Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Mötley Crüe > Too Fast for Love > Reviews
Mötley Crüe - Too Fast for Love

Who can possibly dislike this? - 96%

Echobreather, November 19th, 2023

Ha, I still managed to let many months pass without me actually writing reviews or doing anything else on this site besides adding my band on here! Yes, I'm well aware that I've too often pointed out this inconvenience, so I'll stop bringing this up from now on, and hopefully I don't forget to write more reviews. But the bigger issue is that I've noticed that I have written an overwhelming number of negative reviews, so today I decided to write a more positive review of something I actually like.

I recently decided to revisit Mötley Crüe, a band I used to listen to a lot when I was still a tiny little nuisance, more notably this album. And I have to say, it's still a great album, besides some of the lyrics of course. Many catchy songs, great riffs, cool vocal performance from Vince Neil, and overall, just a good time around. Yes, it's easy, but the point of this isn't to be complex. It's glam metal, and glam metal was meant to appeal to a major audience, so it's main point maybe even WAS to be simple, but sometimes the songs aren't so easy, you listen to "Piece of Your Action" and many of the solos scattered throughout the record, surely something any average Joe can't play.

It's here where Mötley were arguably still very much heavy metal, or "Heavy FUCKING Metal!!!" as UltraBoris would usually put it when he was talking about good music. And it can be proved by the riffs, they might be repetitive, but they still are virtuosic and sound like metal riffs, especially for very early 80s standards. The distortion obviously is too thick for these guitars to be for just rock and obviously the riffs are also quite heavy sometimes, even at some parts which aren't supposed to be very heavy are still kind of heavy like the chorus part of "Merry-Go-Round" and "On with the Show" or the title-track or "Public Enemy #1", of which the latter kind of sounds like some 70s brit punk. So sad that Mick had to leave the band! The bass is actually quite audible, especially for commerce in the 80s and metal in general. And when the bass changes notes then you can actually hear it change notes, but that's unfortunately all remarkable that can be said about bass, although it should be noted that it was Nikki Sixx that composed all of the songs here. So, kudos to Nikki!

As for the drums, for today's standards they are ok, but for the 80s they are very much revolutionary. Because like, where could you really hear the double bass being used as much in 1981 than in "Live Wire" besides Venom's "Welcome to Hell". Most importantly they get the job done, they are very punchy, have a lot of smack, sound very pristine and also clean. Tommy Lee ain't no Dave Lombardo but he certainly couldn't have been a more suitable drummer for the band. And now let's address Vince Neil, on this album he's certainly much younger, but already his pipes were already made for singing and shouting like an eagle! However, he sometimes does sound kind of corny when he's just shouting randomly or saying "yeah!" or "oh no" or the like without it actually being necessary, but his vocal work just makes sense for the music so it's not bad. Lyrics are obviously nothing to write home about, but again, its glam metal, no need to be philosophical, so most lyrics are about the typical 80s rockstar subjects: women, drugs, cars, partying, playing music loud, y'know, the good stuff!

But in conclusion, should you listen to this? YES! I mean, it might not be the most impressive music in the world, but it certainly works, and that's pretty much the most important thing for music, to work and have an impact on the audience. So, if you are okay with commerce music or glam metal then you should not have a problem with listening to this. But if you desire metal, or traditional metal, then surely you'll love this too. But if the aforementioned lyrical subjects are too cheesy for you, then I can understand you turning it off, but for the music you can't say this is bad with a straight face!

Like the title says, who can possibly dislike this?

(turns around) What's that? Boomers? Oh yeah... probably...

On with the Show: The Spirit of Heavy Metal - 90%

kluseba, September 11th, 2023

Nowadays, most critics, experts and fans seem to only have negative things to say about glam rock, hard rock and heavy metal quartet Mötley Crüe. People focus on Tommy Lee's dick pic, Vince Neil's substance abuse issues and the group's subpar contemporary concerts proving that the quartet hasn't aged particularly well. What most naysayers tend to forget however is that this band has risen to stardom for valuable reasons and underproduced, raw and aggressive debut album Too Fast for Love showcases the hunger, passion and versatility that would soon propulse the band to its legendary status.

