Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Finally Remastered!, August 12, 2006
Has it really been 20 years since the original release of Look What the Cat Dragged In? 1986 was the year that "hair metal" truly established its dominance over the music industry. Albums like Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet, Europe's The Final Countdown and Cinderella's Night Songs all played a role in bringing metal to the top of the pop charts that year, but it was Poison's makeup drenched debut album that sealed the deal.
Look What the Cat Dragged In was the ultimate victory of style over substance. Poison's over-the-top stage antics and outrageous glam appearance had as much to do with their success as their music, which wasn't exactly groundbreaking. The songs on the band's debut were by-the-book odes to getting laid, talking about getting laid, partying (to get laid), and drinking (before, during, and after getting laid). It's shallow as hell, and easy to make fun of 20 years later, but at the time this album made perfect sense to me. Obviously I wasn't the only one to think so, because the album sold a zillion copies and featured some pretty huge radio/MTV hits like "I Want Action" and "Talk Dirty to Me."
Look What the Cat Dragged In may be a pretty basic album, but it certainly made an impact. Scores of lipstick and spandex bands would soon come out of the woodwork, though none of them ever really came close to Poison's success. The band had a chemistry and personality that was hard to beat, and that was reflected in their music.
The 2006 reissue of Look What the Cat Dragged In gives the album a much needed tune-up. If you've ever had the original disc in a changer with some more recent albums, you can tell that its sound quality is quite poor. You almost need twice the volume just to hear it. Thankfully, this album has been digitally remastered and the sound quality is as good as anything released today. They also added three bonus tracks. The first two are early versions of "I Want Action" and "I Won't Forget You", which are a bit rougher than the album versions. A demo called "Don't Mess Around With Jim" is also included. This is a stomping, bluesy number that really doesn't fit with the rest of the album, but is interesting enough as a bonus track.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
"Look What Poison Dragged In", October 26, 2009
When someone thinks about the 80s Hair-Glam metal scene, one of the first bands that pops up is Poison. Lead singer Bret Michaels, guitarist C.C. Deville, bassist Bobby Dall and drummer Rikki Rocket were a big part of the Hair metal movement. They looked like girls, they had poppy songs and big hair, the band had the look, songs and feels of the Glam movement and moving to LA on the sunset strip they were at the right place at the right time and MTV supported them and boosted the band's career. Everything seemed right at the time, Poison's debut "Look What the Cat Dragged In" was released in 1986 when Glam was already big with bands like Ratt, Bon Jovi and Motley Crue.
The album starts out with "Cry Enough", one of the best songs of the album. With this first song you know exactly what Poison is all about and get the feel of what they were doing. "I Want Action" is great, the band is full of energy on this song . "Talk Dirty to Me" is one of the band's best known songs and a very good one too. It had a great riff, catchy and just a great song. "I Won't Forget You" is a ballad, not as good as "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" of course but still a very good ballad."Play Dirty" is another good song. "Look What the Cat Dragged In" is one of my favorites here, catchy and silly with lyrics like: "Oh my god look what the cat dragged in, livin' my life, sinner to sin" don't have any depth but they weren't mean to and they don't need to. "Want Some Need Some" another solid song for Poison. "Blame It on You" is not bad but it's not great either. "#1 Bad Boy" is probably the song I like least, I don't hate it but it's pretty cheesy. Back in the 80s this may have worked but not in these times. "Let Me Go To the Show" is a solid 80s track and I really like this one.
You can't help but feel ashamed listening to some of these songs but in the same way you like them. I rate "Look What the Cat Dragged In" at four stars. Let's face it, Poison's music doesn't have much depth and they really aren't a five stars band. One thing: they do know how to have fun and those songs certainly are just that, fun. Don't take this music too seriously as it clearly wasn't meant to be, and despite having many haters Poison is a good fun band. Under all this makeup there is some rock n'roll to the band not just looks, they aren't great musicians but altogether the band makes it work.
If you're a fan of the glam metal sound of the 80s, check out Poison if you haven't already, the band achieved more success with their next album "Open Up and Say...Ahh!" and was very popular during the late 80s and early 90s. While the band changed their sound and matured in the 90s this is the sound that got them famous and it's they're known for. This album has been remastered along with "Open Up And Say...Ahh!" and "Flesh And Blood" in 2006. This remastered edition is the way to go,it got a much needed sound improvement.Those remasters have bonus tracks,single versions or demos which are a nice bonus.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
I want action!!!!, April 24, 2008
This was the first LP I bought with my first weekend job wages.I had seen the video on MTV, CC, The blonde bombshell, stole my heart with his guitar playing, from that moment I was a Poison fan and always will be.
Following several house moves and one country move!! I lost my LP and was so so happy when I saw this album again. I had to have it.
It sounds as good today as it did when it first came out, (obviously better being digitally remastered). But I tell you, Poison had and still has that magic from the first opening track to the closing one, this album shows the world why we adore the talented quartet that is Bret, CC, Bobby and Rikki. The Glam Kings!!
Rock on boys, we love ya!!
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