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11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly, A Good Album...3.5 stars, August 13, 2005
Having never heard a Tommy Lee solo record, I thought that I would try this one out. It just seemed to appear out of nowhere. I just happened to see "Good Times", the lead single on MTV one day and I asked myself, I didn't know that Tommy Lee was coming out with another solo record. I am glad he did because this one is definitely worth while.
While there is nothing innovative or truly outstanding here, this is a good album that is definitely above average. There are several good tracks on this albums with good contributions from Lee himself as well as several guest artists. Flaws are that this album sometimes seems overproduced and towards the end specifically, it loses the steam that it had developed at the beginning. The perks of this album are that it is just the right length, 38 minutes only, and that it isn't a dull listen. It spans hard rock as well as punk/emo and even a little more of an adult contemporary/adult rock type feel on "Good Times". Here is a rundown of the tracks:
1. "Good Times"- This track has a nice fresh punk/emo type feel. Production here is very well done. The guitars are nice and enthusiastic sounding. Great way to start of the album. I like the grit within the vocals; it is just right for this type of song and this specific song. Very well done. My very favorite track featured on the album.
2. "Hello Again"- nice sounding arrangement with driving guitars. The guitars may just be a bit over enthusiastic (too driving) here, but overall I love to sound, or at least the concept of this song at the least. Sometimes the vocals get lost within the arrangement due to the driving guitars.The bridge is a bit overdone, but that is only a minor flaw. Definitely another decent listen if not the slightest bit over the top.
3. "Tryin' To Be Me"- slightly overproduced on this track; just a bit too guitar heavy. Despite that, I do like the overall effect of the guitars and the sound-- it gives you the whole rock & roll atmosphere. It is just a bit over the top. This song is just ok. I think that it is trumped by "Good Times" and "Hello Again". This sounds more Motley Crue-esque where the sound is concerned. Average.
4. "Sister Mary"- Very nice chord changes and nice arrangement here. By this point, you see that Tommy Lee leaves alone the adult-contemporary feel that was such a success on the opener "Good Times". He opts for his heavy-driven guitar roots. However, it works better here than "Tryin' To Be Me". Nice catchy track here. Very well done.
5. "The Butler" [interlude]
6. "Tired"- Again, Tommy Lee goes for punk/emo. Again, he achieves it very well. To be his age, and being a veteran hard-rocker, Tommy Lee pulls off this style very, very well. The driving guitars and the effects here are nearly flawless and the vocals with Joel Madden from Good Charlotte are awesome. Great chords, arrangements. One of the best tracks on this album. This one really rocks!!!
7. "I Need You"- Nice synths and drum programming here. Nice rhythmic feel overall here. With Andrew McMahon here, a great upper register of vocals as well as falsetto are demonstrated. He pulls it off very well here exploiting the smoky quality of his vocals (is Tommy or Andrew singing?). Either way, this is another good track.
8. "Make Believe"- from the opening of this track, I could tell this was more filler material than anything. Nothing stunning or new here and compared to tracks before it, it is probably the weakest track as of yet. It's OK, but nothing stunning.
9. "Makin' Me Crazy"- nice electric piano opening. Nice contrast of timbre, etc. Good collaboration here, overall. Again, nothing incredibly innovative, but ok. Nice break in this song.
10. "Watch You Lose"- not bad. Not my favorite, but still a solid listen.
11. "Say Goodbye"- average.
12. "Hello Again"- nice acoustic take on this song here.
Overall, while this album might not be the next greatest innovation in music or specifically rock music, it is a good solid album that is worth a listen. 3.5 stars.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Every Great Artist takes different directions at times!, August 9, 2005
I think it's great when an artist goes out on a limb and shows the world different aspects of their talents. Lenny Kravitz, Prince, U2, Sting, and Bowie just to name a few have all explored their versatile musical sides. I know many of the ol Crue fans will be upset or turned-off because this album has a commercial feel. Well, let's go back and think about it for a minute. Motley Crue was an 80s hair-band that rocked, however, they were commercial. This album's arrangements and vocals are excellent. Although it's "cross-over" the songs come off like classics. My Favs are "Make Believe" and "I need You." Tommy well done. Now we know you can rock, rap, drum, write, produce, sing, and arrange. Most of the selections are very original and appeal to a wider audience. This is a must have, run to the record shop.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great album- a must have, December 12, 2005
This is a great CD! I loved some of the tunes on Tommy's first solo Cd "Never A Dull Moment", but this CD is even better.
"Good Times" is such an addictive jam to me. I've listened to it over and over. Great to just crank up in the car while smoking a cigarette. That song alone is worth the price of the CD.
"Hello Again" has grown on me after a couple listens. Both the regular and the acoustic versions are nice.
"Watch You Lose" is a phenomenal song, though one that might get overlooked by many. Be sure to check it out. My second favorite after "Good Times".
"Tired" is a unique and fun song... just goes to show you that no matter how great things might appear for some well known people, they still can end up feeling miserable at the end of the day.
"Tryin to be Me" is on the same theme. According to Tommy, fame and fortune aren't as "painless" as they might seem. Reminds me of Lindsay Lohan's "Rumors"...the message being "Leave me alone tabloid reporters and let me live my life!"
"Say Goodbye" is a nice ballad. I didn't realize Carter was singing with him on that. That's cool.
"I Need You" is a great song-- eerie sounding and another standout on the record.
All in all, you gotta get this Cd if you're a rock fan. He features different vocalists and artists on it, but... the best part overall is the songs themselves and Tommy's singing, which to me is fantastic just as it is. I'd give it 5 stars, but, when I think five stars, I think Def Leppard "Hysteria" or something, so that's why I give it 4.
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