EYES ‘N’ LIPS – Pornstar For President (2014)
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Hailing from Milan, Italy, EYES ‘N’ LIPS are presenting their debut CD “Pornstar For President” through specialized label Street Symphonies Records. Specialized in Hard Rock, as you can note at first sight on the band’s name but, also, on the front cover artwork.
Yeah, it’s clear that here we have to deal with a band trying to glorify the ’80s, early ’90s L.A. Glam / Hard rock scene, and if you like this style, “Pornstar For President” satisfies for the most part.
Eyes ‘N’ Lips were originally formed in 2011 when drummer Vik and guitarist Gypsy had one thing on mind; to create a group that would be loyal to bands that made a huge impact in California back in the ’80s. Both musicians searched for the ‘right’ persons to complete the band’s line-up and in a while Eyes ‘N’ Lips was a fact.
Eyes ‘N’ Lips played in several venues around Italy and opened for Adam Bomb, L.A. Guns, Faster Pussycat and others which resulted with the band inking a deal with Street Symphonies Records to record its debut “Pornstar For President”.
The music here is, as already mentioned above, pure sleazy Hard Rock in the vein of Guns ‘N Roses, Motley Crue, L.A. Guns, Poison, etc, which means loud ‘n’ dirty guitars, nasty lyrics, catchy choruses and a ‘rebel’ attitude.
This has been done zillion times, so originality is out of the question, but if you play this genre with style, you can rock darn good.
Well, Eyes ‘N’ Lips have some definite musical ability, especially Gypsy, who rips out some really nice guitar solos and hot riffs. Vik is more than competent as stickman, and bassist Swiff stays nice and tight with the drums, falling into the pocket on each of these tracks and never really straying from there; there are no huge bass intros or solos anywhere on this record, but he is solid enough for this style of music.
Frontman Mr. Skorpion (yeah you read that right) has a general hard rock voice, sometimes shouting, sometimes piercing, often sneering.
There’s strong, razor compositions in the fast-paced opener “Jack And Daniel”, the sleaziest, effective “Fuckin’ Obsessive”, and the gang-chorus fueled title track.
“Bring Me To Your Paradise” has a Poison-esque guitar tone and a Faster Pussycat-styled hook that makes for a really catchy song, and Mr. Skorpion manages to keep his vocals more melodic on what I think is the best song here.
“Desire And Curiosity” has a G ‘N R kind of rhythm guitar line with verses sung in a lower range than anywhere else on the album, and it’s another good number.
Of course we have a ballad; “With You”, with clean electric guitar during the verses but distorted at the chorus is a pretty solid slow tune, with whistling at the outset of the song.
Album closer “Day After Day” sounds like the band may have found some sheet music Poison lost during the recording of Look What The Cat Dragged In, as it owns that same kind of catchy guitar solo approach that C.C. DeVille used so frequently back in the day, and a pop-punk pace that I’m sure is a crowd favorite that will have people bouncing all over the place in a live setting.
“Pornstar For President” it’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll, and it’s fine on that purpose. Eyes ‘N’ Lips only just wants you to spend a good time, and succeeds most the time.
This is that kind of raw ‘n rough record, intentionally unpolished and with a live feel. If you like the aforementioned bands taken as influences by Eyes ‘N’ Lips, you will enjoy “Pornstar For President”; simple, effective up-tempo sleazy Californian Hard Rock stuff.
01 – Jack And Daniel
02 – Fuckin’ Obsessive
03 – Pornstar For President
04 – Soldier Of Love
05 – With You
06 – Bring Me To Your Paradise
07 – Come Away, Come Away With Me
08 – Desire And Curiosity
09 – Rock Your Love
10 – Day After Day
Mr. Skorpion – Vocals
Gypsy – Guitars
Swiff – Bass, Backing Vocals
Vik – Drums, Backing Vocals
Thanks to glitter2gutter.blogspot.com
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