Customer Reviews

Motley Crue

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a terrific, highly underrated album. It is also highly controversial among Crue fans. The fans seem to be split on this one--either you love it or hate it. It's understandable why this album flopped. The album doesn't sound like a classic Crue album. It has a 90s grunge feel to it. It actually sounds a bit like Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots. However, if you listen to "Primal Scream" from "Decade of Decadence," you will see how this album was the next logical step. Also, singer John Corabi was the polar opposite of Vince Neil. A Steven Tyler/Blues voice was in sharp contrast to the Sunset Strip sunny style of Vince Neil. This album just kind of alienated everyone. Motley Crue fans did not want a grunge sounding album that differed radically from Dr. Feelgood. And a new generation of Teenagers didn't want to buy a Motely Crue album when they had music of their own generation. In short, people just didn't give it a chance. However, this album has stood the test of time as one of those "lost gems," like Montrose's debut or KISS's "Music From the Elder."

As previously stated, this album has a 90's grunge sound. If you put "Shout at the Devil," Soundgarden's "Superunknown" and Stone Temple Pilots "Core" in a blender, this album would be the result. As far as I'm concerned, the band never sounded better. Singer John Corabi was also a guitar player, so the music sounded extra thick. There is orchestration on "Misunderstood" so the band really tried to branch out artistically. Whereas most Crue albums are really Nikki Sixx's baby, everyone in the band really gave 100 percent. Tommy Lee never sounded better and his drumming here is a 10. Mick Mars never sounded more focused and his playing was never better. Producer Bob Rock did a terrific job focusing the band and gave the album a very heavy, crisp, melodic production. The tone and synthesis of the bass, drums, and guitar are perfect. All of the songs have killer riffs, hooks and solos. The content of the album is also far more substantive than most Crue albums. Nikki Sixx really made an album that rocked but also had intelligence, and all without being pretentious. "Misunderstood" deals with going through life and feeling empty, "Uncle Jack" deals with child abuse, and the beautiful closing song "Driftway" seems to acknowledge the disappointments of life but also accept them.

All in all, a great underrated album.

This was the first cd made by the Crue that didn't feature Vince on vocals and it is by far their best. As far as the tunes go their is far less cheese and more texture. Corabi is a nice choice to fill Vince's shoes and this cd rocks. The change in sound for the Crue was not welcomed with open arms from their fans and that's to bad as it was a turning point for this band. Overall a cd that was lost somewhere between the hair metal dayz and the new rock at the beginning of the 90's. This should have been a beginning to a new more solid Crue, but it was really the beginning of the end unfortunately. The band panicked by lack of sales with this effort and brought back Vince and returned to a sound that was indeed dead!!

A very good cd that never got a chance to be heard.

This album was very overlooked by the general public as well as Motley Crue fans because it was the first and only album they did without Vince Neil. Taking his place they got former lead singer for The Scream, John Corabi. In my opinion John was great in the band but it wasn't commercially successful because on this album they abandon their party rock image for a much more darker and heavier sound. There were a few things that changed by adding John to the band. The first thing was that he played rhythm guitar which added a thicker sound, he was a songwriter which Vince wasn't, and he encouraged the band to adopt a heavier sound. This album also shows Tommy Lee at his peak, his drums are solid and very dominant over the heavy guitars and screaming vocals. The first song on the album is the extremely heavy Power to the Music, it is dominated by a brutal guitar riff courtesy of Mick and powerful drums by the one and only Tommy Lee. Uncle Jack is a simialr song, great lyrics and music. The first single Hooligan's Holiday follows, this track is dominated by Nikki Sixx's great bass playing. Personally I think if it was a different band this would've been a hit song. The most surprising and best song on the album is Misunderstood. It starts off as a slow acoustic ballad, then all of a sudden there's a quick tempo change into a brutal metal song. This track also shows that John Corabi can really sing. Loveshine is a very poppy singalong acoustic song. While Poison Apples is the exact opposite, this song is ultra heavy, like the rest of the album. Til Death Do Us Part can be considered a power ballad, but it really is something more. Welcome to the Numb and Smoke the Sky can be the same songs, they are both heavy with very distorted guitar and solid drums. Droppin Like Flies is really heavy but catchy at the same time. The album closes with Driftaway. The upbeat acoustic ballad is one of the best songs on the album and there is great guitar playing on it, John on acoustic and Mick on electric.