More than four decades later and counting, Too Fast for Love doesn't sound old-fashioned, predictable and simple-minded at all. This record has aged particularly well instead and is still the perfect anthem for a Friday night out at the metal pub with your friends. ''Live Wire'' underlines this spirit of energy, freedom and lust vehemently with its emotional lyrics, ferocious drum play, thunderous bass guitar sounds and tight guitar riffs. The song gets to the point in three concise minutes and then we go on with the show.

''Public Enemy Number One'' is my favourite song on an excellent album and it ain't hard to explain why. This song talks about breaking free, breaking the law and pushing the limits without taking itself seriously at all. This fun anthem is rhythmic as hell with its precise drum play, vibrant bass guitar sounds and melodious guitar sounds while the high-pitched vocals remind of a mixture between Bay City Rollers and Judas Priest. This song simply is one of the greatest party anthems in the heavy metal genre and has been lifting spirits up for four decades and counting. Forget about your rough week at work, exchange suit and tie for denim and leather, invite a beautiful lady for a ride downtown, blast this song at your local pub and don't forget to order some cool beers with that. The good things in life can be this simple sometimes.

''Come On and Dance'' blends in perfectly because it has a similar mindset. The song talks about a beautiful lady and sexual intercourse and there isn't anything wrong with that as long as you're not an insecure conservative or nervous religious person. The musicianship blends in wonderfully and features short bass guitar, electric guitar and drum solos that invite to bang your head, raise your fist and sing along. All this lust for life is offered in less than three minutes and leaves listeners with a big smile upon their faces and closed-minded critics with expressions of frenzied malaise. This is the original spirit of heavy metal, short and simple.

Mötley Crüe however already shows that it can play something else than exciting heavy metal anthems as shown in mid-paced power ballad ''Merry-Go-Round'' that is pleasingly catchy in its instrumental simplicity combined with variedly emotional vocals. This song slows the record's energy down for three minutes and feels like walking home in the middle of the night with a slightly dizzy head reminiscing on the great events you have just been experiencing.

The record's greatest power ballad however remains impressive album closer ''On with the Show'', telling the tale of a man who spent his life in overdrive before being murdered in the middle of the night. While the authentic lyrics almost have autobiographical tendencies, the musicianship invites to reminisce as well with melancholy guitar melodies and smooth but tight rhythm section. This is the kind of song to play in a rock pub before closing it at two o'clock in the morning. If you think such a song might be too old-fashioned now, then let me tell you that it was played just last week at my favourite local pub where the folks who work there are on average a decade younger than myself.

I have to confess that I had never given Mötley Crüe much of a chance due to the band's subpar reputation and the fact that the quartet hasn't released a new studio record in fifteen years but I have recently been discovering the group's early years thanks to the release of the wonderful boxed set Crücial Crüe. If you haven't given the band a chance either, give yourself a gift and explore the quartet's wonderful debut album which is also the band's greatest record by a mile in my book. Mötley Crüe's Too Fast for Love is one of the greatest hard rock and traditional heavy metal records of the eighties and still strikes a chord in the present day. Albums such as this one that promote the spirit of freedom, joy and youth are even more valuable these days than back in the eighties. Grab a cold beer, crank up the volume and enjoy this masterpiece to the fullest!

Makin' Love To Someone Else's Dream - 100%

Sweetie, August 26th, 2018
Written based on this version: 2008, CD, Eleven Seven Music (Crücial Crüe edition, Remastered)

Let's play a little game of fact or fiction. First stance: Too Fast For Love is a raw heavy metal album where all of the songs are mixed in a stripped down manner with no glitter or gloss. Indeed that is true, and is obvious enough to the point that no further explanation is needed. On the other hand: Too Fast For Love is a punk rock driven album with few metal aesthetics. I say false. In fact, I've never been able to see where everyone gets this notion. The only thing about this disc that screams punk is the album cover, and that's about it. The guitars aren't based on punk layout, they're a combo of pounding heavy metal riffs with speed factors as well as slower melody driven pieces, and even touches of submerged guitar tones. It also doesn't really have the correct attitude to be punk. Most punk fans would scoff at the idea of this being punk, as well as the thrashers that were too cool for the Crue. Of course, what would Nikki and co. care? They just focused on making heavy music with sexual appeal and partying to the point of near death before they even made it big. The way they saw it, those sexually frustrated mosh-pit going Motley haters did nothing but fuel that raw energy behind what Too Fast For Love did for heavy metal.

