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MICHAEL MONROE ‘Whatcha Want’ (SPV 2003)
Michael Monroe is the singer with Hanoi Rocks and this is his latest solo
album. As well as singing Monroe plays guitar, piano, sax and bass. His
other main counterpart and co-writer on many tracks is Pink Gibson, who
plays guitars on the album. Kicking off in fine style with a cover of Eddie
7 the Hotrods’ ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’ - a rollicking version and a
strong contender as a single release. Monroe plays some tasty harmonica on
‘Right Here, Right Now’, another up tempo tune and the melodic rock
sing-a-long ‘Stranded’ follows, with Monroe switching to sax. It’s all out
rock on ‘What Love Is’ (originally a Stiv Bators song) and album highlight
for me has to be ‘Germfree Adolescents’ - sublime vocal, tasty slide guitar
and sax.
Other covers include the punk band UK Subs ‘I Won’t Lie Down & Die’ - not
a great song to start with! The up tempo ‘Jimmy Brown’ originally recorded
by Casino Steel. But bizarre cover goes to Monroe’s version of ‘Laughing’
Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye’. He puts in a very
gentle vocal performance and proves there’s more to his vocal style than
punk pop and sleaze rockers.
Hanoi Rocks fans will love this album, as will fans of punk and sleaze
rock. An entertaining mix of originals and covers, with plenty of guitar in
the mix!
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Review by Jason Ritchie
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