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In 2005, after the return of Tommy Lee, Motley Crue released their anthology titled "Red, White & Crue," preceded by two singles, "If I Die Tomorrow" and "Sick Love Song", and followed in 2006 by the live album "Carnival Of Sins". The band released two versions of the album, one on double CD with numerous tracks, and another on a single disc, more streamlined and selective in capturing their discography starting from "Live Wire" (1981) up to "New Tattoo" (2000).
The collection follows the chronology of the albums almost without exceptions, presenting us with most of the hits that made the fortune of the band with the Shakespearean name. It starts with "Live Wire" from the eponymous album, still strongly tied to punk, with an excellent initial bass loop by Nikki Six which is quickly joined by Vince Neil's voice as he starts to shout in his, not always appreciable, habit. Following is "Piece Of Your Action" which is memorable for the excellent initial bass drum roll that was later picked up by Offspring and Green Day ("Walking Contradiction") and by its rather catchy chorus.
The album changes and so do the points of reference for the band, which with "Black Widow" and "Looks That Kill" quickly delve into the glam rock standards with sparkling guitars, powerful bass, and a screaming voice that, however, betrays a certain monotony. "Too Young To Fall In Love", one of their most successful compositions, and one of the most famous Yankee rock songs of the 80s, with Tommy Lee’s choruses emphasizing the verse and preparing the chorus, and "Shout At The Devil", known for the scandalous uproar over its lyrics, precede the famous "Girls Girls Girls". This latter track is the anthem of the group, which has been quite inclined to the allure of female charm, introduced by the roar of a Harley and enriched by a fine solo by Mick Mars and a remarkable change of pace halfway through the track.
"Wild Side", "Kickstart My Heart", "Dr. Feelgood", and "Primal Scream" add little to the album, but at least they testify to the definitive choice of the metal direction while still demonstrating an ever-increasing attention to melody and easily memorable choruses (the power of the almighty dollar!). Finally, something different comes along with "Home Sweet Home", an ultra-romantic ballad that pushed "Theater Of Pain" to the top of the charts worldwide, characterized by an intro performed by Tommy Lee on the piano and, in this collection, by a remix that slightly modifies it at this beautiful moment. John Corabi's participation in the band is remembered thanks to the engaging "Hooligans' Holiday" and the appreciable "Beauty", which precede the beautiful "Bitter Pill" dedicated to an insane love and madness story, melodic and powerful just enough for the singles market. From "New Tattoo," the forgettable "Hell On High Heels" is chosen, which stands out only for a hint of a guitar solo halfway through the song, while the work closes with the aforementioned "If I Die Tomorrow", a conventional metal-ballad co-signed by Simple Plan, and "Sick Love Song", another hard-pop track that adds little to the just-traced picture.
A three, three&a half is deserved by the anthology, if only because it gathers the most significant tracks from the band’s discography and does not recover, as in the two-disc edition, pointless and repetitive songs. It's a pity for the absence of "Public Enemy #1", whose guitar loop has been plundered multiple times (Bad Religion in "New America") and could have replaced the non-transcendental "Piece Of Your Action".
In September of this year, a month after an excellent summer performance at the Gods Of Metal, Tommy Lee leaves the band once again due to legal issues arising from an episode of the reality show "Tommy Lee Goes To College", but from the "World's Most Infamous Rock Band", we expect this and more...
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