Union

This superb CD isn't what some might expect from a band that boasted former members of Mötley Crüe and Kiss. Given that singer John Corabi had been with the Crüe and guitarist Bruce Kulick spent 12 years with Kiss, some headbangers might have been hoping for some delightfully decadent and trashy heavy metal/hard rock. But let's not forget that Corabi's only album with the Crüe, 1994's Mötley Crüe, was a major departure from the Crüe's albums with Vince Neil. In fact, Union's main focus is forceful yet melodic alternative rock that has more in common with Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden, and the Stone Temple Pilots than Kiss or Vince Neil-era Crüe. "Love (I Don't Need It Anymore)" may allude to slick 1980s corporate rock, but "Heavy D...," "Tangerine" (not to be confused with either the Led Zeppelin classic or jazzman Jimmy Dorsey's 1940s big-band hit), "Old Man Wise," and most of the other gems on this CD aren't unlike something you'd get from one of Seattle's alternative or grunge outfits of the 1990s. Corabi and Kulick sound like they are enjoying this unexpected direction a lot, and the result is one of 1998's strongest rock releases. [The Japanese edition features the bonus track "For You."] ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide