I have to start this review by saying that I can't stand Sebastian Bach so I was never that familiar with the original incarnation of Skid Row. As such, I can't compare this CD to any of the band's previous work. I was at the band's CD release party last week (see previous post) and was that impressed with the band's live show that I wanted to hear the new CD.

This CD is impressive -- there are a good number of balls-out rockers that will make this a disc for repeated listening. My only complaint is that the band seems to switch styles a few times over the course of the disc and that leaves some tracks disconnected from the rest of the CD. I'll go into this a bit more on a track-by-track review of the cuts.

* Track 1 "Disease" and Track 2 "Another Dick In the System" are the strongest tracks on this disc. Both are solid rock tunes that sounded great when the band played them live last week. These are the kind of tracks that will become crowd favorites.

* Track 3 "Pulling My Heart Out From Under Me" is a bit mellow for my taste. It isn't a bad song though and it contains some great guitar work.

* Track 4 "When God Can't Wait" is one of the tracks that seem a bit disconnected from the rest of the CD. I like the song but musically it is closer to oi and sounds like something the Dropkick Murphys would play.

* Track 5 "Shut Up Baby, I Love You" is another strong rocker.

* Track 6 "Strength" is a cover of an old Alarm song. This isn't as strange as it sounds given that the band has already laid the groundwork with Track 4.

* Track 7 "White Trash" shows the band has a sense of humor and doesn't take things too seriously. It has some nice hooks but the other rock tracks are stronger.

* Track 8 "You Lie" is a digression into alt-country (or cow punk). This song would fit well within a Jason & the Scorchers set.

* Tracks 9 - 11 are all rockers but they don't seem to be as aggresive or hard-edged as the cuts at the beginning of this disc. I like these tracks though amd would compare them to what a harder edged Plimsouls would sound like. "Nothing" is probably the strongest on the last three cuts.

The band is doing some agressive touring over the next few weeks and is back in the area on the Nov. 11th for a show at the Starland Ballroom.

Here are the upcoming tour dates:

11/03
Atlanta, GA, Centerstage Atlanta

11/04
Raleigh, NC, Lincon Theater

11/07
Levittown, NY, Ritual

11/08
Riverdale, NJ, Dexters

11/09
Toronto, ON, The Big Bop

11/10
Poughkeepsie, NY, The Chance

11/11
Sayereville, NJ, Starland Ballroom