Wednesday, September 3, 2014

VANITY BLVD – “Wicked Temptation”



Rating: RRR
Label: Noisehead Records
Review By: Alan Holloway

Here’s one that’s been stuck in the ‘to be reviewed’ file on my computer for a few months, so apologies for all those fans of female fronted crunchy hard rock that have been waiting. Vanity Blvd take a pretty basic formula of sexy sleazy big hook rock and roll, throw in a nicely spicy lead singer and see what happens.

“Dirty Rat” opens the album, and certainly nails the band’s colours to the mast efficiently. The riffs are solid, the rhythm upbeat and the vocals sleazy without being cartoonish. There’s hints of the Runaways in the attitude and delivery of singer Anna Savage, and the daftly named Traci Trexx (seriously, dude, double Xs went out in the nineties) keeps it tight and rather old school on the guitar. It’s good, sure, and infectious, but nothing you haven’t heard before. The feeling of déjà vu continues throughout the eleven tracks, mainly because Vanity Blvd cling to their formula like it’s a piece of driftwood in the middle of the Atlantic. There’s a few Motley Crue like ruffs spicing things up, but “Wicked Temptation” never really takes off, although it cruises very nicely.

Vanity Blvd have made a solid album here, with songs that will certainly appeal to fans of sleaze and glam rock who want something with a bit of a crunch to get between their teeth. The only drawback is the lack of any real progression or variety apart from the nice power ballad “Falling Down”, and let’s be honest and say it’s a rare album that doesn’t have a ballad on it somewhere. There’s definite promise here, and enough talent to ensure a decent number of satisfied customers even at this early stage. 

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