Johnny Crash ~ Neighborhood Threat (album review) ... For fans of AC/DC!

Style: heavy metal
Label: WTG
Year: 1990
Home: Los Angeles, California

Members: Vicki James Wright ~ vocals
August Worchell, Christopher Stewart ~ guitars
Adam Rodgers ~ bass
Stephen Adamo ~ drums

 

It's nice to hear a band for a change that doesn't imitate Iron Maiden or Led Zeppelin. Imitation isn't bad ... except when everyone chooses the same band. That being said, this isn't an original band musically ... they've just chosen a different band to imitate. If you're in the mood for some AC/DC with Bon Scott, well, this ain't it but it's a pretty close imitation that's got just as much spirit as the original. Vicki James Wright sings like he's the son of Scott albeit with a few more Steven Tyler-esque screams. The music is raw AC/DC but much more metal a la Los Angeles glam than bluesy. Though, I wrote this last sentence before looking up what city they are based in. It's surprising how there really is a L.A. rock sound that comes through the music of so many of the bands centered there from Guns N' Roses to Lizzy Borden. Albeit, if you asked me to list the traits that separate it from New York rock ... well, how's those Yankees playing? My father in law hates the Yankees ... Anyways, even with the profound imitative nature of the band these guys are really great & have put together an incredibly solid album that rocks hard without going overboard or too much into glam. It's not anything original, even if the singer was not a Bon Scott disciple & it's a style that's plastered across the 80's, but it plays a lot stronger than a lot of it's peers. "Hey Kid" was the MTV track chart-topper but is actually one of the less interesting tracks & thankfully starts the album & let's it take off to higher places without this weak track stopping the flow. "No Bones About It", "Thrill Of The King" & "Axe To The Wax" are very AC/DC-ish songs & even their titles sound like it ... so if you like one band you'll probably like the other & I highly recommend checking out this other one. Some people remember Johnny Crash because following this album Dizzy Reed, on guitar instead of keyboards, & drummer Matt Sorum joined the ranks before the band literally crashed & the two joined Guns N Roses.