Album Review 2006
Rehab - Quiet Riot
Genre: Hard Rock/Blues/Metal
Review By: Jere
Album Specs:
1. Free
8. Beggars And Thieves
2. Blind Faith
9. Don't Think
3. South Of Heaven 10. It Sucks
To Be You
4. Black Reign
11. Evil Woman
5. Old Habits Die Hard
6. Strange Daze
7. In Harms Way
Track By Track Breakdown:
1. Free -
Right from the opening guitar chord doesn't sound like the Quiet Riot of
old with a monstrous modern sounding guitar riff and at first listen
I was asking myself if this was truly Quiet Riot but once Kevin Dubrow
opens his mouth and belts out his signature raspy howl there is no
denying that Quiet Riot have returned. The darker tone overwhelms Free
is what makes this song really good not to mention that the band has
come up with is catchy and full of unrefined emotion is the proof why
Quiet Riot's status remains important in 2006. I'm really impressed with
the attitude here as if the guys really did their homework and have
delivered a hard driving anthem that will put most of any modern act out
there today to shame... Its simply that good and surprisingly its the
essential song that is a much needed waked up call for those who thought
Quiet Riot's heyday was 23 years ago.
2. Blind Faith - The dark atmosphere
that was used for Free seems to work its way into the next song as the
guys mix it up a little bit more combining a mid-tempo build up to a
more addictive main chorus that fits flawlessly into the group's
signature sound. Kevin Dubrow sounds absolutely amazing thus far as he
keeps the drive going all the way through the entire track and even
though Quiet Riot has a new determination I think longtime followers
will be pleased with the maturity featured as if the song title is
asking everyone to put some blind faith into the new album and you will
be rewarded with a piece of music that not only features heavy guitars
but offers inspiration and guidance.
3. South Of Heaven - The energy
shifts slightly to a mellow guitar intro before another onslaught of
guitars continues their dominate supremacy however in difference to the
last two dark rockers the approach here is more laid back with a certain
southern rock element thrown into the mix. Just as much as Kevin is a
influential band member drummer Frankie Banali shows that he is the true
backbeat from this group laying down a very intense drum track which
helps put the rest of the group's performance over the top. Even though
the darker tones are far less structured Quiet Riot offer a upbeat track
with plenty of emotion and gritty persistence to offer more substance to
the songwriting then what most would care to give this band credit for.
4. Black Reign - It took a while but
listeners finally a more vintage sounding Quiet Riot track albeit a
funky alternative opening guitar riff Black Reign is chalked full of
several different influences that feel they were pulled from the late
70s rock scene. For some reason this song almost has an Audioslave vibe
to it in the sense that QR has meshed classic elements with a slick
modern production and from the sessions on this CD it sounds like
everyone had a fun time laying down solid hard rock grooves such as the
one prominently featured throughout this track. The fast pace keeps a
consistent vigor and the guys rarely take time to catch their breath, it
is simply amazing to hear a band that has been in the industry for so
long show everyone how true rock 'n' roll is supposed to be heard and
played.
5. Old Habits Die Hard - Usually
when someone thinks Quiet Riot they don't incorporate their pop metal
image to the blues and gospel but hey guess what the band has
incorporated both of these genres into the most diversive sounding track
on the entire release. It might surprise a few but I can assure everyone
its nothing that will make you squeamish in fact if anything it proves
that an old school pop metal band can definitely go even more old school
outshining most of their peers. Old Habits Die Hard has something that
even the most genuine music fan can appreciate with an incredibly
soulful delivery that is rarely achieved in today's haze of artistry.
6. Strange Daze - Getting back into
the ferocity that began on Rehab seems to only get better as the track
list progresses not only that but more classic elements can be heard
while a fist pounding chorus results in a pure adrenaline rush of
swagger and rage. Quiet Riot haven't failed to deliver a bad song thus
far and to hear the aggression keep building it feels as if this powder
keg has set to really explode as halfway through the rush and the guys
have delivered solid anthem after solid anthem and after hearing Strange
Daze I am genuinely stunned with the outcome of this disc since I
definitely wasn't expecting songs of this magnitude but as always
surprise is always welcomed in my book.
7. In Harms Way - If listening to
this album will put you into a figurative musical rehab then Kevin
Dubrow and crew have supplied rock fans with an album that truly shines.
In Harms Way for me is the standout track on the entire disc and for
good reason too Dubrow applies the single most addictive chorus that
I've heard in quite a while and just his delivery is top notch and all
the components featured only make for an enjoyable listen. The
playability factor is insane as the addiction is fed by the instantly
likeable chorus I mean no matter how hard you try you can't deny how
memorable the songwriting is and in the end I feel this will be a guilty
pleasure for every fan who picks up this CD.