Enough of what Too Fast isn't and going back to what it is, something that makes it unique is the way that they could create an album that is grossly inconsistent work so well. Yes, I mentioned that it all lies on the under cooked side of sheer energy and sex appeal, but that's probably the only thing that stays true for the whole record. As far as songwriting, it bounces all around the spectrum. Starting with the hints of speed metal, album opener "Live Wire" and the pretentious "Take Me To The Top" serve this side with the right amount of accessibility. The former is the one that became a staple, and it's a classic, but that latter is the one that really breaks in the sped up chugs that build up suspense, only to drop it all into a slower and more rhythmic verse before returning to that in the chorus. On the opposite hand, there are the slower, more melody driven tracks that don't fuel their flame from energy, rather softer instrumentation and vocal harmony. "Starry Eyes" comes to mind, with the band laying on a beautiful amount of harmonics to go with Vince's mesmerizing, and almost feminine delivery. Also, anyone ever notice that the drum intro is almost identical to that of Ghost's "Stand By Him"? Record closer "On With The Show" takes the same method, but shuffles it around, and introduces it on an acoustic note. The changes in mood and stellar solo work are pretty amazing, and for this, it's one of my favorite songs on the album.

The grittier aspects of this crushing debut come in on the down toned tracks with a meaner punch to them, like the booming "Come On And Dance". The riffs here represent some of the heaviest moments on this album, and the beloved "Piece Of Your Action" takes the same exit, and the title track utilizes this to a degree as well. The neatest part of all of this, is that none of the three main ingredients are displayed on any back to back tracks, and the way that the similar atmosphere weaves them all together is just incredible. The only lesser song on this is "Merry-Go-Round", with it being a bit too obvious of a filler. Other than this? Too Fast For Love is forty minutes of raw genius. Of course, if you get this specific version, you'll get three unreleased tracks, as well as a demo and a live cut. The unreleased ones are pretty neat, as they're laced with a much friendlier rock 'n roll vibe, presenting influence along the line of Cheap Trick and other '70s power pop ridden rock bands. If you haven't heard these songs, give them a try, because while it's different, they're well worth your time. On the other hand, if you somehow haven't heard this record itself yet, now is the time to do so.

She ain't the smartest, but dem titties doe... - 83%

TrooperEd, May 11th, 2016
Written based on this version: 2003, CD, Hip-O Records (Enhanced, Remastered, Crücial Crüe edition)

I always got the feeling that critics hated this band not because of their image or sleaze factor, but the fact that most of these people couldn’t think of anything to describe it other than “rock & roll.”

Even I’m having trouble coming up with things to say about Too Fast For Love, other than its a kick ass plain ol metal record. Never mind things people haven’t already said. I suppose most of this review could be spent explaining how those fuck heads Metallica spent decades slandering them only to end up becoming exactly like them in songwriting and integrity in their later years. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no glam apologist, and Motley Crue (or at least Vince, Nikki and Tommy) are just as much full of shit as any so called credible rock-star, but liking this album, let alone owning it, should never have been grounds for ex-communication from the true metal-crowd at any time in the 80s or now. And these shit-head Metallica fanboys who mindlessly slander them because Lars Ulrich told them too, those fools wish they could write something as good as Piece of Your Action.

That’s not to say this album is flawless. When I first got this album I remember thinking Starry Eyes was a little too pop and sissy for my tastes (and this is an album with two ballads). Listening to it now, yes the band is giving it all the attitude, but in some cases that attitude can be lost in translation, and here Vince loses it the most. You just can’t sound threatening or foreboding singing “those starry eyes….whoa oh.” Still, all these years later, it’s not THAT bad, and has quite a few great heavy riffs in the middle. Also, while will Tommy Lee will never get the respect he deserves as a drummer (despite being quite possibly the ugliest bastard to pork Pamela Anderson), I’ll admit he does this thing where he can’t lay off the bass drum where he’s supposed to be hitting the snare. You aren’t supposed to be doing that even with a double bass rhythm like on Live Wire (it should go kick, snare, kick, snare, not kick kicksnare kick kicksnare. Makes it a bit techno-ish/dance poppy. And say what you will about Motley’s pop tendencies, but I don’t think they wanted that either.

Strangely enough, this album has two ballad-esque songs but both of them are solid. Lyrically they're more dark and guttural than the saccharine nonsense Jon Bon Jovi would pen later in the decade; more Black Diamond than Every Rose Has It's Thorn, especially Merry-Go-Round. It might take a minute or two, but I can't picture your 80s soccer mom mistaking these two for even Home Sweet Home.

