Life is a circus, surrounded by clowns...
I can imagine that Andy Scott's life has been a rollarcoaster. You come in as a replacement guitarist to a bubblegum band in the late 60s. Reach a pinnacle of sales in the 70s. Basically provide the blueprint for "Hair Metal"'s riffs and get no credit for it. Mick Mars and the rest of Crue owes you everything but to the rest of the world you are "Ballroom Blitz" and nothing else.
Here you are in your mid-70s. You are the last remaining member of that storied band. And you still wanna rock.
This is the last album under that moniker. "The Answer" was 1992 when it was first released. Sweetlife was 2002. It's been 22 years since any original music was put out under the name.
And it rocks with riffs, the kind of soaring glam metal songs that a band that wishes it was still 1985 would make. Paul Manzi is the vocalist. He's more snarly than Brian would ever have been. And undecipherable from Mal McNulty. In other words, totally serviceable.
One thing is, you aren't going to get truly emotionally wistful or nostalgic stuff from these guys. It's rawk.
I love Sweet and I love Andy so this gets a little more oomph from me.
B+
ASide: Circus, Destination Hannover, Full Circle
BlindSide: Burning Like a Falling Star, Changes