Now we come to the Crucial Crue edition of it. There were 3 songs added to it. Hypnotized is a really good song and could've been left on the album, but I guess they couldn't put every song on it. Babykills is from their followup ep, Quaternary. It's a really good song and there is in studio dialogue before it which makes it cool to listen to. The song itself is the only song they did in this era that sounds like it could've been from the 80's. It almost sounds like Motley Crue meets the Black Crowes. The end the album with Livin' in the Know, it is a heavy song with an intro taken from Voodoo Chile by Jimi Hendrix. This album has my reccommendation for anybody. Motley Crue fans that didn't give it a chance and metal fans that won't give Motley Crue a chance should own this album.

I remember when this album came out, there was so much going against it, particularly the fact that grunge was quicky becoming popular, and Vince Neil was out of the band. Not a particularly pleasant situation to be in if you're Motley Crue. So what do you do when the last album released was the massively successful "Dr. Feelgood"? At this point in time, fans wanted a follow-up to "Dr. Feelgood," not a new direction and a different singer.

It's too bad this album was released at such a critical point in the band's career, because musically, this album is one of the best things Motley Crue has EVER done. Sadly, this album was roundly ignored and wound up in the $0.99 cut-out bin.

I was one of those folks waiting for "Dr. Feelgood Part II," and wasn't going to give the non-Vince Neil version of Motley Crue a chance. My thought was that without Vince, it wasn't Motely Crue. And in retrospect, maybe they should have called themselves something else; maybe the album would have been better received. For better of worse, they kept it under the Motely Crue banner.

In my opinion, time has been kind to this album, and listening to it today, I enjoy each and every song without EVER having to hit the skip button. This is one of those rare albums I can enjoy beginning to end. And to his credit, I this John Corabi had a lot to do with that. His voice his guitarwork, and his songwriting pumped some new life into a sinking ship. This breathed new life into the playing of Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, and the incredible Tommy Lee. Tommy's drumming on this album is nothing short of spectacular. He's always been an essentail part of the band's sound, but here he shines.

Give this album another listen. It's not the Motley Crue from days of old, but it's a band with a renewed sense of purpose and (from what I hear) a new appreciation for making music. Here you'll get the same driving, thumping music you've always expected from Motely Crue, but you'll also get complex melodies, great vocal harmonies from four musicians at the top of their game.

This CD stands the test of time. What a ferocious and stunning departure of 1980s Crue! It was both a shock and a breath of fresh air when I first heard this disc in 1994. It was initially a Bitter Pill without Vince. Today, this is one of my 10 favorite rock albums of all time along with other under-rated 90s efforts by Skid Row (Slave to the Grind), Badlands (Voodoo Highway), Winger (Pull) and Metallica (ReLoad).

John Corabi added rocket fuel to the Crue's flashy ride. "Power to the Music" grabs you by the throat from the initial beats of the record. It's heavy, bluesy and gritty. I wouldn't call it grunge at all. This is '80s metal on steroids! It's a muscular statement from a revitalized Motley Crue. Ironically, this disc has weathered much better than other more successful releases of 1994 that knocked the Crue outta the limelight and Corabi outta the band.

I love all the tracks, especially Hammered, Misunderstood and Smoke the Sky. My buddies Sixx, Mick and Tom all shine as brightly as Corabi. Indeed, this CD begs to be played LOUD!!! This one goes all the way to 11...maybe even 12!

