Customer Reviews

Good To Be Bad

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

THE BAND: David Coverdale (vocals), Doug Aldrich (guitars), Reb Beach (guitars), Uriah Duffy (bass), Tim Drury (keyboards), Chris Frazier (drums & percussion).

THE DISCS: (2008) Disc 1: 11 tracks clocking in at approximately 59 minutes. Disc 2: 7 live tracks clocking in at approximately 42 minutes (recorded songs taken from the DVD "Live: In The Still Of The Night" from 2006). Also on Disc-2 is a 4 minute video "Ready To Rock". Included with the discs is an 18-page booklet containing song titles/credits, song lyrics, one band photo, and thank you's. Recorded at Casa DALA (Los Angeles) and Snakebyte Studios (Lake Tahoe, CA). All songs written by Coverdale/Aldrich. Label - SPV / Steamhammer.

COMMENTS: I approached this album with hesitation upon release. I had to know if Coverdale and Company could still push it to the limit. Or, if they'd gone limp and flooded this disc with sappy power ballads geared toward their female audience and perhaps the dentist's office. With that being said - I was pleasantly surprised by this album. 8 songs rock hard. 3 songs soft. As an old school rocker who grew up in the 70's, I'd like this album a tad bit more if it had only one or two ballads. Coverdale, plain and simply, sounds old on these sentimental songs (57 years old in fact). The softer songs include "All I Want All I Need" (for some reason I keep picturing creepy old Herbert from "Family Guy" singing this), "Summer Rain" (the worst song on the disc - pure Vermont sap), and "Til The End Of Time" (a bluesy and folksy album closer - even though the album doesn't close on a hard rocking power chord... this is a beautiful acoustic song and Coverdale makes it work). The rockers are glorious - and there are a lot of them. Highlights include the opener "Best Years" (featuring ultra crunchy rhythm guitars with a blistering solo - listening to this first track caught my attention and I really felt this song kicked the album off nicely); "Call On Me" (my favorite song on the album... heavy and full of attitude... showcasing Aldrich and Beach's mastery of the axe); the title track (great song - reminiscent of the "Slip Of The Tongue" era); and "A Fool In Love" (bluesy... simply an infectious groove... my 2nd favorite song here). The only thing that perhaps grows tiresome is Coverdale crooning about the weather bringing changes, and that ready-and-willing / surrender-to-me / do-it-all-for-love self serving rock and roll attitude. But wait, this is David Coverdale - and he's done that for the past 3 decades... so surely this comes as no surprise. Disc-2 is a treat - the sound production is crisp and the live songs rock. For me, the highlights from Disc-2 are the opener "Burn/Stormbringer" (anyone hear Iron Maiden's "Wrathchild" rhythm section when the band goes into "Stormbringer"?), and "Take Me With You" where Aldrich and Beach really let loose on guitar. Whitesnake fans from the 80's might compare "Good To Be Bad" with their well-known albums "Slide It In" (1984) and/or their self titled (1987) release... and I'll agree - it's probably not as good as these two quintessential albums. In the end, "Good To Be Bad" isn't a classic at this point... though, in time it very well could be. A great comeback - and in my opinion, Coverdale still has it (4.5 stars).

This album is exactly what you would expect from Whitesnake. Great vocals, ripping/wailing guitars, pounding drums. There are eight rockers and three power ballads. All thriller and no fillers at all.
The album has a fresh energy to it that brings Whitesnake into 2008 with a kick.
I highly recommend this album to all who love to rock.
CRANK UP YOUR SOUND SYSTEM and enjoy......

Being a hardcore Deep Purple fan for 35+ years I knew who Whitesnake was WAY before mainstream America discovered them complements of shallow MTV posing. And by that statement you can tell I was a little disappointed in the hair metal poser direction Coverdale took the band after the late 70s - early 80s line-up broke up; when they changed from a pretty good blues-rock band to just another Led Zep/Sabbath clone band. While I'd never say it wasn't fun to listen to, I really got tired of his shallow posing vanity show and it got to the point where I simply couldn't watch him and preferred just to listen to the CDs instead!

