BRET MICHAELS
"Rock My World" (VH-1 Classic;
2008)
Reviewed by Metal Mark
Solo albums can be tricky because, inevitably, the largest audience group that is likely to be drawn to it are fans of the band that this artist is from. However, for the sake of originality, it doesn't prove a whole lot if the artist sounds just like the band they are known for. So we hope that they reach out a little and establish themselves and perhaps show some aspects we have not heard before.
Then, of course, there are those times when we hear the finished product and realize perhaps the artist simply should not have attempted a solo album. That's how I felt after I struggled through Bret Michaels' new release. Has everyone involved with this CD just completely forgotten what rock music should really sound like? Apparently so, since they let Bret go ahead and release this collection of emotionless tripe.
Okay, the songs are varied from one to another, which is usually a plus, but here it just comes across as different forms of weak songwriting and so-so playing. Bret has toured solo a lot in recent years and his summer tours with Poison typically get reviews they are a fairly consistent live act. So those two things had me thinking maybe he had something to offer here. Apparently, however, he had nothing yet he went ahead and slapped together some generic, watered-down tracks that lack any soul, direction or even any genuinely good moments.
Even his normally decent vocals sound rather bored here, almost as though he was sitting down, looking at his watch, and just punching out what was in front of him in order to get this over with and move on to the next money-making venture.
The best thing about Poison was they could be fun, but I can't imagine who this album could be possibly be fun for because it doesn't seem to do a whole lot of anything. Bret Michaels should obviously be thankful for his success on his reality show (of which I am proud to say I never watched) and the strength of Poison as a live draw in the summer because he may not get very far if he only had to depend on material like this to provide a career for himself.
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Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2008 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 18 Mar 2024 11:16:03 -0500.