There's only few CD's I own in which I never skip a track this is one! I must say I was amuzed a lot when I first heard this album. So like Nikki Sixx says this album would have gotten a lot more acceptance by it's music, if they had change the name of the band. Still they went with the Motley Crue title and many got confuzed, and yet if you listen to it, you know it's a keeper. Power To The Music, rocks and sets the whole tone and vibe for the album, which is hard, heavy and dark! Uncle Jack so freaking owns! killer rythm awsome lead guitar and excellent drumming. Hooligan's Holiday, good grove and Corabi's vocals are at their best. Misunderstood, when you add acoustics, emotion, and a symphony you have a timeless song. Loveshine, kind of cheesy but it grows on you. Poison Apples, cool song to crank up the speakers in you car. Hammered, a good pissed off mood song, I personally think it's a way of saying to Vince look at what we can do with out you? it rock and rolled! 'Till Death Do Us Part, slow yet appealing. Welcome To The Numb, great tempo and nice guitar work by Corabi and Mick. Smoke The Sky! fast! heavy! mean! and probably the song that best reflects to what the Crue were planning on continuing to do. Droppin' Like Flies, the lyrics are great. Driftaway, the song that tells that you got to keep trying to reach for them starts, it may be a well exploited subject, but they pulled of a great way to express it. The next three are the bonus songs, Hypnotized, is weird and addictive. Babykills, this is totally a vintage Motley Crue song and it fit well Corabi's voice, heck it could possible be vintage Crue at it's best! Livin' In The Know, is a good song that reflects the time the album was made and cry for help for the guys needing some time off(hahahahaha)... So here's the bottom line, it ain't party Crue that we're used to, but it sure is the best Crue, I know it may sound harsh, but I'll admit, I also didn't want to know s*** about this album, I just couln't picture somebody else singing in the Crue, but after I manage to hear this one, I give thanks that I bought it! Too bad the Crue only did one full studio album with Corabi, it would have been nice hearing Generation Swine with Corabi, but well at least they did one with him and it's the best Crue album!

Back in 1994, I purchased this release the day it came out and just last year trackdown the version with bonus tracks. This is my favorite Motley Crue release and the only one in my collection. That's because, I'm pissed at how the band treated John and refuse to listen to the Vince garbage. John Corabi's one of the best lead singers out their and rank him in the same league as Steven Tyler. I recently burned a CD with all my favorite tracks from John's work with the Scream, Motley Crue and Union. The end result is awesome and try it you will see just how talented he is.
If you love your metal with a bluesy edge and a vocalist that can sing just about any range. Than you'll wanted to buy this one and you'll love it. The best thing Motley Crue did was hire John and they signed their own death warrent when they fired him. Now I will admit that Mick, Nikki and Tommy had loads of talent. But they lacked a talented Lead Vocalist, to bring out their best. That's just what happened when John took over vocals. Their playing, songwriting, song selection made a 360 degree turn and they rocked. Probably the biggest surprise on this release is Mick Marrs guitar playing. With John playing rhythm guitar. This release, features the best guitar work from Mick
and a must have for any guitar fanatic. Also without a doubt the playing of Nikki and Tommy captures them at their best also. My favorite songs on this from first listening to it are: "Power To The Music", "Uncle Jack", "Hooligan's Holiday", "Misundertood", "Loveshine", "Hammered", "Till Death Do Us Part" and "Smoke The Sky". Now after 10 years, I have grown to like everything on the release and like all three of the bonus tracks. To bad both, "Hypnotizied" and "Livin' In The Know" where left off the original release. Either one could have been released as a single to follow up "Hooligan's Holiday". I have always felt that John took Motley Crue to the next level and was bummed that they went back to Vince. It's annoying how all these tracks are left off of all the Greatest Hits packages with John's vocals and that their fans whined about this release so much. But on the same hand the same fans love, "White Kids on Dope". That song is exactly the same style they did with John. The only difference being Vince can't sing that style and with John it never would have been written or released since it's so lame. Just think what Motley Crue's post '94 releases would have sounded like had they kept John around and not fired him in 1996. They most certainly would not have been so lame sounding and talentless as their releases where. Beating the same tired sound too death over and over again. Although the fans would have missed out on three awesome albums from Union and this Crue release. I wonder what would have happen had John flipped the bird to the Crue and just stayed with The Scream. Lastly, a couple of reviews mention that they should rerelease this with Vince doing vocals. To me that would be a sin and the fans would be better served with Motley Crue redoing all their albums with John Corabi doing Vocals. Then we would all see just how bad Vince really is and just how awesome John would make the band sound.
If your a huge fan of John Corabi like me. You will wanted to also buy the following with John on vocals: The Scream's- "Let It Scream", with Union(w/Bruce Kulick)- "Self-Titled", "Live In The Galaxy", and "The Blues Room". All are great discs and worth the listen.

