Until I purchased This Is Gonna Hurt, I had never listened to Sixx AM before. I had heard their name around, and knew that they were a side project of Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx, but had never bothered to check them out; now I am sorry that I didn't! This Is Gonna Hurt is the band's second full-length CD, following 2007's The Heroin Diaries. Both albums share titles with, and were inspired by books that Sixx released simultaneously.
I have to say that my first listening experience with this band was a very good one; it came as a very pleasant surprise! The band itself consists of three members: DJ Ashba on lead guitar, Nikki on bass, and James Michael performing vocals and all other instruments! Judging from what I have heard so far, I think they will have a very long and successful career ahead of them! I am definitely hooked, and eager to hear more from them!
As for the music, the songs were great; they were well-written, with great arrangements! The music holds the listener's interest, and the lyrics are thoughtful and intelligent. Some may find the lyrical content a bit disturbing, but they are written honestly about the band's personal experiences, both good and bad. I do have to admit that the music didn't sound like I expected it to. I have always been a big fan of Nikki's work with Motley Crue, and I was expecting this to have a very similar sound, but it really doesn't. So don't approach this CD expecting a Crue clone; you aren't going to find that.
The Sixx AM sound is primarily heavy rock with a more modern flavor, but there is much more depth than some of their contemporaries. There is also a lot of variety here. This is definitely a band that is very good at conveying a mood in their songs, making the listener feel things. Their use of unique instrumentation and sounds enhances this emotional impact...especially on several of the album's ballads, which contain some great acoustic guitar and keyboard work. The songs that I favored were: This Is Gonna Hurt, Lies Of The Beautiful People, Are You With Me, Live Forever, and the final track on the record, a song called Skin.
Listening to this was a real treat to me! For those who know Nikki as a member of Motley Crue, this album may take some getting used to at first, but those who take the time to check it out will be very glad they did; it's well worth the time and money. I give it four out of five stars, and recommend it very highly!
Happy listening!
No comments:
Post a Comment