This album’s strongest weapon is the same it’s always been since day one: Mick Mars’ guitar tone. This guitar sound (along with Shout At The Devil) is essentially Morbid Tales 3 years before Morbid Tales. This is the most raw and distorted the band has ever sounded, and that includes on Dr. Feelgood. Wall of sound doesn't automatically equal heavier. Really the entire musical ensemble is (for the musically uneducated, a musical ensemble is every non-vocal aspect of the music). This makes Heaven & Hell tone sound even thinner.

Speaking of Heaven & Hell, if any of these songs had Ronnie James Dio’s vocals, NOBODY would be questioning their metalness. Which is more of an indictment of his occasional lyrical wussiness than Nikki Sixx’s. Walk Away anyone? Seriously who the fuck calls a woman handsome? Yet while nobody questions Ronnie’s cred singing “she’s looking to love you” Vince sings:

I'll either break her face, or take down her legs, Get my ways at will Go for the throatl..."

...and all these brainwashed Slayer fans won’t give him the time of day because he wore makeup, despite Slayer’s own temporary grand idea that make-up would make them look scarier (which it did).

As for Nikki, well Rule #2 of Spectre Sound Studios is "your bass player is a useless cunt" but there should also be a Rule 2b exception, "unless he's the main songwriter of the band." Nikki is NOT a great bass player, nor is he all that great a musician. But he is (or was, here anyway) a fine songwriter, and more importantly a damn fine riff-writer. That's right Mick Mars has no songwriter credit on this album whatsoever. Vince Neil has more credits than he does. But fuck does Mick execute those riffs and those songs with rock & roll precision (just the right amount of sloppiness). When it comes to traditional/classic metal territory, if you ain't serving the song you need to close your crappy restaurant. Even the Dave Lombardo's and the Kai Hansen's and Cliff Burton's play for the purpose at hand, not their egos.

Now you’re probably saying to yourself that I’ve spent more time attacking fans of other metal bands with bullet-proof credibility despite not only making the same mistakes as Crue, but TFFL not doing anything more fluffy than any other traditional metal bands did, than I did the actual music.

Well like I said at the beginning, there ain’t much else to say about it other than its kick ass heavy metal. Judas Priest wouldn’t play it that much differently between 1979 and 1990. I suppose there’s a note of depending on which track listing you have (vinyl or CD), the album may be a bit top heavy, but damn that's a sexy top. See what I did there?

Proceed with the rest of their catalogue at the risk of your own metal-street cred, but if you’re a fan of the British Steels, the Killers, the Fair Warnings, the Blizzard of Ozzs, the Thunder & Lightnings, etc. this is essential to your collection.

Highlights:
Piece of Your Action
Too Fast For Love
Take Me To The Top

The Album that Started it All - 95%

AndyeHoff, August 7th, 2009

When one thinks of Mötley Crüe, usually one tends to think of "Dr.Feelgood", "Theatre of Pain" or "Shout at the Devil", while the band's first shot at music, "Too Fast for Love", tends to be overlooked. This is really quite a shame, because as with the release of this album, Mötley opened the door for the entire glam metal genre. Not only that, but they had made a better record than Poison, Cinderella, ect. would ever put out in their entire careers.

With this record, recorded in only about a week, the band not only turned the metal scene on its ear, but did so pretty much on their own. They had no real major label backing, and gained popularity by word-of-mouth alone. Pretty astounding, considering these guys were, save for Mick Mars, only about 20 years old. It also managed to begin the divide of heavy metal fans into two main groups, that would last for the rest of the 1980's.

What we have here, is a solid album from start to finish. There is not one bad track here, and at no point should anyone get bored and want to skip songs. Songs like "Live Wire", "Too Fast for Love", and "Piece of Your Action" are fast, heavy, and raw. The slower songs, such as "Starry Eyes", and "On with the Show", while not as heavy, are still essential Crüe. Nikki Sixx is one hell of a writer, as he wrote the entire album by himself, except for three of the songs cowritten by Vince Neil. The lyrics are intelligent, albiet somewhat cheesy, and fit perfectly with the subject matter. The musicanship, while not mind-blowing (Mick is easily the best of the bunch here) is perfect for this first outing. Sixx's basslines however, are buried in the mix through most of the album. Save for a few quick bass solos, it almost seems like their is no bass guitar present at all. Lee dutifully keep the pace, with a few fancy fills thrown in for good measure. The drums, while nothing to write home about, are consistent and back up the band very well. Where Tommy Lee really shines is "Live Wire", and is his best performance on the album. Vince Neil's vocals are perfect for this record, and put real emotion into the songs (i.e. "On With the Show" and "Starry Eyes"). Their sound, although copied by every other L.A. metal band later on, was pretty unique in 1981. At times it sounds a little poppy, but this is not pop-metal. Rather, it sounds like heavy metal, with a little pop and punkish sound mixed in. I must also add that this album has stood the test of time incredibly well, even 28 years after the original release.

