Sixx: A.M. – 鈥楾his Is Gonna Hurt’
?The sophomore release from the side project of Nikki Sixx delivers a blistering assault of complex arrangements covering an emotional gambit of love, life, pain and darkness. The band’s latest offering serves as a musical companion for Sixx’s photo essay, “This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx.” Sixx: A.M.’s debut album, “The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack,” also served as the musical accompaniment for his highly regarded book, “The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star.”
The Motley Crue bassist has always had an eye for revealing the oddities of life and giving them a new perspective through a passionate and captivating style. The title track explodes with a heart-pounding opening highlighted by the frantic guitar playing of DJ Ashba and the flawless vocals of James Michael. Sixx, Ashba and Michael smoothly meld seamlessly as if they had been playing together for decades.
“This ain’t no side show/This is the great unknown/This is the poison we take,” sings Michael on the hauntingly powerful and dark “Lies of the Beautiful People.” The album’s first single will certainly bring ample exposure to the band’s new material. With four ballads included, “This Is Gonna Hurt” isn’t entirely an in-your-face rock bonanza. The best of the slow selections is the Kid Rock-sounding “Sure Feels Right” about a driver reflecting on the love of his life as he cruises the Los Angeles highways home. The album closes with the tender piano ballad “Skin.” “They don’t even know you/All they see is scars/They don’t see the angel living in your heart,” sings Michael as the fragile orchestrations tenderly bring the stunning arrangement to an end. Sixx is many things including an author, radio personality, clothing entrepreneur and philanthropist. Most importantly, he’s still a rock star through and through.
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