Why did I not find about Sixx:A.M. before now? One of the pleasures of the role a reviewer is coming across little gems now and then and this band is one. Having been given the call up from our Ed to give the release of Hits from Sixx:A.M. I am having my first spin of the album and find it very easy to get into.
For those who aren’t in the know, like me before getting this release. Sixx:A.M., are an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2007. They are best known for their #1 hits, Life Is Beautiful and Lies of the Beautiful People. The name Sixx:A.M. is a combination of all of the members’ last names (Nikki Sixx (bass – Motley Crüe, Brides of Destruction), Dj Ashba (guitar – Beautiful Creatures, Guns N Roses), and James Michael (vocals, guitar, keyboards – producer, songwriter with artists including HammerFall, Scorpions, Halestorm, Mötley Crüe, Meatloaf and others)—collectively known as Sixx:A.M.
To date Sixx:A.M. have three U.S. Billboard top twenty albums and a string of hit singles already under their belts, with their full catalogue consisting of five studio albums: The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack (2007), This Is Gonna Hurt (2011), Modern Vintage (2014) Prayers for the Damned and Blessed (2016), as well as three EPs; X-Mas In Hell (2008); Live Is Beautiful (2008) and 7 (2011).
This is a compilation of their hits and fan favourites from their albums above as well as some new releases to coincide with the release of Sixx’s highly anticipated new memoir – The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx. The songs on here pack a punch of attitude and have a swagger to them that works well without being over the top. The lyrics on some of the songs are really deep and speak of some deep personal stories and feelings. This is where I find Sixx:A.M. stand out when compared to a lot of generic rock acts from around that time.
Musically, as you’d expect from a compilation, there’s a mix of genres covering aspects of hard rock, post grunge rock and alternative rock. Vocally I am really impressed with James Michael’s voice, he has good range and can have his voice dripping with emotion one song, oozing attitude the next. The first fourteen songs on here will be well known to fans of the band and others may have heard them on radio. From fifteen to twenty it is a mix of new material written for this album with a couple of re-mixes thrown in for good measure.
New songs Penetrate, Talk To Me, Maybe It’s Time and The First 21 sit nicely alongside the hits on the album with only Penetrate having not been heard prior to this. A remake of Skin and Life is Beautiful round out the album.
I think I’ll give it another spin.
Hits is out now.
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