Customer Reviews

Love Grenade

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Ted Nugent just keeps on keepin on!! "Love Grenade" continues on the hard and heavy path created by Ted's last album "Craveman". Where "Craveman" leaned toward a "heavy, heavy" metal sound, "Love Grenade" presents with a harder rocking (and more rolling) edge. Ted's guitar, especially the solos, have the best tone I have heard had in years. Ted's guitar is much cleaner, crunchier and upfront than on Ted's last album. It may be Ted's best guitar sounding album since "Scream Dream". You also gotta love the attitude Ted can inject into everyone of his albums. Not many artists can keep the metal fires burning with the intensity and duration of Uncle Ted. Finally the lyrics are 100% pure Ted; how may songwriters can come up with songs like "Bridge Over Troubled Daughters" & "Girl Scout Cookies"? (It's rhetorical question).
In fairness, I would actually give this 4 1/2 stars. The only reason I would subtract 1/2 a star is on a few tracks Ted tries to play way too fast. Dare I say beyond his capability. Consequently he misses a few notes and bends and sounds a bit out of tune. Yeah, this is a minor gripe bordering on blasphemy, but it is the first time my ears have heard it. If you get the album, please write a comment below on whether you agree or disagree.
Anyway, whether your are a lifelong fan or a newcomer, you can not go wrong here. ****Just remember this is not iPod/earbud music! Whether in your car or the privacy of your own home, "Love Grenade" deserves to be played at high volume on real speakers!!!****

Ted's first three albums are some of the greatest of all time. His next 2 or 3 are very close, as well. Then the 80's kind of got the better of him as he spent perhaps too much effort trying to sound like Foreigner. Nothing terrible, but nothing great either. I enjoyed Damn Yankess, albeit a very commercial approach still. Ted made his comeback with "Spirit of the Wild," then took it up another notch with "Craveman." And interestingly, he's topped both of those albums with "Love Grenade." This is his best album since the early 80's. Everything great about Ted's music is here: the irreverance and humor as much as ever, and the awesome hunt songs (always musically his best work). "Geronimo & Me," "Spirit of the Buffalo" & the instrumental "Eaglebrother" are standout cuts amongst an album of standout cuts. The riffs and grooves on this album are exploding, and the tone & production (nice and dry, like you're sitting in the room with the band, just the way I love it) are perfect.

Note: Ted is not for everyone. He is over the top & he speaks his mind. If you like classic Nugent, you'll like this. If you ever started disliking Ted, that probably won't change. Ted is Ted, but this is Ted at his best.

No one -- I mean no one -- can rock like Uncle Ted. Sure, he strayed with Damn Yankees and those guys from Styx and Night Ranger. But like the great white hunter he is, Ted knew you can only chase that quarry for so long. Gone are the power balads -- it's time to rock. Raunchy rock, with giant guitars, Ted style: That's what all this is about. So, get this one, a pound of freshly killed meat, an NRA membership, and learn once again why there is Detroit Madman.

This is a very good rock album. My favorite songs are in a 4 song mini Native American theme album section of this record. There are a few songs I could have done without, such as 'Funk U' which is why I didin't give it 5 stars. Ted isn't the best singer in the world and he screeches and does verbal rants that aren't necessary. That said, overall this is a superbly rockin album and Ted can still write and perform great rock music. Some of the songs are in the incredible range. You also get a good blues track from Ted at the end of the album. All n All, this is good head bangin experience.

You can say what you like about Ted Nugent. Agree or disagree with his political beliefs, one thing is certain...This white boy from Detroit sure can play guitar. This CD offers up more of what you'd expect from the Nuge, scorching guitar and almost laughable lyrics. Personally the highlight for me is the last track, a blues dittie called "Lay With Me"- it has some classic Nugent six string magic on it.
I don't think this CD will bring any new fans to the Nugent camp, but it probably won't disappoint any long time Ted fans either. Ted is what Ted is- over the top, non stop energy. Atleast with Ted you ALWAYS know what you'll get!

