New Tattoo

Japanese version of the ninth album for the Crue, their first proper album since their 1997 release 'Generation Swine' and their first without drummer Tommy Lee. Includes the first single 'Hell On High Heels' + 2 Japanese only bonus tracks,'1st Band On Th

Forget about everything else Motley Crüe has released in the 1990s--their self-titled 1994 release and its follow-up, Generation Swine, are embarrassments. Instead, wrap your ears around New Tattoo. This is what this band has always been all about: riffs, hooks, sass, raunch, and hair. Except for the fact that they're older and have replaced Tommy Lee with Randy Castillo, going by the band photos in the CD booklet, this could be 1989. True, the Crüe also seem to have gained at least a little wisdom--the prostitute in "Hell on High Heels" has HIV, fame clearly has its downside in "Fake," and instead of indulging in "Girls, Girls, Girls," the boys have evidently discovered the joys of safe cyber-sex in "Porno Star." On the other hand, the title track is a love song; they evidently miss the old days so much that they're willing to go to outer space for the chance to have that much fun again ("1st Band on the Moon"); and their romances are as problematic as ever ("Hollywood Ending," "Punched in the Teeth by Love"). With New Tattoo, the Crüe have recaptured the essence of what made them superstars. Whether that'll happen again is open to question, but it's still a good argument for sticking to what you're good at. --Genevieve Williams