POISON “Native Tongue†Capitol * *Even...
POISON “Native Tongue†Capitol * *
Even if Poison’s time weren’t past--the commercial “pop†metal genre where it reigns is no longer the rock du jour --the L.A. group’s fifth album would still fall short.
The band seems to be trying to show some growth, heading in a slightly different, less fluffy direction behind talented new guitarist Richie Kotzen and a few guests, including percussionist Sheila E. and Lynyrd Skynyrd pianist Billy Powell.
But “Native Tongue†is not enough of a stretch to shake the quintet’s pursed-lips poseurs tag--the lyrics and image plod over well-worn ground. Poison might be musically tougher and more bluesy on these 15 tracks, but that doesn’t make up for an abundance of predictable, bland ballads and banal, middle-of-the-road rockers. Notable are the simple, gospel-tinged “Stand†and “7 Days Over You,†which harks back to the catchy, sing-along style found in earlier Poison fare such as “Unskinny Bop.â€
New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent).
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