Album Review

Michael Monroe – Sensory Overdrive

• 21st Feb 2011

The former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe releases a new Album ‘Sensory Overdrive’ on the 14th of March and begins a 13 –date UK Tour in April. For those of you unfamiliar with Mr Monroe, he was voted as ‘Sex Symbol of the year’ by Kerrang in 1984….and that ‘Hanoi Rocks’ influenced a generation of big hair rockers from Vince Neil to Axl Rose. The new Album sees him team up with Ginger from ‘The Wildhearts’ (anyone remember them?) and Steve Conte of the New York Dolls.

So, from just looking at the line-up the musical territory is familiar – a mix of brash swaggering vocals overlaying blues chord progressions hearkening back to a time of skin tight jeans and Michael J Fox. There is a definite Aerosmith influenced sound here (possibly because of Jack Douglas, producer of Aerosmith and John Lennon) in tracks like ‘All you need’ while other tracks are punk edged and have more of a European feel like ‘Debauchery is a fine art’. So, is it any good?

In quick answer, no, not very. Individually the pieces fit: the guitars are smooth and growling, vocals are balls-out and delivered with punch. The drumming is particular is skin-tight and there some truly scorching Harmonica solos from Mike Monroe. However, there are few strong melodies and this is where the record really falls down. Not one song gets out of third gear and it trundles along at Reliant Robin pace for 40 minutes. You never hear if Mike can really sing or not and his range is never tested. The hooks and beats are good but whenever there is a sniff of a good chorus line, the melody splutters and sinks and you are left feeling disappointed.

You could argue that perhaps the Album is more punky than the obvious comparisons (Guns and Roses, Motley Crue etc.) but the producer has failed to get the best out of Mike Monroe which is a shame, or even the mediocre, which is a travesty. With the talent on the record Jack Douglas seems to have struggled to turn each song into a dirge rather than a song. Even the ‘ballad’ of the record ‘All you need’ would only warrant as an Album track on a well, a ‘Warrant’ record.

Overall, the Album is not bad, just not very good and a huge disappointment given the quality of musicians engaged in its genesis. I think both Matt Monroe fans and Hanoi Rocks fans alike will be disappointed in having to pay £10 for a new Ash tray / Coaster to use.

Rating 1/5