I must recommend the "Crucial Crue" version of this album, as it sounds better than ever, and has some pretty good bonus tracks as well. However if you can find a copy of the Leathur Records version, pick it up as it is incredibly rare and is worth quite a bit of money. In conclusion, this album is essential listening for any fan of heavy metal.

A rawer, grittier Crüe - 91%

The_Blacksmith, March 17th, 2009

So, here it is, the first Crüe album, and arguably the first glam metal album. Without this, no Cinderella, Skid Row, Poison or Winger. For some, metal was better without this album or any of those other bands. I on the other hand love them all and anyway, back in 1981 the Crüe didn’t sound anything like Poison or Warrant or even Skid Row. Glam metal is often known for its glossy and clean production. The production on Too Fast for Love (courtesy of former Accept axeman Michael Wagener, who would later go on to produce albums by – amongst others – Skid Row) though is anything but glossy, it’s raw and gritty and a lot rougher than any of their later albums.

The music here is heavy, aggressive and sleazy. Still a far cry from the likes of Poison and Tuff or even the Crüe albums of the later 80s, but you can see the evolution. Mick Mars is a ballsy guitar player; his riffs deliver the goods in a spectacular manner. Be it the speed metal classic that is “Live Wire”, or the haunting melodies of “Merry-Go-Round”, it all rules.

Vince Neil handles the vocals perfectly, and as Snake Sabo once stated in his MetalSludge 20 Questions interview “Vince is THE definitive voice of LA metal”, a quote that’s hard to disagree with. He may not have the range of vocalists such as Phil Anselmo or Sebitchian Bach, but in terms of technicality Mötley Crüe always sucked anyway. What made the Crüe so awesome was the sheer attitude and balls their music had, and this album is the perfect example of that.

Nikki Sixx is a brilliant songwriter, his lyrics are rough and streetwise, and again, packed with the aforementioned attitude. As for Tommy Lee, well he’s just Tommy Lee really (that’s a good thing). Highlights of the album include “Live Wire” which as I mentioned before is pure speed metal, “Take me to the Top” is a more mid-paced rocker, but it’s catchier than the cold and the riffs are awesome. The title track has an awesome gang-shouting chorus, and more of Mick Mars’ sleazy riffs. The ballad like “On with the Show” provides an awesome listen as well, and is about the man himself, Nikki Sixx.

The albums artwork (a parody of Sticky Fingers by the Stones) rules as well, as does the bands image at the time. Leather, heals, make up, big hair and more leather; what else do you need?

All things considered then, this album is essential. If you’re a glam fan then you need to own the yard stick to which all later albums would be measured. If you’re a heavy metal fan who doesn’t have much interest in hair metal, buy it anyway. You won’t regret it. Best go for the 2003 remastered version which has some killer bonus tracks such as “Toast of the Town” and “Tonight”, as well as the video for “Live Wire” and some interesting notes in the album booklet. Its rock n’ roll and its heavy metal in its finest form.

The birth of glam metal, and it rocks! - 96%

IWP, June 1st, 2008

The year is 1981, and metal was just about out of it's infancy stage, and was staring to become regocnized worldwide. Sub-genres were staring to emerge like crazy, speed metal, NWOBHM, thrash, etc. and Judas Priest had released a commercial landmark album the year before in the form of British Steel. This is where Motley Crue comes in. The LA metal scene was just starting to take form, and thus give birth to a more rockin' and laid back and cool type of metal known as glam metal. Motley Crue are considered to fore-fathers of glam, and rather if you like 'em or not, they are a very important band for glam metal, and heavy metal in general. They, along with Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, etc. helped commercialize metal in the early 80s. They released quite possibly the first ever glam metal album in the form of Too Fast For Love.

