| CD REVIEW Motörhead |
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Band : Motörhead It seems almost impossible, but in my personal experience Motörhead has never truly brough us a bad studio album. Every time again, you get to read reviews by those so-called "knowing" music journalists of these relatively big magazines, telling you that the Brits have brought you yet another album of boring music, as one might expect of the band...that each of the band's albums (with a few exceptions) is exchangeable for the other...and bla, bla, bla...and a bunch of other bullshit...and so on!!! If actual life was anything near that kind of people's wishful thinking, Motörhead should've died some 20 deaths already. Now tell me then, how comes that Motörhead still has such an incredibly big fanbase of loyal people who will actually go out to the shop to buy the new albums...very much in contrast to younger generation bands who see their albums copied or illegally downloaded from the Internet more often than anything? Oh well, let's not exagerrate, because I'm sure sóme youth will be getting themselves illegal copies of THIS album as well! But fans and media still appreciate the band overall, as proven by the fact that Motörhead finally got a Grammy award in 2005, and earlier this year Lemmy even received a Mojo Icon award. Personally, I've been amazed with each album by the band I've had the distinct pleasure and honour to review in these last couple of years, finding a surprise with each release. Just like its two predecessors, the new album was produced by Camron Webb (of Social Distortion, Zebrahead, Papa Roach and other fame). A major part of the album was recorded at former Nirvana's & Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl's 606 studios in Los Angeles. From the first tones of album opener "Runaround Man" to the closing notes of album closer "The Thousand Names Of God", I found myself riveted to the seat (with limbs and head moving rhythmically along with the enthralling melodies. Ask me which song on the album is my favourite, and I will look at you in awe, wondering whether you're really expecting me to choose one of the 11 songs over the others, whether you're really expecting me to do those other 10 songs the injustice of calling them "less" succeeded in some way! No, really...if I only got acqainted with Motörhead right now (which ain't exactly true, as I've known 'em since the beginning days...even if I didn't quite follow their career during the previous decade), I would go ranting about what a develishly good new act is now coming around the corner! There's a certain variety in the songs which simply prevents one from getting bored at any moment due to repetition, and each song is simply as catchy as the next. Oh, ONE song DOES jump out from the others through the use of some Spanish spoken sample both in the opening and during the song, but that is the only way it is truly different. As always, Lemmy's rhythmic bass sounds like a guitar, leaving Phil Campbell (with the band since 1984) room enough to concentrate on some solo passage, the whole steadily supported by the drum foundation of Mikkey Dee (entered 1992). I haven't found any trace of new track on either imotorhead.com or MySpace page, and I'm sure the old fan won't even need an introduction to the band...or a reason to buy the new album (you would have to be a very picky music lover to have to listen to each and every album before buying it...euhr...I've actually known people to act that way even with bands they claimed to be fans of!). The younger people may either wanna pick up an album from their parents' (or grand parents') collection (never forget to ask permission, kiddos!)...maybe even listen to vinyl for a change...and if they like what they hear, maybe they can even go to the store to have a listening session of the new album. I'm sure what they'll hear then may even please 'em even more! By the way, you may already have heard some material on the radio, since a special 4-track promo EP (containing the tracks "Rock Out", "Buried Alive", "Teach You How To Sing The Blues", and "English Rose")was sent out some 14 days before the actual European street date (consult data above as reference) of the album. At the moment (up to September 21) Motörhead is finishing a US tour with Heaven And Hell and Judas Priest. November will see the trio embarking on a European tour with Saxon and Danko Jones, starting with 15 gigs in the UK, shows in Holland (Tilburg), Belgium (Nov. 25 at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels) and France (Paris), before 8 gigs in Germany. The Scandinavian leg of that tour (6 dates in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland) will be done with Airbourne and Witchcraft as supports. Collectors item freaks may be interested in knowing that the album will also be released as limited first edition digipak (no info on possible bonus tracks) and as gatefold LP (that's vinyl baby, and don't we just lóóve that!). 92/100 Tony. |