And, after hearing the first track on "Good to be Bad" I was even more disappointed...heck, it's such a BLATANT rip-off of the Allman Bro's classic "Whipping Post", with a different chorus, it's nothing less than disgusting!! The verse phrasing, even the organ itself is such an exact copy I expected to hear David sing "sometimes I feel, sometimes I FEEL..." at any moment!! While I do think it's a catchy tune and definitely listenable I thought, wow...here he goes ripping other bands off again, not an original idea in his head!!

But, as the other tracks played I became more and more impressed and track #5, the title track, sunk its hook in me on the very first listen!! So now I have to say that I am impressed and heartily agree with my fellow reviewers...Coverdale and the boys have produced a heck of a come back album!! In fact I wouldn't hesitate to say it's one of the best comebacks I have ever heard!!! And I'm telling everyone I know about it too!

As mentioned above, track #5 "Good to be Bad" is nothing less than one of the GREATEST Whitesnake songs I have ever heard and "Best years" (the Whipping Post clone), "Call On Me", "Lay Down Your Love", "A Fool In Love" and "Got What You Need" are also already on my MP3 player!

Bottom line: if you are a Whitesnake fan, GET THIS! Get it immediately!! And if you like good rock in any form, even if you were never a snake fan, get it anyway!! And crank it up!!!

WHITESNAKE'S Good To Be Bad includes some of their best new material in quite a while, of course American release of new material has been somewhat sparse of late. Coverdale and the current lineup featuring the guitar duo of Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach are solid, slick, and polished. The songs are tight and include all of the classic "Snake" influences of hard rock, blues, ballads, and all in between. Very good lyrics, melodies, and musicianship throughout, whether it be the hard rockers or ballads. I am a Whitesnake fan and have been for quite a while and admit to some bias, but I highly recommend this CD for anyone who loves great heavy duty rock played in a very polished and professional way, yet still fun and exciting to listen to. Keep it up guys.

Your opinion of this album will depend on which Whitesnake you like.

If, like me, you were listening to Whitesnake before 1987, and were disappointed with the glam era music, steer clear, or at least listen before you buy. Instead check out "Restless Heart" and Coverdale's solo "Into the Light", which were a return to the more bluesy sound.

However, If your introduction to Whitesnake was the 1987 album and you liked it and "Slip of the Tongue", you will like this album.

After seeing the band live four short years ago, I wasn't sure what kind of new material Coverdale and the gang could produce. The live performance put me off, mostly because of DC's strained, screechy vocals.

It must have been an off night.

This album rocks. I mean really, it does. If you are a fan of 1987's "Whitesnake", this will take you right back there. It's not modern sounding at all, and that is brilliance of it. There are actually places on there where you could swear John Sykes is still with the band. Terrific solos, LOTS of guitar work. See? Some musicians STILL know how to play! How refreshing.

Sit down, Nickleback. You, too, Fall Out Boy. The big boys are back, in a big way!

Whitesnake has never been about deep, intelligent lyrics. The songs are filled with cliche' driven, romantic, "cock" rock. Just bluesy, soulful Zeppelinesque grooves.And what's wrong with that? Feel-good rock is about air-guitar glory and escapism. David's voice has lost some range, but he controls it nicely and handles his vocals with style. Don't worry though, he can still hit the necessary high notes.

Good album. Can't wait until their touring mates Def Leppard hits with SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE next week. They should bring that show to the states!

A much needed shot in the arm for classic rock!! I've been anticipating this for awhile. I was looking for another Still of the Night, didn't find it, but it didn't matter. This is classic Whitesnake. David still has great pipes and Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach were born to be Whitesnake guitarists. Their concert dvd in London is incredible! I highly recommend this cd.

Everyone who has been under a rock now knows who Doug Aldrich is and should never forget the name. Coverdale brings it on this album as well and it's about time Whitesnake took another bite!! Check out everything you can by Mr. Aldrich. He has played in several different bands and had some excellent solo albums.

