Remember Trixter? No? Ok. Trixter released their very cheesy and a lame self titled debut in 1990 and had a big hit in the States with a song called ”Give It To Me Good”, one of the few good tunes on that album. That song made that album go platinum. When they released Hear two years later, nobody gave a rat’s ass anymore, mainly because Kurt Cobain and his whiney friends ruled the airwaves by then, but also because people had realized that Trixter weren’t exactly a killer band and their second CD sucked big time. So they split, never to be heard from again. Or so we thought. And hoped. That’s why the news of their reunion was a bit of a surprise, even though it didn’t exactly set the world on fire. The reactions were more like ”Oh my God, why?” or just plain laughter!
I was one of those whose laughter got stuck in the throat when the new CD was listened to. Because twenty something years down the line, the Trixter boys had matured enough to write and record a brilliant record. It’s the opposite to their debut and its follow up. Where those were cheesy, thin sounding and dull, this new one has a good production, groove and great songs from beginning to end.
”Drag Me Down” starts off with an acoustic guitar, but grows heavier and rocks hard. It’s also very catchy. Brilliant. And the hard rock grooves just keeps on coming. ”Get On It” and ”Dirty Love” grooves and rocks with the best of them, ”Machine” shows some major AC/DC influences and ”Ride” is just a dirty rocker. On the more melodic side we have ”Live For The Day”, a killer uptempo ballad that feels like a hit, ”Physical Attraction” is a pop/rock groover, ”Tattoos And Misery” is just brilliant and so catchy it’s ridiculous and ”The Coolest Thing” is such a killer ballad that it deserves to become a huge hit. ”Save Your Soul” on the other hand has lyrics that are too cliché for comfort, but it’s still such a great song that I just don’t care.
Then we get a bonus track. It’s called ”Find A Memory” and is one of the best songs on the album. So why is it a bonus track? And why do we even get bonus tracks these days? Bonus tracks were there in the beginning when CD were about to take over the market and were put on CDs for marketing purposes. There’s no need for bonus tracks anymore. Either the song is on the album or it isn’t, simple as that. That said, Trixter has made one damn fine album here and if you let the name scare you off, you’re the loser and the last laugh will be on you because the boys have never sounded this good before. Heavier but still melodic and catchy and this time they sound professional and like the mean business. Great stuff.
Jon Wilmenius (8/10)
Tracklist:
01. Drag Me Down (3:58)
02. Get On It (3:36)
03. Dirty Love (3:40)
04. Machine (3:34)
05. Live For The Day (3:35)
06. Ride (3:49)
07. Physical Attraction (3:51)
08. Tattoos & Misery (3:32)
09. The Coolest Thing (3:37)
10. Save Your Soul (4:02)
11. Walk With A Stranger (4:25)
12. Find A Memory (European bonus track) (3:25)
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