Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
So, they say a Leopard never changes its spots but as Tracii Guns states they have a lot of spots so this album is a melting pot of everything that makes this band so good.
A band with 40 years of experience and they are still churning out bangers. Since Phil rejoined the vibe has been back and with five albums in seven years the creativity just does not stop.
The album opens with the single “Taste It” and this is the swagger and sleaze fest we love from the boys. Melodic magic, glorious riffs and that punky spit in your face vocals that is driven from the gutters of sunset strip at 4AM on a Saturday morning.
Who is not going to love a song named “Lucky Motherfucker”? especially when it is a funk driven monster. This had me thinking of Electric Boys and their fantastic debut. It also had some touches of the Chilli Peppers and if this was a leopard spot it must have been on the hind legs as it kicks like a bitch.
Third track “The Grinder” is back in the gutter and Tracii is cunjouring pure magic as Phil slavers, spits and screams as inner demons are portrayed. The breakdown is as unhinged as the lyrics and like the main character this song is one bad decision away from the mental institution.
“Hit and Run” is back to a more steady road, it touches on the balladic that this band have made their own and like the best of the past tracks this hits hard. Hey, we have all been dumped and yes, it is like a hit and run.
It is time for some down and dirty on “Don’t Gimme Away” and for the band that encapsulated the Sleaze moniker this is an instant favourite. It is everything I love about the band and the reason I was hooked on the debut all those decades away. Phil had thrown away his goody two shoes image from Girl and slotted into a new anti hero role and with Tracii pushing his boundaries they results were and are genius.
“I’m Your Candy Man” is just a fucked up journey through sexual innuendos but it is a cracking song and Tracii is on fire. It also has a real 70s chorus that will have you humming along. We go from humming to freaking out on “Runaway Train” as we bust out the slide geetar and go full naked assed Country.
This track is as much fun as a bottle of moonshine and crossbows. Call me Cleatus and pass the bottle as I loved this.
We all know someone who is “Following the Money” and the track lays bare the facts, yip, they are assholes but the track made me smile, ticked the boxes musically and there is some fantastic work going on to boot.
Buy links:
SINGLE (“Taste It”): https://orcd.co/laguns_tasteit
SINGLE (“Lucky Motherfucker”): https://orcd.co/laguns_luckymotherfucker
DIGITAL ALBUM: https://orcd.co/laguns_leopardskin
CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=l.a.+guns+leopard+skin