8. Beggars And Thieves - The guys
bring the tone down attacking a blues tinged number without even
breaking a sweat. Beggars and Thieves continues to build on the album's
already impressive track record and who would of guessed that Quiet Riot
meshed with the blues would end up sounding so perfect together? To play
the blues is a challenge but to hear these guys put a their take on it
with this number its just downright impressive and the best is saved for
last with a gritty ear splitting guitar solo that would make even the
most die hard blues fan take notice. I think its safe to say that if
there is any weak tracks on this release that it most likely won't
effect the general outcome of this disc.
9. Don't Think - Frankie Banali and
bassist Tony Franklin make one impressive rhythm section as they lay the
groundwork of Don't Think as the bluesy overtones continue to make their
dominance felt. While not as addictive as Beggar and Thieves this piece
is just pure musicianship run amuck and I don't even have to mention
Dubrow's vocals as through the entire album he has proven himself time
and time again. The guitars while coarse have a crisp sound through and
through and its just nice to hear guitars sound like actual guitars
again without any distortion or toned down sound but then again I don't
think that would be something Quiet Riot would resort to as they want to
capture their sound in the purest form possible.
10. It Sucks To Be You - Definitely
the most noticeable characteristic that sticks out with this next number
is the track title itself and sure musicianship is a big part of making
a great album but on the other hand it doesn't hurt to have some clever
song titles as well and nothing says it better then It Sucks To Be You.
Even though the band gets the anger and aggression out there are several
fun aspects that make this track a fun listen and a great sing along
chorus its hard not to shout out It Sucks To Be You along with Kevin
Dubrow. If you can't have a blast listening to this one then you need to
relax a bit more and loosen up as Quiet Riot supply the means to express
your feelings in various manners.
11. Evil Woman - Quiet Riot conclude
their latest studio opus the same way the broke into the charts with a
cover song. Now granted this isn't Cum On Feel The Noize, in fact its a
cover of Spooky Tooth's 1969 classic Evil Woman and if that isn't
impressive enough world reknown vocalist Glenn Hughes trades a duet back
and forth with Dubrow and the final result is a very classy cover and
although doing cover songs will subject artists to being criticized for
a lack of originality it's no secret that Quiet Riot has spent the last
23 years proving people wrong and I think if this cover was done without
Hughes in the mix it would of come off as being lackluster but to hear
two prominent rock vocalists belting out lyrics left and right fits into
the overall quality of this massive release.
The Rundown:
Quiet Riot certainly have one of the most well-known legacies in the
history of the metal/hard rock genre and definitely proved to be one
of the true innovators of the last 20 years. If it wasn't for this
band mainstreams popularity metal wouldn't have been as significant
as it was in the music industry. Everyone knows the history of how
the original incarnation of QR was the launching pad for the
legendary guitar god Randy Rhodes but it wasn't until Randy's
departure to play guitar in Ozzy Osbourne's band that Quiet Riot
topped the charts with their world renowned 1983 release: Metal
Health. As the decade progressed Quiet Riot tried to capitalize on
their success with several follow up albums but could never quite
capture the magic of Metal Health which in turn lead to the group's
demise by the end of 80s. The original Metal Health line up reformed
in the late 90s and released several albums including 1999's Alive
and Well a mixture of several new songs and some rerecorded hits and
was followed by 2001's Guilty Pleasures yet a combination of
resentment, bruised egos, and stress got the best of this line up
and led to the break up of Quiet Riot in 2003.
Over the next year vocalist Kevin Dubrow released a solo album of
covers entitled In For The Kill but the hunger to resurrect the
Quiet Riot moniker happened in 2005 as longtime members Dubrow and
Frankie Banali were joined by bassist Chuck Wright and guitar wiz
Alex Grossi as this new version of QR signed on with the Rock Never
Stops tour supporting headliners Cinderella and being joined by hard
rock alumni's Ratt and Firehouse. The tour itself was highly
successful but it did feel like Dubrow and Banali were milking the
nostalgic factor with this latest incarnation of a once great metal
band. As '05 quickly became 2006 came a shocking announcement that
L.A. Guns/Brides Of Destruction guitarist Tracii Guns joined the
ranks and plans were to record a new Quiet Riot album but a few
short weeks of the announcement of Guns arrival came the
announcement that because of contrasting musical styles this form of
Quiet Riot would not becoming to fruition. The next few months
basically became a revolving door of musicians and some questioned
if a lasting version of this new Quiet Riot could survive let alone
record a new studio album worthy of the Quiet Riot name.
With Rehab Kevin and Frankie are joined by Tony Franklin and session
guitarist Neil Citron as they try to bring back to life the
attitude, the magic, and the quality that garnered Quiet Riot
success... Will this new album solidify the group's legendary status
or like the title suggest is Rehab what this band desperately needs?
