This album started out as Dee Snider solo record but back in 1987, it was thought that Twisted Sister was a better brand so the executives decided to make this a Twisted Sister record.  It was their last release until they reformed.  By this point, Twisted Sister were not the big multi-platinum sellers that they were a few years earlier.  Many people got tired of their schtick but they really missed the point.  Snider and company were capable of writing some great tunes and the image was just a way to get them noticed.  Under all the make-up was a really good hard rock/metal band. While I wouldn’t consider this a good starting point for new Twisted Sister fans, I still feel there is enough here to make it a worthwhile release.  If you are looking for the rawness of Under The Blade, then steer clear of Love Is For Suckers but if you liked the more commercial side of Twisted Sister, then this disc will fit the bill.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2011  Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.

The band start this record with a great anthemic tune.  It has a nice NWOBHM guitar sound at the beginning.  If the whole album was like this, it might have been more of a hit back in 1987.

Now this is more like it.  The title track is more of what Twisted Sister fans want.  For as bad as “Hot Love” is, this song really turns things around nicely.

I was expecting “I Love It Loud” by Kiss when this tune kicked off but instead we get a rocker that captures the 80s metal perfectly.  It’s a fun song that will take you back to the care-free days of summer in the 80s.

The NWOBHM influences are obvious on this one and although it is a bit repetitive, it is one of the stand-out cuts here.  The chorus has a very WASP feel and I can see Blackie Lawless and company playing this cut.

If you mixed Bryan Adams and Twisted Sister together, then you would get “Me And The Boys.”  It’s a good tune but it has not aged well.  It has some good guitar work but ultimately this one doesn’t really work.  I can see how some of the tracks would have been perfect for a Snider solo record but having it under the Twisted Sister banner was a bad idea.

This is another anthem that has an Alice Cooper feel to it.  It is a mixture of Twisted Sister metal and 70’s rock.  If you like the more commercial side of TS, then you will like this track.

 I don’t know what to make of this one.  It has a 70’s pop rock sound and I don’t rate it that high.  This is one of the tunes here that makes you realize that this was not meant to be on a Twister Sister album.

Now, this is more in the Twisted Sister vein and is a slightly heavier rocker.  It has not aged well but it still has a charm about it.  It has the feeling of driving with the top down during a summer days back in 1985.

This cut is similar to the one before and it is quite good.  One has to wonder why these bonus tracks were left off when they are superior to some of the other material on the record.

Snider and company always had a knack for writing anthems about being victorious and here is another one.  It is a mid paced rocker that has the 1980’s written all over it but let’s face it, that is what we want from Twisted Sister.  This is a worthwhile bonus tune.