Ted Nugent's latest release, Love Grenade, proves the Motor City Madman is still a vital force in his fifth decade of performing. Despite approaching the age where most are considering retirement, Love Grenade is probably the most energetic release of his career. And while the songs here don't match the magic of his first three albums (Ted Nugent, Free For All, Cat Scratch Fever), on a whole, they're still pretty good. The opening title cut and "Still Raising Hell" are great rockers, sounding like a slightly heavier brand of rock that he helped create with Damn Yankees in the early-90's. The double entendres are still in full force as exhibited on "Girl Scout Cookies" and "Bridge over Troubled Daughters" while his love of the wilderness is on display with the excellent "Geronimo & Me", the mid-tempo "Spirit of the Buffalo", and the driving instrumental "Eagle Brother." Other strong tracks include a spirited version of "Journey to the Center of the Mind", the slow dirty blues of "Lay with Me", and the fast paced "Funk U." A few of the songs on the album's second half dip slightly ("Aborigine", "Stand", "Broadside") but are still pretty decent. All told, along with his 1995 release, Spirit of the Wild, this is Ted's best work since his peak in the `70s. Oh one more thing. See him live if you can. His live show is still amazing and he has more energy than most of the rock bands out there put together.

I'm trying to listen to this CD while I write the review, but "Funk U" doesn't let me concentrate. Hold on while I hit stop.

Still Raising Hell -- that's classic Ted. Girl Scout Cookies was amusing but sounded good. No sexual overtones--it's actually about eating girl scout cookies. Journey to the Center of the Mind was pretty cool. Funk U is a great tune too. And it's perfect for blasting the neighbors when their dog starts barking at me. Funk U Funk U Funk U Funk U Funk.

Then he launches into this existential rant about native religion, buffaloes, his "oneness" with the American Indian, blah, blah, blah with four lame songs about, well, his oneness with the Native American Indian Buffalo and how we should deify the buffalo or something. More than 1/3 of the CD tainted with absolute rubbish. It made me think Ted was getting old and priming his soul for the Creator. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course.

His blues track seemed a little lame--like he was making fun of the blues (and maybe he was). The vocals were really off. But when he starts playing riffs the song takes off and you can't help cranking it. Besides, with Ted Nugent, aren't vocals the part you use as filler until you get to the real Ted?

But he really redeemed the whole CD with one song. Broadside. I can't think of one Ted Nugent song that I like better (maybe a few I like as much).

Half of the CD is good, so it's worth a buy. But having to listen to the "Native American" 1/3 makes me glad I don't own an 8-track. No, really.

This has got to be the BEST album I have heard this year. This is Ted at his best and reminds me of those awesome albums from the past Scream Dream , Intensities, State Of Shock, Cat Scratch Fever. I am so glad Ted has went back to that sound. Craveman was an ok album but Love Grenade blows it away. I give this one 5 stars all the way. Play it LOUD!

It's been played constantly. I've been on steady diet of Nugent this week. This is a solid release. Will satisfy the long time Nuge fans.
Might even bring a few new fans aboard. Uncle Ted has some mean licks throughout and as always his playing is solid and in your face.
My only complaint?
Well, it's that I know this album could be that much better vocally if Derek St Holmes was singing most of these tunes.
I can imagine what Derek could do with these songs. Ted's voice is okay, but his guitar playing is obviously far better thna his singing. But no sense living in the past and what was.
We've even got Jack Blades from Damn Yankee's & Night Ranger all over this album. A song writing machine and great producer.
Buy this, crank it to "11" and enjoy uncle Ted in all his unabashed glory.

So, Ted's first album in a few years. Guess what? IT ROCKS! It's typical Ted with fast hard rocking guitar songs with his signature sound from his gibsons. He plays like a madman and it sounds great. I've had the album for a day now, and Love Grenade jumps off as the killer track from the album. His guitar solos sound great and the entire sound is just really good. The only reason I didnt give it five stars is that there are one or two tracks where Ted goes back into the heavy metal stuff of Craveman that I just dont care for. But all in all, Love Grenade is in the top tier of Uncle Ted's music.