BORN AGAIN
If there was any question as to how much of a central role Jani Lane
played in the success and subsequent dissolution of the band WARRANT,
it will be answered once you hear
Born Again. Honestly, I can't
stand when egomaniacal self-destructive frontmen cause so much turmoil
within their bands, that they wind up destroying everything that band
worked for
(psst - Axl, you listening?). All you have to do is look at the lineup changes in the band from the release of
Ultraphobic through the release of their glorified disc of cover tunes
Under The Influence;
the band was changing members like most people change socks. It was
almost a cover band by the time that cover tune disc came out. Ironic,
eh?
However, Jani Lane wrote the bulk of the songs during the band's
primary period of success, and even though 4/5 of the band has reformed
(along with former BLACK 'N BLUE singer Jamie St. James), they can't
recapture the anthemic nature of some of the singles Lane was
responsible for. Fans of "Cherry Pie", "Down Boys", "Uncle Tom's
Cabin", or even sappy ballads like "I Saw Red" and grittier tunes like
"Inside Out" may be disappointed with
Born Again.
This collection of twelve songs is well-executed, and will appeal to
die hards, but doesn't include many memorable hooks...and is sounds
more like a band that is just starting out rather than a band that's
been around for 20 years.