+'s (Positives):
+ Sharp Vocals/Heavy Guitars:
Don't let the fact that Kevin Dubrow is in his early 50s fool you
the man has retained his voice extremely well and its quite shocking
how amazing his voice has held up for this long. Guys half his age
don't sound this great and I think it just goes to show that a hard
rock singer such as himself has only got better with age. I will
admit I haven't heard the name Neil Citron but after listening to
Rehab I am an instant fan of his guitar playing as he compliments
Kevin's vocals near perfectly throwing down one impressive riff
after another. If this any proof that there can be a Quiet Riot
after the Metal Health era then the guys have proved that true rock
'n' roll will never die no matter what incarnation of the band this
is... The fact is this is, in my book, the most rousing incarnation
of this band to date.
+ Amazing Variation: Without a
doubt this one of the year's most driving hard rock releases I am
beyond impressed with the gamut of influences that the guys have
thrown down here from blues to gospel to hard rockin' anthems that
fans have come to know and love Rehab contains something for
everyone who are fans of the hard rock genre and then some. Old
Habits Die Hard is where the shock factor came in and crossed
several genres perfectly. I think for anyone who thinks that Quiet
Riot fits into that mold of generic metal bands from the 80s they
should definitely hear this track as its the furthest thing from it.
-'s (Negatives):
- Modern Production Might Scare Some Away:
This is not the Quiet Riot of 1983 so if anyone expects this to be
an album that is full of cheesy metal tunes about partying and
getting women etc. it won't be found here instead Kevin and Frankie
have evolved this form of the band where they fit into today's
musical society and even though it is a bit more modern sounding the
maturity on this disc is what puts this album over the top.
- Majorities Will Miss Out: The
only sad thing is even though the guys released this new album on
their own dime it won't be heard by everyone out there and this is a
CD that truly needs to be heard by every hard rock fan out there as
its 100% quality and I think even most of today's metal fans would
appreciate what was done here. For a veteran rock act that can
remain relevant is what most musicians try to do through the span of
a career and Quiet Riot have done in pure class.
Overall:
If I were to give out an award for Most
Shocking Comeback of 2006 hands down Quiet Riot would win as I simply
can't get over what has been accomplished on this album. When it comes
to Quiet Riot I am a novice fan who knew them for their two biggest
hits: Cum On Feel The Noize and Metal Health (aka Bang Your Head) but I
was intrigued once I heard that Kevin and Frankie were determined to get
a new studio album out to fans this year. Like I said above it kind of
feels like that now that its just mainly Kevin and Frankie behind the
group's direction that they were doing this to ride the nostalgia train
into classic rock history. Boy am I one that hates to eat my own words
but if I have to then all I have to say is pass the ketchup as being
wrong has never tasted (or in the case of this album sounded) this good.
It seems that I am always genuinely stunned whenever something comes out
and is really good but a majority of what I listen to these days I'm
aware of when its coming or what to expect from bands when they
introduce a new album to the world but very rarely will there be an
album that just hits and naturally surprises the hell out of me.
Rehab is a very fitting title since it only took one listen and now it
feels like I have to enter rehab to recover from the chaos that Quiet
Riot have unearthed. Even with the rock genre in shambles this is the
album that Quiet Riot so desperately needed to silence any naysayer as
Kevin and Frankie can grin ear to ear with assurance that they have
created an album that encompasses the absolute best traits of rock,
blues, soul, gospel and a solid songwriting foundation which is the main
prerequisite for designing the ideal rock album. Rarely can an
established band mount a comeback such as this but everyone can be rest
assured that the 20+ years of experience that Dubrow and Banali put into
Quiet Riot's current rehabilitation plan is both innovative and
reinvigorating.
Mere words can't sum up this album you have to hear this one for
yourselves even if you're doubting if there can be a Quiet Riot without
the entire '83 lineup I think Rehab will shock even the most devoted
purist. It is simply required as one of 2006's must get albums... If
you're a true rock fan at heart don't pass Rehab up as putting some
Blind Faith into this album will result in one of the year's best
payoffs.
Final Rating
For "Quiet Riot - Rehab":
0.95 Points = Transitions /
Order
1 Point = Fun Factor
1 Point = Instruments / Vocal Sound
1 Point = Writing / Lyrics
1 Point = Overall Design / Feel
Overall Total: 4.95/5
Favorite Songs:
In Harms Way, Blind Faith, Free, Beggars and Thieves, South Of
Heaven, Old Habits Die Hard
For more on Quiet Riot visit the following websites: www.kevindubrow.com - www.frankie-banali.com - www.myspace.com/quietriotrehab