POISON — Flesh & Blood (review)

POISON — Flesh & Blood album cover Album · 1990 · Glam Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Negoba
Stumbling Toward Straight Pop

In 1990, most were recognizing that Glam was a spent genre, and many bands were trying to update their sound to accommodate. But what to do when you're the band that defined the cliche? Poison made a reasonable choice in simply moving toward pop. It was a reasonable choice, though many outside factors would prevent the band from having the success they'd enjoyed earlier.

The first single "Unskinny Bop," was much more funky and less metal than virtually anything Poison had done before. My initial reaction was a guarded "This is interesting," and I think this was shared. When I got the album, I found two common threads, an increased pop sensibility "Ride the Wind" being a prime example, and the fact that once again C.C.'s guitar skills had gotten better.

For the most part, the move to the center made the band less unique. Although the songs were solid pop, the band was losing its identity. The band did have another hit, though. In tune with their efforts to get "more serious," Bret Michaels rewrote their previous hit ballad "Every Rose," by transferring essentially the same chords and melodies to piano and social lyrics. An admirable effort, for most even non-musician listeners, the move was pretty transparent. Still, the band made plenty of money.

This was the end of Poison's run as an a hit album maker, though they continue to this day as solid live entertainment.

Bottom Line: Average Late Glam
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