Along with being the first glam album, this album is also one of the best within the genre. It has style, attitude and catchiness while still maintaining awesome ass riffs and great solos. The distortion also adds a bit of a raw sound to the album, which makes it that much better. There is hardly anthing wrong with this album, and it rocks from beginning to end.

Every song is great in their own right, but my favorite songs would have to be Public Enemy #1, Take Me to the Top, the title track, and Livewire. The formal three have nice riffs, and are very catchy, especially the title track with a nice chorus. Seriously, that shouting of "TOO FAST FOR LOVE!" totally rules and gives the song a mean attitude, and that is one of the key elements to a great heavy metal song, attitude. However, nothing else beats the excellence of the song, Livewire. This song is total fucking speed metal that has balls and aggression, and might I add, nice riffs. This song gives bands like Exciter and even Overkill a run for their money, and for a song that was written in 81, you can't get much heavier. This is easily the best song on the album, and Motley Crue proves that they know how to rock.

This album may not be respected much by fans of "extreme metal" fans, but if you're into glam metal, or even a fan of traditional heavy metal, you may take a liking to this album. It's one of the best glam metal albums, so if you're looking to get into this this form of metal, I'd recommend getitng this and their next release, Shout At the Devil. Both albums are absolute essentials.

A piece of barb wire wrapped in a lotta cheese - 75%

Estigia666, October 1st, 2004

I gotta admit it, folks, the first time I heard this I thought it was bad. BAD. The cheese factor was umbearable for me to take, but with many, many repeated listens I learned to appreciate it more, but I can't give it more than a 75 rating. It could have been better, the way I see it. Production wise, the thing is rawer than any of Crüe's later efforts, having a "cheap studio" live feel and a guitar tone that can slice steel and then some, so no complains there. The good: "Live Wire", "Take me to the Top", "Piece of your Action" and "Starry Eyes". The first being a completely over-the-top speed metal burner in the "something spawned by the goddamned demons that made judas priest possible" style (think the fast songs on Killing Machine). "Piece of your Action" is my favorite song of the album, evolving from a Highway Star-esque build-up and turning into a total early-80s rocker with the balls of a Yak. Hell yeah. Some high screaming in the middle, more Hell for me. And sure, it IS cheesy, but not in a way that it deserves to be in the next category. The cheesy: "Come on and Dance", "Public Enemy #1", "Merry Go Round" and the title track. They are not bad but I cannot include them on the "good" category simply because the riff work doesn't kill me (with the exception of "Come on and Dance" and it's bludgeoning main riff. How could a riff so damn annihilative can come in a song with such a chorus? :/ ) and the cheese factor is up a notch. Still, tolerable and a lotta fun. The bad (or the "ludicrously cheesy"): "On with the Show". This song I just cannot stand. Whatever tolerance limit I may have for cheeseball music, it is completely surpassed in a way it makes my toenails curl. A loser of a song, when is all said and done. But even with it's down points, I still recommend this. Oh, and if you search enough through file sharing (or live in the States and are lucky enough to find an original tape / vinyl) you may get the original Leathur Records version with a slightly different mix, vocals with more reverberance to them and an even RAWER guitar tone. As for the recording itself, it is what it is: great music to drive your car at high speeds, sip a couple beers with the buddies or doing the nasty with some big-titted bitch...it provides a great soundtrack to life's most fun moments, simply because is such a fun record.

Good debut but the ballads aren't quite that good. - 85%

slaytanic716, July 14th, 2004

Well, this album is a pretty good debut IMO if you don't listen to the ballads. They suck. Songs like Tonight (We Need A Lover), Starry Eyes, and On With the Show are pretty bad songs I think. The only good slower song on there is Merry-Go-Round because it kinda has a heavy chorus and has some good lyrics. Some of those might be on the re-release but I don't have my cd with me right now to check.

The album has some great hard tracks on it though. Piece of Your Action, Live Wire, Too Fast For Love, Come on and Dance, and Public Enemy #1 are a few of my favorite tracks from Motley Crue. Come on and Dance has riffs in it that could be a solo but to some people they might not be. The only downpoint of those songs are that Live Wire and Too Fast For Love don't include solos.

