Thursday, May 29, 2014

VANITY BLVD: "Wicked Temptation"



Rating: RRRR
Label:
Noisehead Records 2014
Review by Rich Dillon


It almost seems that Sweden has become the new Sunset Strip of late 80’s L.A. turning out a veritable force of sleaze and glam rock bands and the Avesta/Stockholm based Vanity BLVD is no exception! 

Being a “judge a book by the cover” kind of guy sometimes, the first thing I look at with a new album, especially if the band is unknown to me, is the album artwork.  In this case Vanity BLVD’s latest offering, Wicked Temptation, showcases artwork that just screams sleaze.  Perfect, can’t wait to spin this one…….

Opening up with “Dirty Rat” just confirmed all of my suspicions about this release and band with its piss and vinegar type of attitude laden riffs and lyrics.  “Miss Dangerous” gets the fist pumping and keeps the record moving through to “Do or Die” for which there’s a video accompaniment. ("Do or Die" Official Video)  From there we get into “Hot Teaser”, a really catchy track dripping with sleazy lyrics that could well be the “top of the heap” here for me.  And that’s only the first four selections of an eleven track complement, the rest following right along making a fine collection sure to please fans of the genre, the only low point being the ballad “Falling Down”.

Given my enjoyment of Wicked Temptation I was wondering why I had not crossed paths with Vanity BLVD. previously.  There is not a lot of information readily available on the history of the band and even their Facebook page (VanityBLVD) offers only “let the music do the talking ;)” under the biography column.  Aside from their formation in 2005 and the debut release, Rock N Roll Overdose, being issued in 2008 the only deduction I can make is that they’ve endured some line up adjustments over the years since formation.  This current slice of dirty, glammy heaven features Traci Trexx wielding the axe while Pete Ash handles bass and Jens Gebb sits behind the kit.  The trio of guys are led by the sometimes sultry, occasionally gruff vocal prowess of Anna Savage.  A definite must for anyone loving the glam era of the late 80’s.

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