SKID ROW – Revolutions Per Minute [Skid Row Records 2021 reissue]

Sometimes planets crash, and this is the case with SKID ROW‘s last full length album “Revolutions Per Minute“. SKID ROW has recovered the rights of the album from SPV/Steamhammer Records, and reissued ”Revolutions Per Minute” by themselves (via Skid Row Records) last Friday 25, 2021.
Ironically, one day after, Saturday 26, singer Johnny Solinger died at the age of 55 due to liver failure.
Solinger joined SKID ROW when it reformed in 1999 following a three-year hiatus, replacing Sebastian Bach. He was a member of SKID ROW from 1999 to 2015, and appeared on the “Thickskin” and “Revolutions Per Minute” albums, as well as the “United World Rebellion” and “Rise Of The Damnation Army” EPs.
While renowned Michael Wagener – who co-produced the band’s celebrated second album ‘Slave to the Grind’ – returned to produce “Revolutions Per Minute”, the album received generally negative reviews.
Now 2021, fifteen years after its original release, and listening to it again, we can say “Revolutions Per Minute” isn’t a bad album at all, you just need to appreciate it as a ‘different SKID ROW’.

The key to re-discover “Revolutions Per Minute” is quite simple; don’t think this is SKID ROW.
While there’s songs bringing to mind the band’s first era, like “White Trash” which has one of those choruses that I can’t get out of my head and some lyrics that are funny as hell, or “Shut Up Baby, I Love You” is as close as Solinger comes to abrasive howl of original frontman Sebastian Bach, the rest of the material here has a ‘new’ focus.

What is up with some of these songs though? “You Lie” is a redneck romp that a hung-over Junkyard might have tackled, and “When God Can’t Wait” sounds like a Celtic-influenced barn burner with lots of groove.
This is the SKID ROW or not? Yes and no. Scotti Hill, Dave Sabo, Rachel Bolan wanted a new sound for the band, not so rich in harmonies and swirling solos, in favor to more intense, punkish n’ groovin’ rockers with a few songs even close to country music.

The controversy with “Revolutions Per Minute” already happened to other bands with such identifiable sound: Motle Crue with its 1994 album, Iron Maiden’s X Factor, etc. And one can’t deny today the quality of these albums and new vocalists Corabi, Blaze Bayley, Gary Cherone’s talent.

Yeah, in “Revolutions Per Minute” what also changed too much was the musical direction, but still is a good one. Perhaps this album shouldn’t have been released under the SKID ROW name.
I like most of the songs here, it’s a well performed & produced American rocking album from the 2000’s.
RIP Johnny ‘Singo’ Solinger

01 – Disease
02 – Another Dick in the System
03 – Pulling My Heart out from Under Me
04 – When God Can’t Wait
05 – Shut up Baby, I Love You
06 – Strength
07 – White Trash
08 – You Lie
09 – Nothing
10 – Love Is Dead
11 – Let It Ride
12 – You Lie (Corn Fed Mix)

Johnny Solinger – lead vocals
Scotti Hill – guitars, backing vocals
Dave Sabo – guitars, backing vocals
Rachel Bolan – bass, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on 2
Dave Gara – drums, backing vocals
Rachel Hagen – additional vocals on “Another Dick in the System”
“Jelly Roll” Johnson – harmonica on “You Lie (Corn Fed Mix)”

BUY
www.amazon.com/Revolutions-Minute-Explicit-Skid-Row/dp/B097GJVV9D