Slash's Snakepit

It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (1995 Geffen Records)

1. Neither Can I
2. Dime Store Rock
3. Beggars & Hangers-On
4. Good To Be Alive
5. What Do You Want To Be
6. Monkey Chow
7. Soma City Ward
8. Jizz Da Pit
9. Lower
10. Take It Away
11. Doin' Fine
12. Be The Ball
13. I Hate Everybody (But You)
14. Back And Forth Again

Derek's Review
I hate when the first song on an album doesn't grab my attention, and "Neither Can I" is no exception. The song slightly reminds me of "Dust N' Bones" (Guns N' Roses) and lead vocalist Eric Dover is eerily reminiscent of the singer in Slash's previous band. For some reason, the song doesn't do much for me. It builds promise but never takes off, it leaves a foundation but never builds a house, it just sits there like a bump on a log. "Dime Store Rock" picks up the pieces a little bit, but is still only a mediocre song. "Beggars & Hangers-On" can't decide if it wants to be a ballad or a bluesy rock song, but it's a better song than the previous two, and turns out to be the first really good song on this album. "Good To Be Alive" would be a really cool song if only Dover's vocals were more clear. "What Do You Want To Be" is another song with great potential that would achieve that greatness if I could just tweak it slightly. A better performance on Dover's part, but damn, Mike Clink (producer) needs to be fired. Slash is tearing it up on this song. "Jizz Da Pit" gets things back on track, and I think it's because it's an instrumental and doesn't have any vocals to botch it. About the best thing on "Lower" is Slash doing a little bluesy guitar. "Be The Ball" turns out to be the best song on this album, because it finally gets everything right. Slash finishes off this album with a fine solo on "Back And Forth Again."

It seems Slash's problem after Guns N' Roses is that he is wildly inconsistent. This happens here, on his follow up record Ain't Life Grand, and continues in his current band Velvet Revolver. This album lost me with the first song and never quite recovered.

So much great potential and energy is unfortunately lost on this album and veteran-filled band (Matt Sorum (The Cult, Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver), Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses), Mike Inez (Alice In Chains), Dizzy Reed (Guns N' Roses)). I really wanted to love this one, but no dice.

Derek's Picks: Beggars & Hangers-On, What Do You Want To Be

Derek's Rating

Ain't Life Grand (2000 Koch Records)

1. Been There Lately
2. Just Like Anything
3. Shine
4. Mean Bone
5. Back To The Moment
6. Life's Sweet Drug
7. Serial Killer
8. Truth
9. Landslide
10. Ain't Life Grand
11. Speed Parade
12. Alien

13. Rusted Heroes (bonus track on Asian version)
14. Something About Your Love (bonus track on Asian version)

Derek's Review
Slash comes back with another release and an entirely different band, and thank god for it.

Slash starts things off the right way with a great tune, "Been There Lately." New vocalist Rod Jackson sounds like a Scream-era John Corabi. This is a great thing. "Been There Lately" is everything I wanted from the first album but never got. He gets an extra guitar just for this one song. Slash's solo is smoking and this album is a rollin'. "Just Like Anything" continues the groove and adds a choir to the chorus. Slash is all over this song, and the song is better for it. I have to give producer Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, etc.) credit here, because you can hear the vocals, which make this a much improved album. "Shine" slows things down a little and has a great chorus. I admit the opening of "Mean Bone" had me concerned, but the song vastly improves once the girl stops talking. "Back To The Moment" is one of the best ballads I've heard in a long time. This song is absolutely terrific, and can't say enough good things about it. "Serial Killer" starts off freaky before becoming one of the hardest songs on the album. "The Truth" sounds like "Shine" part II and there's nothing wrong with that. Another great tune on this album. "Ain't Life Grand" is a big swing song, and while it does make the track stand out on the album, I'm not quite sure if it works for me or not, but I do appreciate the experimentation. If you have heard Pat Boone's hilarious In A Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, that'll give you a pretty good indication of what this song sounds like. Slash makes a wicked comeback on "Speed Parade." Unfortunately, "The Alien" ends this album on a sour note, but that's okay.

Slash makes a great comeback here from his last effort. The five years between releases seems to have done Slash some good here, since this album completely overshadows his previous solo album.

Derek's Picks: Been There Lately, Shine, Back To The Moment

Derek's Rating