I intended to review the Sixx: A.M. album Modern Vintage without bringing up Motley Crüe. But I find it necessary to make comparisons to both bands since Sixx is the founder of Crüe and Sixx: A.M. With the exception of their bubble-gum pop debut, Too Fast For Love, I was never a big Motley Crüe fan. Yeah, I bought some of their albums and went to many of their shows (for the entertainment value). Musically, though, they never clicked with me. Listening to any of their subsequent releases, I always found myself struggling through all the filler, getting to the one or two decent cuts. Crüe never batted .500 with me. And with Sixx’s wretched Brides of Destruction project of 2004, I just didn’t feel compelled to give Sixx: A.M. a second thought.
As I am now discovering, however, Sixx apparently kept all his better material for Sixx: A.M. In addition, to his benefit, he is also joined by a much better vocalist and guitarist. The opening cut is “Stars,” and it truly sets everything in motion, with its forceful drive. The opening guitar-riff is similar to “Ride,” a song originally recorded by guitarist D.J. Ashba’s former band Beautiful Creatures. I see no harm in one reworking a riff they had previously wrote (and most music fans never heard). It is important to kick off a release with a driving rocker, and Modern Vintage does so nicely with this hard-rocking, melodic track.
The band takes a daring, yet successful stab at covering The Cars’ “Drive.” Rather than just reproduce a faithful version, it’s given a whole new life. It never loses its introspective mood or melancholy feel, yet, aside from that, the track only vaguely resembles the original version. It sounds like a whole new song, and that is quite commendable. “Hyperventilate” is punk, not in a thrash sense, but in its snotty ‘tude. It resembles Crüe in its approach, but is less polished, and therefore more street savvy, a quality the entire Modern Vintage album possesses.
“Relief” is energetic with a funky backbone. Funk is not a style I had previously heard Sixx tackle before. It does not fail to meet its intentions either, working smoothly as a catchy groove. “Get Ya Some” has a Spanish flamenco-inspired intro before sneakily waltzing into an R&B, almost doo-wop feel. I absolutely admire the let’s-just-do-it determination from Sixx: A.M., another style I never previously heard from Sixx. It is this cut I must mention that Sixx also displays some four-string skills I never knew he possessed. Granted, he is no Jack Bruce, but there is quite a bit of jump in his step.
Overall, the mood of Modern Vintage shifts from hard rocking to medium-tempo to slow — without becoming a disjointed mess. The transition from track to track is smooth. Ashba, in addition to the aforementioned Beautiful Creatures, also recorded and toured with the Bullet Boys and Guns ‘N Roses. If you can win over Axl Rose’s fussy prerequisites, then that in itself speaks volumes. Ashba possesses the old-school guitar licks very much in the style Slash is known for, but with a bit more flair. He is never mindboggling, yet always more than sufficient. He knows what is needed, supplementing with what the respective tracks call for with a little added dash of finesse without overstepping boundaries. Modern Vintage isn’t a showcase for self-indulgence anyways. Ashba keeps it all in check, which puts him ahead of other guitarists that feel too tempted to razzle-dazzle at the risk of the song.
Vocalist James Michael — who produced Modern Vintage — has worked as a producer, songwriter and engineer with top-line artists such as Alanis Morissette, the Scorpions and Sammy Hagar. He has a very good voice, strong and forceful, but does lack a bit of distinction from other current hard rock vocalists. Michael does, however, possess a quality that feels as if he is leading the songs, rather than simply becoming another layer to the tracks. Modern Vintage lacks the Crüe mantra of “Party Til You Drop,” instead delving into the results of that lifestyle: the seediness, the depression and the aftermath. It is somber and dark, but it hides its mood well. It does not bring the listener down, instead sounding a bit more upbeat and optimistic. The 11 tracks proudly acknowledge their 70s and 80s roots (big melodic guitar and arena-rock choruses), but they are not tethered to those eras. They are uncontrived, very “today” and natural sounding; a modern-day approach in execution with a tinge of raw overtones. The material varies in mood and style, but it all comes together as one unified, cohesive force. The tracks are heavy, at times, without being abrasive, and mellow without becoming passive, all cloaked under a thin veil of moodiness.
Motley Crüe’s days are over (or at least until Sixx decides to pull out the reunion tour card somewhere down the line). However, there’s no need for any Crüe fan to be disappointed by the band’s as-of-now demise. If Sixx is consistent in his drive to putting out records like Modern Vintage, I fail to see why Crüe would ever be missed.
~ Bruce Forrest
