Bret Michaels – Rock My World
VH1 Classic Records (6/03/08)
Rock
Let’s just get this over right up front: I’ve always had a soft spot for Poison. Those first four studio albums, right up to Native Tongue… there’s some good stuff on those albums.
So of all people, I’d be a good choice as someone interested in a Bret Michaels solo album. So lo and behold, in 2008 Michaels releases Rock My World, and all would seem right with this review. But, I’ll let you in on a little secret… Way back in 2003, Michaels released Songs of Life, to little or no fanfare. And half of the songs on this “latest” disc appeared on said album five years ago.
So what is this? Is this a gift to fans? (Not likely.) Is it a hybrid release to turn on new fans? (I think not.) Or maybe, is it just an attempt at a quick money grab to cash in on Michaels’ laughable celebrity status as the star of his own, unnamed in this review, reality show? (Here’s a hint: If you missed it, take a look at the label releasing this album.)
With that out of the way, how does this disc measure up in general? Already mentioned, six of the 12 tracks were released on Michaels’ previous release (“Menace to Society”, “Bittersweet”, “Raine”, “Strange Sensation”, “Songs of Life” and “It’s My Party”), though “It’s My Party” is billed as a new “2008 mix.”
Taken as a whole, Rock My World offers up a mixed bag. There are a couple of ballads, some rocking songs, some slower, county-inspired tunes and a couple of goofier, pop-rock songs. And none of it really blows the listener away.
Take the ballads (“Fallen” and “All I Ever Needed”), for instance. If you were to measure them against Michaels’ better-known material from his time in Poison, they fall far short of “Every Rose Has its Thorn” (probably one of the biggest power-ballads of all time), and instead stack up next to, say, “Theater of My Soul” (off Native Tongue). That’s not to say they’re terrible, but they’re just not quite “there.”
So what about the heavier/louder songs (“Go That Far” or “Bittersweet”, or the laughable “Menace to Society”)? Well, they’re almost serviceable, except they don’t have any teeth… at all. And it’s not clear if that’s a problem on Michaels’ end as a songwriter, or if it’s the backing band.
The stronger songs are the ones with a country edge. It’s clear Michaels is most comfortable learning toward that genre these days (shifting from the more blues-influenced stuff he was doing earlier in his career), and it shows in the songs. “Start Again” and “Songs of Life” immediately spring to mind, but the aforementioned “All I Ever Needed” falls into that category, too. And the ballad even features country songstress Jessica Andrews on guest vocals, which immediately adds points in my book.
As for the less-serious material, of “Bittersweet” (featuring the retort “besides she sucked in the sack”) or the pseudo-party anthem “It’s My Party” (I mean, how serious are we really supposed to take this song?), neither manages to walk the line between being fun and being laughable. They just come off as complete jokes.
So how do you rate something like this? Fans will like it. It most probably serves its purpose to catch fans of the unnamed reality show and thus make a little money that way. In the end, there’s a couple of good songs on here, just not enough to justify buying the whole album (especially if you already picked up Songs of Life).