I'll state my only negative comment first: David Coverdale is a horrible lyricist. With a few exceptions, almost all the lines are in some way recycled from previous WS material. There's an ongoing joke between my brothers and I, all of whom are rock aficionados, that if the label forbade DC to use the word "love" in his lyrics, Whitesnake's music would be instrumental.

But, in the words of the brilliant Nigel Tufnel, "That's nitpicking, isn't it?"

Fortunately Coverdale's still got the pipes and the hooks, and has once again surrounded himself with a group of dazzling musicians who provide enough sonic fireworks to lift Whitesnake's tunes WAY above the muck and drivel of modern rock music. Listen to Beach and Aldrich trading lines on the solo in 'Good to be Bad'. AMAZING. The production is great- clear as a bell yet massively crunchy. If you listen to this in the car and you're not banging on the steering wheel along with it, you'd better check your pulse.

If you liked their older stuff, you're gonna eat this up.

Should to be nominated for Best Hard Rock album of year.

1.Best Years-Great way to start off album.Thundering drum and bass section accompany Aldrich's ferocious rifling groove.One of best of tracks lyrically musically on album.Very cool pre chorus and chorus lyrics/vocals.From all accounts sounds even better live.Awesome song.

2.Can You Hear The Wind Blow-Main riff kind or repeats itself too much on this back to basics mid tempo rocker with 1987ish touch but still a cool track.

3.Call On Me-Higher pitched vocals by Coverdale on this rocker.

4.All I Want All I Need-Is this love style tempo.Back in the day this track would have probably been released as single and been a big hit.Nice track

5.Good To Be Bad-Solid rocker with a ferociously good guitar solo.

6.All For Love-A bit Thin Lizy ala "jailbreak" sounding on Cloverdale's singing delivery style and guitar verse riffs.Slows down about 2/3 of way before solo kicks in.One of the tracks included in their current 2008 live set list.Cool rocking track.

7.Summer Rain-Beautiful acoustic based ballad.Verse,pre chorus and chorus have a great hook to them.Coverdale showcases his clear deeper soulful voice here which I prefer.Very very nicely constructed song that makes you remember the earlier 80-81ish era of whitesnake.Cool slide guitar in between verses.Guitar solo has a bit of a southern rock flair to it.If it got decent airplay on radio would likely be a hit.

8.Lay Down Your Love-Great rocker.Hands down one of best tracks on album if not the best.Cloverdale/Page style grooves riffs but actually better than anything on that album.Coverdale belts out awesome vocals ala Still of Night/Blackdog style and then Doug's infectious guitar riff kicks in.Doug recently said in an interview conducted by Vassil Varbanov of Bulgaria's Tangra Mega Rock that this is one of his 2 favorite tracks of album.Easy to see why.More likely to become a new live fan favorite.killer solo accompanies this great rocker anthem.Classic WS type chorus hook.

9.A Fool In Love Again-Very bluesy short intro by Coverdale and Aldrich then big raw riffs burst out to this midtempo rocker with touch of blues and some soul.Track has grown on me with more listens.Chorus has a cool hook to it.

10.Got What You Need- All I got to say is "Hey up". Straight up fast rocker.Ready to Rock frantic style tempo but not as cool as RTR.

11.Till The End of Time-The other of Aldrich's 2 favorite tracks on album.Very different sounding from rest of album but absolutely beautiful song both musically and lyricly.Great soulful acoustic unplugged track has a bit of southern blues type groove to it.Coverdale really displays his clear soulful voice on this one.Perfect way to end the album.

The Coverdale/Aldrich collaboration has proven to be a great one on this album.Best WS album released since 1987.My personal favorites are Best Years,Lay Down Your Love and Till The End of Time.This is a very all around deep album with the second half having more of a early WS 80-84 musical influence to it.I will definately go check this great lineup of musicians out if they come to perform in the states.If this is the last Whitesnake album ever recorded, then at least Coverdale and the boys went rocking in style.