Customer Reviews

Belly to Belly

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

You can either love this album or hate it. Be warned though, this IS an alternative album, but it is excellent and puts a lot of the so-called alternative bands to shame. It's heavy, it's creative, it's ambitious, it's different, and it's very very underrated. The album rocks hard on "A.Y.M.", "Indian Giver," and "Vertigo," but also still finds room for an amazing ballad "Letter To a Friend." I won't lie to you, it will take some time to get used to this different side of the band, but it's well worth it.

"Belly To Belly"-Warrant's fifth studio album(not counting their greatest hits record)coming right after "Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich","Cherry Pie","Dog Eat Dog",and "Ultraphobic" is a really good album.Several Warrant fans tend to diss this album-why is that? The reason is because it is different from D.R.F.S.R. and Cherry Pie. Warrant has had a reputation for trying to keep up with the latest trends in music,and while this CD does prove that Warrant was trying to get away from songs like "Heaven" and "Cherry Pie"(songs that made them famous,songs that allowed them to have fans)and that they really did want to keep up with the latest trends in music,it still is really good. It is a little bit of a rock album and has maybe a little bit of blues/jazz to it. The opening track,"In The End(There's Nothing)" is a really good way to open an album and has really good lyrics and music to it.The two "Interlude" tracks are really strong instrumentals and the first instrumentals Warrant ever recorded and put on a CD. In the meantime,"Letter To A Friend" and "Falling Down" both deal with personal songwriging(boyfriends/girlfriends breaking up and death),and the songs that were the singles off of this album("Indian Giver","A.Y.M.",and "Feels Good")are all really good concepts for songs-and it is a shame that they were never hits. When Warrant was making this album,original drummer Steven Sweet and original lead guitarist Joey Allen had both been gone from the band ever since "Dog Eat Dog" had been released(that was about a year or two after D.E.D. had been released and it was before "Ultraphobic" had been released)and with Rick Steir(the lead guitarist on Ultra who had also been a member of the band Kingdom Come)on lead guitar and Bobby Borg on drums,the Warrant line-up at the time(Jani Lane,Jerry Dixon,Erik Turner,Steir and Borg)produced the album(this was the first Warrant album that the band themselves produced)and they did a really good job with the production and the songwriting.

Don't get fooled by all of the negative things You may have heard about this album-give it a listen.

In Warrant's defense, they have strived to give their audience what they wanted. In the 80's it was sex, drugs, and of course, RockNRoll. When the younger generation came to and saw what was being offered, they revolted. Hence, "GRUNGE". Now that Warrant was left without a label, without the media horse and cart(MTV), they were left to just focus on what the real audience wanted. This is where outstanding music and lyrics come together with their hard charged, explosive, yet emotional masterpieces; Dog Eat Dog, Ultraphobic, and of course Belly to Belly. The latter being one of the best examples by far. Jani has not only written better lyrics, it seems he finally has a band behind him to truly evoke those emotions passed on with those lyrics. No offense to Joey or his fans, he is by far one of the greats on the guitar. And as I too love the sweet sounds of the Hair Ballads, it is refreshing to hear one of the most talented voices in rock history stretch those "limits" saddled on him by marketing. Forever will we love "Cherry Pie", "Down Boys", and even if you won't admit it, "Heaven". Yet as we all grow and mature in our own rights, our love for our favorite music can grow and bend without breaking. Give this album a try and you will not be disappointed.

This album certainly is one of the best Warrant albums (deserves 10 stars). This album seems to finish a kind of "alternative" phase that Warrant passed through. Curiously, this phase started after Joey Allen (fabulous guitar player) and Steve Sweet left the band.

I am a Warrant fan and I should say that in the overall rate, this is my favorite album. The songs are completely different in the rythm and lyrics. In their previous work Warrant seems to be a band that is more happy. Now their are mature and showing their versality.

Their beat (drums) are really improved and more complex and although we miss Joey Allen the riffs are really good. In the lead vocal, well, Jani Lane simply ROCKS (the guy has one of the best voices ever listened)!

When Warrant burst onto the scene back in the late 80's early 90's the released three of the best hard rock albums you could get (screw the criticism of Hair-Metal) and they produced not just hard rocking riffs and memorable chorus' but also great lyrics and excellent arrangement.

Being someone who does not like alternative rock.. Hearing this album is a major downfall for the band. They seemed to just dump the riffs, forget the fun tunes, don't bother making any of them rock, just do simple alternative stuff to depressing lyrics that I CAN relate to on some of the songs, but they just sit in a stale song that goes no where, I don't feel it, nor do I feel for it.

This is not the same Warrant I became a fan of. When a formula works, stick to it 'cause this alternative direction was a bad mistake. Only the die-hard Warrant fan or maybe someone who prefers this stuff to hard rock will like this album. There is a reason that sticks out a mile long as to why the tracks on this album are never seen on any greatest hits compilations, there's a bigger reason the songs from this album they played live on that Live album they released where later taken off of the tracks and re-released as just the original Warrant hits, and there is an even bigger reason then those previous for why this album is labelled "Vol 1" and they never released a "Vol 2"

Thsi was the last original album they did for over 10 years (and the next album Jani Lane had left the band), there next album was a collection of cover versions, and after that they went and did about 4 new songs and re-did there old hits... I think it's fair to say they should have stuck to what they where doing before this album and stopped trying to keep up with the times.

