taxi
Driver
10. Desperados
11. Problem
Child
12. Dead
By Xmas
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