As 2011 draws to a close, the reviewer took the time to listen and evaluate the new music given to us this year. After careful consideration and many hours just sitting back and listening to great music, the pick of this reviewer’s favourite is SIXX:AM – This Is Gonna Hurt from Eleven Seven Records.
For those that do not know, SIXX:AM is the musical project of the genious minds of Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue, Brides of Destruction), DJ Ashba (Beautiful Creatures, Guns N’ Roses) and James Michael (Producer/Writer). What they are presenting to us is their second full length piece of music together and an exceptional follow up to the original, “The Heroin Diaries”.
This set of songwriters have taken this opportunity to do a complete turn around with the messages they have given us with these songs than the songs of over access they are separately known for.
SIXX:AM takes a dark and direct look at how we treat each other in “Lies of the Beautiful People”and “Deadlihood”. More importantly, in “Oh My God”, we are treated to how many times we do not take the time to see what else is going on in the world around us. There does not seem to be a topic that is not written about here as even death, “Goodbye My Friends”, is even taken on and explored.
Of course there are songs about the loves in their lives in “Smile” and “Sure Feels Right”. They are gentle, tender, reflective and sincere odes to their loved ones.
Perhaps the band hits it right on the head with the track, “Skin”. A song of strength and believing in your own skin when people are attempting to knock you down.
The maturity shown in the themes of each song of this release, not only make you enjoy the music, but make you think also about how to treat yourself and others. This fulfills a promise in songwriting first displayed in their first release, “The Heroin Diaries” and is a must hear for everyone.
It should be mentioned that, like “The Heroin Diaries”, this is a companion soundtrack to a book of photography and autobiographical antidotes by the group’s bassist, Nikki Sixx, aptly called, “This Ones Gonna Hurt”.
In all, this collection is an honest take on the world around us, without making it depressing and makes this reviewer wait ever so impatiently for the next set of music to be give to us by the three great musicians in SIXX:AM.