So, the old loud mouth is back with a new album, new band and a new writing partner in young guitar player Nick Sterling. The last time we heard of Bas, music wise, was when he released his last solo album Angel Down in 2008. A pretty good album, but a bit too uneven, it still made us believe that there is still life in this genre and maybe, just maybe his old band mates from Skid Row would consider doing some kind of reunion now that their albums don’t actually sell that many copies – Probably because they blow! Anyway, Sebastian didn’t waste any time hitting the road and apart from some silly TV shows, touring and writing for this new album is what he’s been up to since then. Kicking And Screaming is a step up from his previous album, no doubt. Still, I can’t let go of the feeling that Bas and Skid Row needs each other.
While I can’t find any bad tracks on this album, I can’t find enough killers either and when the fillers hit you, it’s hard not to sigh and dream back to Skid Row’s debut or the masterful Slave To The Grind. The title track however, is great, heavy and angry and ”My Own Worst Enemy” is great, a hard rock / metal track that just reeks of Skid Row. ”Caught In A Dream” holds up well, very melodic and it could, with a little luck, become a hit. ”As Long As I Got The Music” is a good melodic hard rock song and ”Dream Forever” is pretty brilliant, hard rock on the softer side. Best of all, and this is a little weird for a metal album, are ”I’m Alive” and ”Wishing”, both brilliant rock ballads. The first one is actually almost as great as the old Skid Row ballads. Should it worry us that the best songs on a Bach album are ballads? Well no, because even though Skid Row was a metal band, they still were damn good at writing those ballads.
Sebastian Bach has made a good hard rock / metal album and this time the production is a lot better than last time, the whole album is better and this is so superior to Skid Row of today it’s gonna put them to shame. Still, I have a feeling that if the guys could just bury the hatchet and let bygones be bygones, they could take the best of their worlds and make a great Skid Row album. Yes, a Skid Row reunion gets my vote.
Jon Wilmenius (7/10)
Track list:
1. Kicking & Screaming
2. My Own Worst Enemy
3. Tunnelvision (featuring John 5)
4. Dance On Your Grave
5. Caught In A Dream
6. As Long As I Got The Music
7. I’m Alive
8. Dirty Power
9. Live The Life
10. Dream Forever
11. One Good Reason
12. Lost In The Light
13. Wishin’
CD & Festival reviews 
Sebastian Bach is an amazing front man and vocalist, but he was never the kind of songwriter that Snake and Bolan were. I believe Sebastian puts 200% into every song he does, and that sincerity helps elevate some of his songs to a higher level. Unfortunately this album didn’t do it for me. I’ve played it a handful of times.
Having said that, who else but Baz could get Axl Rose to cameo on his album? Gotta love the man for that gift. And he’s already filmed his scenes for the upcoming season of Trailer Park Boys, so I’m cool with that!
I agree. Bach – Bolan -Snake was the perfect fit when it comes to songwriting and how to interpret them right. They need each other.
What’s the Trailer Park Boys?
Trailer Park Boys is a very funny Canadian TV show about 3 loveable guys who make a living selling dope. Sebastian, having been on the cover of High Times (as were the Trailer Park Boys) was a big fan of the show. On the show, he plays himself. He works with the Boys to smuggle drugs into the US from Canada.
Here’s the first episode he was in. Skip ahead to 13:45 to see the beginning of Sebastian’s scenes. (At a model train convention!)
I should also mention that Helix and Alex Lifeson from Rush have also been on the show playing themselves. (Lifeson has an entire episode called “Closer to the Heart”, in which the Boys are trying to get into a Rush concert that has been sold out. So Ricky the main character decides to kidnap Alex instead.
Ok. Cool. Is it any good? As in worth watching?
Of this trailer I got som pro-weed vibes. I’m not pro nor against, but sometimes those pro-weed folks gets a bit overmuch.
I think it’s hilarious, but I’m Canadian and it might not translate as well.
It’s neither pro nor against really. There’s never a message of, “You should really smoke this.” It’s more a message of, “Smoke it if you want to, we don’t care, but be careful you don’t end up as dumb and lazy as these three guys.” If I had to compare it, it’s the Canadian take on it where the American version of it would be Harold and Kumar. It’s that present in the show, but not to the point where there’s a “message”. They commit much larger crimes on the show anyone. Stealing cars, vandalism, stealing gas, etc. In one episode they open an illegal bar in the park, in another they have a scheme where they are stealing Christmas trees. It’s more just…utterly ridiculous.
Anyway, the Sebastian stuff is great and I’ve never met a person who didn’t like the Lifeson episode, so I would say if you’re curious, that’s where to start!