Songs of Life

Amazon.com A decade after alternative rock and grunge took down big-haired glam metal like a wounded bear, the tables have turned: The victors now snarl double-time covers of Eagles songs for their corporate masters, while the vanquished soldier on via the former's indie label spirit. On the evidence of this debut solo release, Poison frontman Bret Michaels has also learned a musical trick or two from the competition--and a few contemporaries. "Menace to Society," "Bittersweet," and the bonus track, "Party Rock Band," bristle with Silverlake pop-punk energy, while the title track and "One More Day" evoke no less than the Heartland spirit of John Mellencamp. "The Chant" flirts briefly with rap-metal, while the tongue-in-cheek excesses of "It's My Party" evoke an unlikely shotgun marriage between thrash and Lesley Gore. But Michaels hasn't forgotten the slick, hook-laden ballads that helped make his fortune either, with the buoyant "Raine" (whose video is also included on this enhanced disc) and melancholy bonus cut "Stay With Me" displaying both solid craftsmanship and surprising range. If the album is ultimately as musically derivative as anything in the Poison catalog, it succeeds largely on Michaels's broader ambitions and willingness to push the stylistic envelope--as well as nick a few timely pop cues from the best. --Jerry McCulley