Just in time for the summer season of cruising down the boulevard with your windows down, comes the first studio release from LA Guns in nearly 7 years entitled, “Hollywood Forever.” I advise not to walk, but RUN to your local record store and purchase (Yes, I said “purchase”…we MUST support our favorite artists!) this new collection of 14 tunes from the gritty and glamorous streets of Los Angeles.
The disk picks up right where “Tales from the Strip” left off. Offering crunchier riffs, more distortion, more hip shaking, more adrenaline and simply more pure rock and roll than anything I’ve heard in recent times, “Hollywood Forever” delivers that “feel good” shot of energy that I’ve been longing for. Too many bands these days, even the ones that have been around for as long as L.A.Guns, are getting too serious. They are over thinking what rock ‘n roll is meant to be. At its core, it’s about fun, good times, freedom and guitar solos for christ sake!
“Vine St. Shimmy” is proof positive that Phil Lewis & company still understands that principal; it has a great groove and is musically rooted in the vein of the Sunset Strip era. In fact, the majority of the tracks transport you to the heart of the City of Angels; a seductive neighborhood where good and evil course through the air, providing inspiration for many songwriters. The boys in LAG are obviously no exception, as each member is credited with various lyrical and musical contributions.
The band uses the city as their muse, with lyrics and melodies that reflect the wickedness that lurks in the dark shadows on tracks such as, “Hollywood Forever,” “Dirty Black Night,” and “Burn.” Where other songs focus on quintessential topics such as fast cars, fast women, and whiskey soaked nights, the band also includes some introspective tunes and one venomous track entitled, “Eel Pie,” leaving one to wonder who it was penned for. If you think hard enough, I’m sure you can make your own assumption. Nevertheless, it’s a fantastic song that sinks its teeth in deep, and is one of my favorite tracks.
Stacey Blades serves it up hot with plenty of high-flying guitar solos. His riff work spans the spectrum with the scorching intensity of “Burn” and “You Better Not Love Me” to the power surge of “Venus Bomb,” and the bluesy overtones of “Crazy Tango.”
You’ll certainly be able to detect familiar elements from earlier LAG classics in a host of songs however; they are intertwined with a renewed energy combined with the consistently crisp and pure vocals of Phil Lewis. You just can’t go wrong; every song has something attention-grabbing to offer.
So, what have we learned? Yes the economy is still circling the toilet, our politicians are corrupt, the earth is polluted with chemicals and bigotry, but ya know what? There’s this thing called a record, and you can simply put it on and turn it up and forget all those depressing things for a little while. I’m just thankful that we still have artists like L.A. Guns, who can help us reach that elusive euphoria, with nothing more than a little cocksure swagger and one goddamn great rock record.