I got into Motley Crue late. Growing up in the 80s I never even considered them until I heard "Dr Feelgood." I quickly became a fan of the band, snagging "Decade of Decadence" and immediately listing "Primal Scream" as a favorite song. But then Vince left, and I figured Motley was over. I bought all the other CDs and kept a skeptical eye on this new guy, Corabi (from some band called the Scream, which I never heard of). I bought the CD the day it was released... and HATED it. I was so disappointed with the thing. This was NOT Motley Crue. But then I wised the heck up. "Motley Crue" is the best Crue CD in my opinion. John Corabi's vocals are amazing and the songs are Motley's heaviest and darkest. Songs like "Hooligan's Holiday" to "Welcome to the Numb" to "Poison Apples" slam you in the face, while "Love Shines" sounds like a 60s influence to me; and "Driftaway" and "Misunderstood" are some of Motley's finest "ballads" (although, they don't really qualify as ballads.) I don't understand why this album did poorly. I think Motley fans just didn't give John a chance. It's a shame they didn't keep John for at least one more CD. I like "Generation Swine" with Vince. But it would have been much better with John's vocals. And then, instead of a CD showcasing the Crue's talent (which at least GS did), we got "New Tatoo," a rather bland, seemingly forced CD. "Motley Crue" remains one of my top 10 CDs. I wish Motley would have built off this album instead of ignoring it. But, at least John was able to move on and record the 2 great Union CDs. As of yet, I do not have the extra tracks... but I will soon, and can't wait. I can say, Babykills is AWESOME. It is more in the vein of older Crue than anything else on the CD. BUY THIS CD

I silll remember the day I got this album. Back then, it was 1994. Vince had left the Crue and ex-Scream's John Corabi was his replacement as lead vocalist. I didn't know what to expect after years of listening to Vince's distinctive voice, but after one listening, I became hooked to this album for many months to come. Reason? This must have been one of the heaviest and darkest album Motley Crue has ever released. Corabi had a very different approach as compared to Vince. With Vince, Motley Crue's songs had a 'fun and party' feel. But Corabi's approach brought about a heavier and gloomier Crue. This album has not been successful because many Crue fans have refused to try it. I believe any fans brave enough to buy this album won't be disappointed.

When I first heard this album I was hooked. The band got creative, they really wrote, an album that in my opinion, that will stand the test of time. "Motley Crue" is one of those sleeper albums and I'm glad other reviewers feel the same way. I've listened to this album at least once a week since I bought it in 1994, usually more. The band seriously could have used this album as a jump off point to better things and could have defined 'alternative' for the remainder of the 90's with something perhaps only Dave Mathews has prevailed at... musicianship. There's serious talent displayed on all counts on this album: Mick Mars excels playing the blues stuff and mixing in Beatlesque riffs, the definitive Nikki Sixx hook-bass-lines are everywhere as is his lyrical genius, and Tommy Lee hits every mark and doesn't do the normal drummer fills most pop-metal bands became accustomed too or the drone that's present on most modern 2-chord late 90's music. John Corabi, however, is what sets this album on edge. His voice is gutteral, yet poised, and he definitely relays the vibe of each song - If you don't believe me, just listen to Driftaway once and you'll understand. Even the video for Hooligan's Holiday showed a radical move away from the mainstream at the time. It was almost surreal a la Trent Reznor darkness... I really thought the band had come of age. The single "Primal Scream" had put them in that direction, but most of Generation Swine was a serious disappointment after "Motley Crue", with the exception of the Corabi co-written tracks. I still love the early stuff, but I wish they had taken the road less travelled...