Monday, March 28, 2011

Classic melodic rock CD of the week


By Stephen Kasenda

SAIGON KICK "The Lizard" (1992)

It's a shame that "Love Is On The Way" is much more popular than the name of Saigon Kick itself and that's also probably the same case with Extreme or Harem Scarem. Released in 1992, "The Lizard" contained a lot of groovy hard rock moments bursting with the grungy flare and down-tuned guitars, causing a lot of confusion in the glam fans camp. Beware that if you're not into the alternative movement of the 90s, you may find this album isn't interesting at all, but if you can adapt to that change, then you can still hear a lot of great songs here, mostly composed by the real genius behind the band, Jason Bieler.

The massive hit "Love Is On The Way" needs no introduction, but along with "All I Want", these two commercial tracks are the gems of the album. I also like the body-shaker "Feel The Same Way", the classic Skid Row style in "All Alright", the light-crunchy-rock "Miss Jones", together with the Beatles-influenced closing track, "Chanel". Some people also find that the heavy-grungy "Youth Hostile" and "Freedom" are appealing tracks. If you can find this cheap, it's worth the catch. To me, "The Lizard" is a good album although it's not for everyday and everyone.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.