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Michael Monroe: One Man Gang
Michael Monroe - One Man Gang Music Review

Michael Monroe: One Man Gang

Hard Rock
4.0/5.0

Iconic and riotous rocker Michael Monroe got the back together. Raised on radio, his father's vinyl, and heavy doses of Little Richard, MC5, and Alice Cooper, among many others, Michael Monroe lives by the credo stay true to yourself, rock hard, and leave a good looking corpse. When he's not impersonating Goldie Hawn, Monroe is all about creating raucous, punk energized, hard rock with a few of his friends including Hanoi Rocks band mate Sami Yaffa. Michael Monroe returns with his tenth studio album, One Man Gang.

Michael Monroe - Click For Larger Image

Michael Monroe & Crew

And that's largely what you get with each Monroe album, rowdy rock n roll which both crosses and transcends generations. Most songs are robust with sharp riffs, brisk pacing, tight rock rhythm and groove, lightning guitar solos, catchy refrains, and then wrapped in accessible melody and harmony. Above it all, Monroe directs all things with his assertive vocal spirit while, at times, dropping in some harmonica or saxophone. Sometimes with the barrage of riffage, it's hard to distinguish between the two. But the harmonica comes through with Junk Planet and Wasted Years. More punk n roll comes with the quick riffers One Man Gang, and Black Ties And Red Tape and, the perhaps autobiographical, The Pitfalls Of Being An Outsider. For something of a different spirit, Midsummer Nights turns on a lighter musical frame with voice over electric guitar to then rise to an arena anthem. Later, with Heaven Is A Free State, Monroe taps into some rock fusion by offering Helsinki jazz trumpeter Tero Saarti to the mix. His trumpet sounds like it came straight from a Sergio Leone movie. It's one of the best songs here.

All written, Michael Monroe's One Man Gang once more establishes the musician as consummate connoisseur of classic, straight up, rowdy rock n roll. Expect no less from Michael Monroe. Recommended.


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The Bottom Line

Michael Monroe's One Man Gang once more establishes the musician as consummate connoisseur of classic, straight up, rowdy rock n roll. Expect no less from Michael Monroe. Recommended.

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