This album kinda reminded me of 3 bands I hate, Selloutica, Live & Nickelback. If you're a fan of those bands then you might like the s####y James Hetfield/Nickleback singer voice with alternative/grunge kind of music. Not all the music is rotten, but they are far from classic songs, I don't think I could ever recognise a song right away from the start, it wouldn't be till the chorus I could tell you what the song was.

I loved the LIVE from whatever to whatever album they put out, but the songs they forced onto it from this album they had on that one I skip all the time, I just cant get into them. I bought this album because Limewire couldn't even find more then 3 of the tracks from this and after hearing it all now I'm not surprised no one has it on there.

I'm even disappointed with the sleeve/booklet. The lyrics it has printed on it aren't all there, and I don't think any song actually has the proper lyrics on it, there's word changes, added bits, bits not there, spelling mistakes, typos & misprints.

This album might be ok for some, but it's far from anything memorable or classic from a group who used to right superb songs and showed they had super talent. None of that shines through even slightly on this one to me.

This is an odd one isn't it? If you have yet to grow up and just want to hear about such things as 'sex' this cd will not interest you. I think the people who make such comments would slap Warrant with a 'why do they always sing about sex' comment if that were the direction they were always headed in. I'm not letting this cd off the hook totally, there are issues. Songs that are honestly unlistenable, until you force yourself to like them. But this disc has the luxuary of being able to get away with that because there are numerous GEMS amongst these stinkers. The songs that are good are among Warrants best ... Letter To A Friend, in style and lyrically show Warrant at a tier they had yet to hit. If you like Warrant you should give this a try, the production value is at an alltime high and songs like 'Solid' are frankly, riveting. Though lyrically this may be Warrants best effort, songs like A.Y.M. will sway you early on this cd is garbage, don't let it, it's one of few that make you say, "Huh?"

Warrant has a special place in my heart and always will. I had the pleasure of attending from grade school through Senior graduation with the one and only Jani Lane. He used to come to my house for 4th of July parties. If you see him, ask him if he remembers the Knapp's 4th of July Bashes?! But in all fairness, the band ROCKS! And if the band ever reads these, Hi John...Kristine (Knapp) Applegate. Its been a pleasure to watch our own country boy become "Big Time". Thanks again for the great music and keep up the good work guys!!!!!

Warrant is the most underated band of the so-called "Hair bands" or "Soft metal". Warrant is beyond that, actually, Jani Lane is far beyond that. He's a great songwriter and singer, and the rest of the band are equally great musicians.
Their first 2 albums are not this great, not because of lack of talent but lack of production or time or just will to make them better, BUT they are not bad at all, and they represent what we all wanted to listen to back then.
Belly to Belly is a great album, lyrics are so honest and transparent, beautiful songs, great arrangements, clean and powerful sound, AWESOME drummer, and the cherry on top, Jani's voice.
If you like(d) warrant because of the pretty faces, the party-like lyrics and "soft-rock" sound, in other words, if you were just a poser, don't buy it, it's too much for your ears.
If, on the other hand, you like good and powerful rock, go ahead and buy it, you won't regret any penny.

What an album!!! That's all I can really say. Warrant completely dropped the cheesy 80's music they were putting out. The lyrics on Belly to Belly are 100x better than anything they've ever put out before. The music is darker, catchier, just plain better. I popped this CD on for a few friends and their reactions were the same.. song after song.. "damn.. this is a good song.. this is who?? WARRANT?? That cheesy band from the 80's??" Suddenly Warrant is not cheesy anymore. They get my respect, and with Ultraphobic, this makes two solid albums in a row. Finally.

Imagine some alt-dudes in boardshorts, flanelette shirts and backward baseball caps. Now imagine it's the pop-metal band Warrant. Warrant? You mean Cherry Pie? Perhaps they'll have a flim clip where they skateboard while singing about 'pain' and 'life sux'.

But Belly to Belly is a lost treasure; the vocals are given a prominence in the mix they haven't had before, the musicianship is more professional than ever, surprising for a grunge record, and the hooks and songwriting are very strong indeed.

There are several highlights. "In the end (there's nothing)" is a bit like a faster version of the Radiohead song "Creep", the same melodious aching, but this time with better lyrics and crisp vocal harmonies. "All 4 U" is a gorgeous Sitar-ballad, while "Feels so good" is a fun rock-out. "Indian Giver" and "Letter to a friend" are very emotional outpourings that deal with Jani Lane's divorce; 'Thought I'd let you know, just before you go, it's alright. Make your brand new start but keep me in your heart and you'll be fine'. This is with soaring vocal harmonies and perfect grunge-pop melodies.

Although I rated this album four, it's really only 3 1/2. There are a few songs that aren't that good, sound like someone screaming through a voice box while a hammer lands on their toe. Sometimes, in the softer parts of some of the songs, Lane tends to mumble a bit. Other than that the album is fantastic. Rating 3 1/2.

PS RIP Jani Lane