Customer Reviews

Thickskin

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Erase all your past memories of Skid Row because this is the "New Generation" as exclaimed by Solinger and company on the opening track. The song is propelled by a Marilyn Manson style riff. The industrial riffs are abandoned quickly, as "Ghost" is classic Skid Row metal. It's loaded with catchy hooks and a memorable chorus. The group proves that haven't lost a step when it comes to songwriting either. "Born a Beggar" starts off with a great twangy guitar intro, as the deep vocals of Solinger describe one's devotion to their significant other. The group goes in the opposite lyrical direction on "See You Around", a moving power ballad about breaking up. The chunky guitars of "Thick is the Skin" boast more of the updated sound, as does "Mouth of Voodoo". "Lamb" has a wicked baseline and a distinguished chorus. I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't tell you how the remake of "I'll Remember You" is. The new up-beat tempo is better than the previous, but after hearing both versions, Bach's vocals would have been better.

Bottom Line:
Thickskin is one of my favorites of this year. It's heavy, the songs are well written, and the guitar hooks are memorable, and radio friendly. The band manages to keep their classic sound, but updates it to stay fresh. However, I don't think of Skid Row when I listen to this CD. I'm sure they needed the name to help promote it, but the music really stands on it's own. If the name Skid Row wasn't used on this album, I think the music would be able to tear up the rock radio charts. I can't believe the rock friendly record labels passed on this.

This CD is great, Rather than try and rehash an old formula just to sell records, Snake and the boys came up with a fresh new aproach that should still keep the die hards happy. From the first track "New Generation" you know what to expect. Heavy and energetic rock is back. No the singer is not Sebastian, But he is very talented in his own right. As was the case before, the song writing is what carries Skid Row. If bands never evolve, eventually they put out boring material. This is not boring at all. Buy this album! You wont regret it.

You will not be dissapointed in this release by the new SKID ROW!
I am 42 years old, a former rock club DJ and part time WCMF radio DJ from the 80's.
I was there when metal oriented rock ruled the world, and it's unfortunate that today's crap is what's being forced down our throats. It's also unfortunate that this album isn't gettin' any attention.
I'm not kiddin' you when I say that this album is one of the best albums I have ever heard.
Yeah SKID ROW when they came out were great... Bach on vocals was perfect..... Yeah, yeah, yeah....
Solinger does an awsome job, and have you heard Bach lately? He's lost it!
Every song on this album rocks from start to finish, and would get airplay on my radio station... if and when I win that LOTTO!
I was a friend of Newburgh, NY's own Rob Affuso... but hearing Phil Varrone on drums doesn't make me miss Rob at all.
The song writing of Rachel Bolan & Snake Sabo along with Scotti Hill on the heavy-rockin "Hittin' the Wall" are great... simply great! Johnny Solinger helped out in writing "Mouth of Voodoo", and a couple of outside writers helped out in a couple of other tunes.
The boys are in the studio right now workin' on their follow-up to Thick Skin. I only hope that they now get some major label attention.

Well lets see, Sebastian Bach, the front man that most of us 30 something people recognize. He was the voice behind one of the best hard rock bands in the late 80s. Most people forgot about them as grunge took over, even when they released Subhuman Race in the early 90s. I for one never forget. And what I also do is keep on open mind when one of my favorite bands decide to do a little changing of the order. Sebastian has moved on to other things. He still makes music and has appeared on Broadway in the lead of Jeckly and Hyde if I'm not mistaken. The rest of the band was not ready to call it quits. I can't blame them, when you love music and you have a passion for it, you can't stop. I'm a singer; I know those feelings.
Anyhow, when a band changes, some people are not ready to accept them as the same. Some people don't even want to really give the new project a chance. I've read some reviews so far, and the album is being ripped more than appreciated. I'm here to tell you, I appreciate it. I didn't look at who is the new singer just yet for I listened to the CD in a store on the way out. I was pleasantly surprised. Sure it's not Bach, but you know what? He was the front man of yesterday. Today is a new day, and the stlye of music has changed. It's become heavier, harder, deeper, and sometimes darker. I feel the boys of Skid Row have done a phenominal job at mixing in with todays artists and groups. Will they get radio play? Come on, Unless you're Bon Jovi or Poison and this is a pop station, no. They are Skid Row, they are 80's, and they will probably not be given a chance to show today's generation that they can still rock. Perhaps they should have changed their name instead. It doesn't matter. They are still Skid Row, they are still making cutting edge music, and I for one will make sure I see them when the come to Pittsburgh. I recomend this album for every metal fan out there, young and old. You won't be dissappointed. If you are, the next time you play the cd, make sure you really listen to it. Open you're mind, and forget the hair. This is good stuff.

It's an absolute shame this cd has not recieved more attention.I happen to be one of the disbelievers.I didn't think this band could go on without Bach.Now I hope they keep going forever without him.You'll like this album the first run through it.If you like any Skid Row cd you must add this to your collection.Bach is not in the band anymore(one of the best metal voices).Get over it, I did

Skid Row is one of the best metal bands to come out of their era. When I saw them open for Kiss a few years ago my love of their music was re-ignited. I also realized that they didn't need Sebastian Bach and their new singer coulod sing just as good as him. When I found out they had a new CD I bought it. At first I didn't know what to think because it is different than their older stuff. I soon realized that every freaking song on the CD is awesome, not a single note wasted. Don't get me wrong it is pure metal but with a more "modern" sound except that it is way better than a lot of the crap put out by "modern" bands. If it wasn't for the "predjudiced" attitude todays rock radio has towards 80's metal bands, this CD would rule the airwaves as well as the hardcore/underground scene. It is a very solid, rocking CD which I would HIGHLY recommend to even the non Skid Row/80's metal fan.