For the songs that do have solos, they're pretty much like any other Motley Crue solos. Piece of Your Action I think is the best solo on here. Fits the song perfectly and at the end Vince does an excellent scream to finish it off. For the rest of the instruments on here, Nikki's bass playing and Tommy's drumming are prefect to back up Vince's vocals and Mick's guitar playing. Overall I think this album is very good and certainly a must have for any Motley Crue fan or someone that wants to get into listening to the band.

Heavy metal classic. - 85%

Nightcrawler, February 26th, 2004

Grah, I just wrote this damn review a few days ago. But it mysteriously disappeared, so it seems as though I'll have to rewrite it, so here we go.
Mötley Crüe is one of the classic 80s hard rock/metal acts that everyone has heard of, and all real metalheads should own at least one album from. Though both the first two are completely essential, and the third (Theatre of Pain) is pretty damn solid too.

On Too Fast For Love, they pretty much nailed the songwriting right away. The stuff on here is just what made Crüe the legends they are. Catchy, memorable and fun, balls-out heavy metal, with a solid hard rock vibe, and a pretty strong attitude. Perfect shit to sing along, headbang, air guitar and get drunk to, pretty much. Though as on any album by these guys, there is a slight filler factor. Though it's pretty small on here, consisting only of the second track Come On And Dance, which is just midpaced, plodding and hideously boring.

The rest, it ranges from good to absolutely fucking awesome. The good stuff consists of the three balladic songs on here. First Merry-Go-Round, which is very memorable from the start and then without warning kicks in with that crazy fucking guitar solo. Then the best of the ballad-bunch is Starry Eyes, which features far more emotion and better riffs than the other. On With The Show, the closer, is somewhat average, but by no means a bad song.

Then finally, we get to the absolutely awesome shit, that makes this album so awesome.
The album opens up with the best track on here, the crazy speed metal track Live Wire, which is one of the best tracks they ever did. Then Public Enemy #1, which has a lethal sense of melody and some nice galloping riffwork under the verses, and is just incredibly catchy.
Take Me To The Top is also awesome. Some of the most lethal riffs on the album, and also the distinguishable mood changes between the explosive sing-along chorus and the dark, powerful and amazingly sung verses.
Piece Of Your Action is the heaviest track on here, with a mean attitude found nowhere else on the album, and some razor sharp riffs. And watch out for the awesome solo section, that just builds up to that one explosive and intense lead. Great shit. Oh yeah, and check out Vince Neil's scream right after. Whoa.
Then there is also the title track, Too Fast For Love, which is insanely catchy with it's gang chorus and the mindblowingly groovy riffs and vocal lines. One of the definite highlights on here.

So yes, more than half of this album consists of complete fucking winners, and there's only one really weak track on here. In conclusion, you badly need this album, if some of the more praised releases in your collection include titles such as British Steel, Holy Diver, Wheels of Steel and the likes.
This is early 80s heavy fucking metal the way it was meant to be, and the instantly recognizable styles of each individual member works perfectly together to create a metal classic. Vince's voice is nearly feminine on some songs (not in the incessant falsetto way of many power metal vocalists however, not that there's anything wrong with that...), but as previously stated, he still got the fucking balls, and belts out some amazing vocal lines. The guitarwork of Mick mars is some of the best he ever laid down. They're perfectly backed up by the powerful, catchy drumming of Tommy Lee and the solid basswork of main songwriter Nikki Sixx.
The first two pieces of work these four guys put out are absolutely essential. This is the first, the rest is up to you to figure out.

Half Motorhead, half Riot, half Saxon, all balls - 85%

UltraBoris, February 24th, 2004

This album has really aged well... from the time I got it on tape in '92 or thereabouts, to the time I wore out the tape and didn't listen for a few years, to when I got the CD re-release, to when I couldn't fucking find it anywhere so I didn't listen for a few years, then when I just downloaded the fucking mp3s. Still gotta get this bad boy on Leathur Records vinyl sometime ;-)

When all is said and done, a bit rock-and-rollish at times, but still definitely a metal album. Then again, so is Motorhead. And call me weirdo, call me crazy, but the vibe is there - there's definitely a similarity to their brothers in umlauts. The album isn't quite as raw as say, Ace of Spades, and the cheese factor is a lot higher, but this album has testicles the size of refrigerators and is not afraid to use them. Unlike the straight-up speed metal attack of their next album (Shout at the Devil), this is more midpaced, and "still fit to boogie, still fit to rock and roll" (to quote another early 1980s band with huge fucking balls and a rock star attitude... SAXON of course). The other comparison is of course that band that was burning up the east coast at around the same time... Fire Down Under, none other than Riot.

