Michael Monroe - Sensory Overdrive

Anticipation is supposed to be good for you. It isn't!
The argument that you will appreciate something more after having had to wait for it is a crock of shit.
When I heard of who was in the Michael Monroe Band the anticipation to hear what they would come up with caused some palpitations.
Palpitations aint good. Ask a doctor.
Then when Steve Conte hopped aboard I had a bit of an adrenaline rush that initially felt pretty good, but then when the come down kicked in, along with the doubts of whether they could deliver, it wasn't so good any more.
Here was a band that is the definition of a rock and roll super group.
The best of the best with a collective CV that most rock and roll hall of fame inductees would struggle to match.
The problem is that in the past when class musicians with a bag full of attitude have gotten together the results have never lived up to the promise.
It all looks good on paper, but on stage and in the studio isn't the same as a concept.
It's a problem that by unintentionally building up the expectations of what they can deliver we, the listener, can feel short changed when they do anything less than spectacular.
Great just isn't good enough.
So here I was, already on an emotional rock and roll roller coaster praying that they would deliver on their promise, but at the same time loathing the possibility that they wouldn't.
It's not good for the old ticker this anticipation game.
Then there was the footage that turned up on youtube.
Two words describe what was there for all to see.
Fuckin' awesome.
Instead of the anticipation abating a little at the confirmation that they were indeed great, all it did was serve to ramp it up a bit as there was a forthcoming live gig to take in.
Would they match the footage on the internet?
Well of course they did.
In fact Lemmy is probably wondering where the extra hole came from.
I'll tell him.
“It's the result of you getting a new a-hole ripped due to adding The Michael Monroe Band to the bill of your tour mate.”
You would think that all my fears of them being able to deliver would have been tucked away by now, but anticipation is a strange beast.
There was a single release that would precede the album to worry about, Needlessly of course.
Then there was the album proper with the legendary Jack Douglas producing.
Once again there was really nothing to worry about as the album actually surpasses everything I expected of it.
You get what I mean about anticipation though?
Its like a monkey on your back whispering doubts in your ear.
Even when one hurdle is jumped successfully it keeps telling you that a fall may be just around the corner.
Anticipation is certainly NOT good for you.
Thankfully The Michael Monroe Band have just dropped kicked that monkey clean over the t-bar.
Everyone involved in this project have brought their a-game to play.
No slacking, no fucking about, just heads down excellence all around.
This is the rock and roll album of the decade.
It's big, it's loud and full of attitude.
In fact if Pandora's box held all the attitude in the world then this is what it would sound like when the lid was prised off.
This is what rock and roll should sound like in 2011. This is the benchmark that everyone else has to now measure what they do against and I doubt anyone is going to come along any time soon and match what is on offer here.