Give 'em Hell

Give 'em Hell has met with mixed reviews and an "as well as can be expected" sort of sales report. Bach, himself has admitted his confusion at the disparity between his number of facebook fans and his record sales and unfortunately, I think a lot of Bach's own comments make him an easy target and in turn, tarnish people's perception of the music before they have given it much of a chance. I think much of the criticism has been unwarranted. And I will say this for Bach, despite his reputation, a combination of arrogance, ignorance and overall immaturity (a reputation that he himself has perpetuated in too many interviews and reality tv shows) he does genuinely LOVE the music. I have been reading interviews with artists for over 30 years that faithfully report that their newest work is their best work, when we all know that it's not, and Bach isn't saying this is better than Skid Row, but he clearly loves it and he is very proud of it and I have to say, it is refreshing to hear that sort of honest enthusiasm, especially coming from such a veteran performer. That being said, the new album, for what it is, is actually really good. This is not Skid Row. Bach has gone darker and heavier, more modern … His singing fits the music perfectly and his voice is still there. There has been a lot of talk (a lot of it by Bach, himself) about his screams (and they are good), but his control in the lower register is what makes his range really impressive. Beyond just the sonic range though is the emotional depth that his vocals bring to the songs. It’s just a terrific performance. Maybe his best. The music has taken a lot of abuse, but don’t let that scare you off. Most of the people complaining simply can’t get past that this doesn’t sound like Skid Row, and that’s true (trust me, those guys couldn’t play this material). But his band is good, and the sound is unique. And even with two or three guest guitarists contributing songs, Marlette kept it all sounding like one consistent album. Honestly, I have no complaints with this cd. I think Bach has found his niche and I hope he stays with it. — Scott