Mötley Crüe - Crücial Crüe: The Studio Albums 1981-1989

Too Fast For Love is a remarkably assured debut. From the opening riff of Live Wire, this is an album that thrills. As addictive as it is dangerous, everything just falls into place. Vince Neil’s sleazy vocal on Come On and Dance positively drips with lust; not the strongest singer, but perfect for the Crüe. The title track is impossibly exciting, a real rush, and introduces the first of many shout-along choruses that would come to define the Crüe live experience. 

There’s more to be found on Shout at the Devil, an album that boasts bigger songs in the form of the title track, the swaggering Too Young to Fall in Love and anthemic Looks That Kill. There’s greater aggression in Bastard, a song that races past but not before hitting you in the face. The Beatles’ Helter Skelter is transformed into the heavy metal song it always threatened to be; an unlikely cover that really works. 

Something of a departure, Theatre of Pain marks the first appearance of a full blown power ballad. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing; most bands would kill for a heartfelt tune as successful as Home Sweet Home. And thankfully, it’s not all so saccharine; the grooving City Boy Blues and irresistible Smokin’ In the Boys Room open proceedings with a party vibe that persists throughout. There’s undoubtedly more polish here; gone is the raw unpredictability of the first two albums, in its place catchier tracks that hammer their repetitive refrains. 

There’s an irrepressible energy to Girls, Girls, Girls; an album that finds the Crüe exuding confidence and riding high on their success. The title track might raise a few eyebrows in these modern times, but who wants their rock stars to worry about that sort of thing?! Dancing on Glass is just fantastic, the slinky Mick Mars riff underpinning a lesser known classic. 

With producer extraordinaire Bob Rock overseeing, Dr. Feelgood is particularly strong and pleasingly heavy. The thundering bass of the title track and the relentless thump of Slice of your Pie launch arguably the most consistent album of all. Kickstart My Heart feels suitably like a jolt of electricity, the breathless pace and high energy adding up to a perfect rocker. Even a couple of ballads can’t derail an album so deliciously filthy and uncompromisingly brash. 

Maybe you don’t need these albums again but that won’t stop you wanting this box set. Make sure to get a piece of the action from February 17th.