Music Street Journal - Music News & Reviews

Motörhead We Are Motörhead Review by Mike Korn Motörhead is a band I've enjoyed and respected for over 20 years. They have never compromised on their raw blues-soaked heavy metal. Their latest effort continues in that tradition and will please die-hard followers but I must admit this is one of their lesser discs. It adheres too closely to the tried and true and it lacks the vital spark that has characterized most of their material. It's not wimpy in the slightest; (heavens, no) but it's just a little tired. A flat production job doesn't help much and adds to the atmosphere of "going through the motions" These guys are a classic metal band whose contributions cannot be overlooked. But I think a good vacation might be in order for them. The band on this album is Lemmy (bass and lead vocals), Phil Campbell (lead guitars), and Mikkey Dee (drums). This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: The Early Years Volume 3 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-The-Early-Years .

Track by Track Review

See Me Burning A pretty typical opener, this cut is fast and raw. It sounds like something that could have come off the "Iron Fist" LP.

Slow Dance This one is still heavy but, as the title indicates, slower than usual. It sounds pretty tired to these ears.

Stay Out of Jail This one is like being in a time warp, as it sounds exactly like what the band were doing almost 22 years ago, during the "Bomber"/"Overkill" era. It is up-tempo, catchy and bluesy.

God Save The Queen A cover of the Sex Pistols anthem, it sounds just like….Motörhead covering a Sex Pistols song. That's about it.

Out To Lunch The best track on the album, this one is very energetic and catchy. It ranks with their better material and seems to be on a higher level than the rest of the stuff here.

Wake the Dead An odd one, this cut is pretty heavy and drum-driven, with some awkward changes. It has its moments but is disjointed.

One More F***ing Time This is the now-obligatory heavy blues ballad, sounding like all the other Motörhead ballads. I have to give a tip of the hat to Lemmy, whose world-weary growl and cutting lyrics convey completely the bitterness of a relationship gone sour.

Stagefright/Crash and Burn Absolutely generic Motorhead, this is fast and furious but going nowhere. And why the split title when it's all one track?

(Wearing Your) Heart On Your Sleeve Another fast one, this one is pretty decent with good lyrics and a dash of melody.

We Are Motörhead Opening with the Lemmy bass run we've heard a million times before, this is typical Motörhead in a nutshell. It is so typical, that it seems to be a cry of defiance: "This is who we are and you better get used to it."



You'll find concert pics of this artist in the Music Street Journal members area.

Return to the Motörhead Artist Page

Return to the Hawkwind Artist Page

Artists Directory

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
© 2024 Music Street Journal Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com