"Slave to the Grind" is one of my favorite albums ever. Not just the great musicianship and vocals, but its HEAVY and has balls. That's why I was excited about this long overdue new SR album. Being a hater of "alternative" and "new rock" I found a lot of this CD getting dangerously close to that (Goo Goo Dolls, Nickelback in places). It is good-just expected something different and better from them. "Thick is the Skin" is very good as are a few others, but it just doesn't do it for me. I maybe shouldn't have said "alternative" earlier, but too close to the crap being pushed today.

I'll preface this by saying that I never have taken a side in the divorce. I just know that Skid Row made two of the best albums of last decade (Subhuman would have ranked #1, if not for a young genius, who may actually belong in his own genre).

And on the surface, Johnny Solinger is a good idea for a replacement... a new voice, but with some of Sebastian's flourishes. Rachel and Scotti and Snake are still here. New drummer, no biggie. Let's get ready for a great album #4, right?

Sorry. I'm afraid the divorce was permanent, and there's no going back.

This band would be lucky to open for even a mid-level nu-rock act, the material is that weak. Solinger really brings nothing to the table, no highlights or surprises, very few harmonies, and no creativity. And Phil Varone on the drums just makes the whole album drag. Self-producing this album was not a very good idea. The songs feel like touch-ups of a jam session, and a warm-up jam session at that. I Remember You Two is far inferior to Unforgiven II, and that's saying something... to try to have fun with a track, and not be able to, that just says it all. I'll admit, I was gripping pretty hard when I heard the first single on the website, with the rather scant lyrics and the juvenile "hey! hey! hey!"s... and the worst came true, it's the second best track on the album. Keep "Ghost" and flush the rest, I'm serious.

This album reminds me exactly of Crue's New Tattoo... you just wonder how all semblance of talent just falls away, and how dramatically it does so. Was this not a wickedly talented band, not so long ago? Aerosmith persisted over time, so did Metallica... they changed, sure, but they also made music that was unique and listenable. This band isn't Skid Row. It's Rachel and Snake struggling... and while I pray for them, I'm not coming out to a show or buying another album, unless they can demonstrate their spark once again. Getting Rob back, making Johnny work as hard as Sebastian did, hiring a great producer, and building 5 inspired tracks for a new EP would be a good start.

Many bands go through lead vocalist changes and release good music although it isn't as popular or isnt excepted by many of the fans. One example is when John Corabi replaced Vince Neil in Motley Crue, although the album wasn't liked by many of the fans, that album was one of the best albums that they ever did..."Thickskin" is exactlly the same way. Johnny Solinger isn't a Sebastian Bach clone, but his vocals works very well with the music. The heavy songs will remind you of the glory days when Skid Row were at the top, but the soft songs will remind you of Matchbox 20 meets the Goo Goo Dolls. Don't purhase this album if you are expecting another "Slave To The Grind", but purchase this album if you want to listen to a band that has changed and grown-up over the years, but yet hasnt lost their abillity to rock.

The day this album came out I ran down to a few record shops and was glared at as though I had three heads. "Skid Row?" They asked! Well, after fighting the desire to reach over the counter and.... Why don't we move on before I make myself sound like a psycho?

I hunted down the album a few days later and couldn't wait to pop it in. I listened to it about five or six times that night to make sure I gave it a fair shake. I also played it for a few friends and got their take. Their take was more or less the same as mine. The album is good, but it's just too modern sounding.

What songs do I mean are too modern? New Generation, while a song I actually like, sounds far too much like a Manson song, who I don't like at all. Ghost is a typical modern half asleep sounding song. And, Swallow Me is a decent song but just sounds so much like the rather dull metal that is on the air these days. Not even close to being as good as 18 & Life or Monkey Business.

But, there are some good songs. Born a Begger, for instance. Also good are Thick is the Skin, One Light, See You Around, Lamb, Down from Underground, Hittin' a Wall, and I Remember You Two all are very good songs and are songs that are not the "ho hum" boring metal (see Staind) of today.

Overall, I was not disappointed. I actually like the album a lot. For what it's worth, all the songs, even the ones that are too modern sounding, are as good as if not better than what is on the radio today. So, why aren't they being played in heavy rotation? Good question. I guess it's because the boys are not puppets like the modern bands. Also, promotion of the album is horrible. There is no track listings or even a cover art photo on his page. Why not? It's as big of a mystery as how many licks it takes to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop.

That said, give the boys credit for what they have done production wise. The entire album was produced by them as well. So, a few tunes that I could take or leave and a few that I really like a lot. Overall, I'd advise checking out a few songs and if you like what you hear, buy it. It's up to us, as fans, to buy good albums when they do come out. Far too many good albums go unheard because of unprofessional promotion and because a modern boring band releases something and that gets full attention. Ifi you are capable of buying an album with your heart, with your mind, with your soul, and not because somebody like MTV tells you to, buy Thicksin.