In fact, this album comes something to a middle ground between the bass-driven distortion cacophany of those crazy Brits, and the twin-guitar delusion of neoclassical splendour of Mark Reale and friends. This is one guitar, lots of fucking distortion, technicality takes a backseat to sheer fucking balls, a power trio with bleach-blond surfer vestigial pipes... telephone cord wrapped firmly around torso, hair adding seven inches to height listed on Frank Ferrana's driver's licence... a cocaine-fueled blitzkrieg, part New York Dolls, part Black Sabbath, enough influence from those leather-wearing gay-bar-frequenting motorcycle enthusiasts from Birmingham with their Hell Bent for Leather and their Tyrant and their stage antics and their screaming solos that never end... combine that with the cheese grater, the plastic fantastic that is Los Fucking Angeles, where neat bands out of Pittsburgh like Warrant go to die, where the streets flow with heroin and dropping dead in '87 is just another thing to add to your resume. This album has it all: a quintessential American heavy metal release, because fuck yes CHEESE is as much a part of metal as Iommi's legendary six-string sans-fingertip onslaughts. Teacher's Pet, anyone?

Okay, enough rambling, Batman, how's the actual music? Get to the damn MUSIC and quit making thinly veiled references to Judas Fucken Priest's legendary live release, that's another review for another day. The music on THIS particular LP is fun fun fun by the ton ton ton... from the opening speed metal burner "Live Wire", which is pretty much the second coming of Hell Bent for Leather, and just about as heavy and blazing as Overkill, Machine Gun, Outlaw, and Set the Stage Alight, to name a few speed metal burners of the era. Then, the rest of the album isn't nearly as fast, but still continues on, sounding like an Americanised version of Strong Arm of the Law or something. Not quite Fire Down Under in speedball intensity, but still, riffs up the ass, down the throat, coming in sideways from all angles, and so on and so forth.

Every song here is memorable in its own way... from the nasty Piece of Your Action with its long solo section and buildup riffage, to Take Me To the Top with its two distinct moods, and also Vince Neil's awesome vocals... technically, this guy is a slob on a stick, but man oh man, he's got the balls, the emotion, the makeup... OH DON'T YOU KNOW KNOW KNOOOOWWWW it's a violation!!!! Then "Too Fast for Love" is the ultimate gang chorus. Driving down the highway at 95 mph screaming out the title track at 1.30 am, ahh this is the life, Batman. THIS is the perfect combination of the socially acceptable stylings of Nightwish, and the horrendous cranial skullfuck renderment dismemberment of Overkill, why oh why must they be so ... hateful ... and do they spell their name with three Ls?? Hate this job, hate the games, hate the rules. Well, don't hate, but don't get stuck in operatic vocals either, instead listen to this album, and go on with the show, on with the show... and take me to the top!!! THIS is the soundtrack to punk kids half dead on chemical euphoria (the REAL kind, mind you), 310 dollar speeding tickets and no concept of linear time...

Focus, kid, focus. Back to the music. Starry Eyes is a cute little song with a main bludgeon riff that takes the balls to the wall attitude of Led Zep and throws in the metallic fervor of Black Sabbath, and Merry-Go-Round has that surprise Priest/Purple/etc solo section, except sufficiently filtered through the uglifier of medium talent and maximal adrenaline. On With the Show is pretty much the band's ode to themselves, including the line "Frankie died just the other night" (Nikki Sixx is Frank Ferrana, you figure it out).... everything here is good and enjoyable. And yeah, it's glam, but it's also heavy fucking metal.

I can't give this more than an 85... it wouldn't be fair to bands that Are Sexual Perverts (though guess where they got half their perversion, it was kind of a straight-to-the-top symbiosis, trading flaming boots for over-the-top screaming metal... while Lawless may have given Nikki part of his old schpiel, this is the band that begat the OTTness of Wacky Blackie and his skull-drinking chainsaw-crotching pals, Hell even Slayer got a piece of this action!). But still, you wanna rock and roll (that's right!), so long live rock and roll (fuck yeah) - this is heavy as fuck for 1981, I cannot mention this enough, this is pretty much indispensable. Forget the damn makeup, the umlauts, the fact that they'd descend into self-parody after Shout at the Devil, this is just something no metalhead should be without.