For some reason when it comes to reviews and I am dishing out who gets what nobody seems to want music that has it's origins in the hair metal days of the 1980's. We have reviewers who are happy to pick up out and out metal material, reviewers who want more AOR orientated stuff and people who are happy with more classic style music. That leaves yours truly picking up the pieces and reviewing albums such as this, Beautiful Creatures' sophomore effort 'Deuce'.

Beautiful Creatures, for those not aware features the vocals talents of one time Bang Tango vocalist Joe Leste alongside other graduates from the Los Angeles 1980's scene. For their first album the band were signed to a major label in the shape of Warner Brothers but were quickly dropped amidst disappointing album sales and numerous line-up changes along the way. All fo this brings me to what I actually think of the new record. Well if you like your music on the sleaxy side this is definitely right up your dingy alleyway so to speak. The riffs and vocals are straight out of Sunset Strip's Whiskey & Rainbow clubs and whilst the production and sound isn't as sharp as many of the major label releases back in the day it certainly lends itself to the style of music on offer.

Opening track 'Anyone' typifies the fare on offer throughout the album with a gritty guitar sound and riff topped off with equally dirty vocals and some inane lyrics. Where the songs aren't all sleaxy and dirty there are off course the obligator ballads, 'I Miss You' being the prime example. Sounding rather like Britain's own Quireboys - indeed Leste does a fair Spike impersonation -  this is the tale of lost love and heartache as told by countless others bands on countless other records and quite forgettable in this guise.

Where Beautiful Creatures do pick up points is in the attempts to slightly modernize the formula on songs such as 'Superfly', a number packed full of electronic vocal effects and staccato guitar riffs not a million miles away from Marilyn Manson in its delivery.

With the majority of the songs clocking in at somewhere under the four minute mark it is hard to get bored with what the band have to offer but it surely is a case of heard it before in nearly every case. Deuce is certainly not a bad album, its just one that you already own somewhere in your collection, albeit with a different name and by a different band.

Let us know your views on 'Deuce'

Track List

Anyone
Freedom
Unforgiven
Save Me
Superfly
Empty
Never
Straight to Hell
Unknown
Ton of Lead
Brand New Day
Thanks
I Won't Be the One

Line Up

Joe LeSte - Vocals
Anthony Focx - Guitars
Mark Simpson - Guitars
Kenny Kweens - Bass
Timmy Russell - Drums