POISON – Crack A Smile… And More! [Japan HR-HM 1000 reissue series] (2018)

Universal Music Japan has started this year a curious but more than welcomed campaign: the reissue of long time out of print albums from their catalog titled ‘HR/HM 1000’, that meaning Hard Rock / Heavy Metal at the price of 1000 Yen = about 9,5 USD.
“Crack a Smile… And More!“, the fifth studio album from POISON featuring crazy guitarist Blues Saraceno, contains the original 12 album tracks, two studio outtakes, one unnamed demo, “Face the Hangman” (previously released only as a b-side on European singles for “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”), and four songs from MTV Unplugged.

Saraceno was given considerable creative freedom and his writing and performing contributions dominated the album. “Shut Up, Make Love”, which is the first single presented to radio stations, is a raunchy party anthem.
“Be the One” (second promo single) and “Lay Your Body Down” are classic power ballads. “Best Thing You Ever Had” brings harmonica and piano to the forefront, while guitarist Blues Saraceno lives up to his name on “Mr. Smiley” and “That’s the Way I Like It.”

The band goes all-out punk/sleaze on “Doin’ as I Seen on My TV,” returning to vintage Poison on “Sexual Thing,” and “Baby Gets Around a Bit”. It also delivers an inebriated version of Dr. Hook’s “Cover of the Rolling Stone.

While using the last mastering available of this album, this Japanese 2018 release sounds fantastic. It may be the new digital transfer technique – which augment the signal / Dynamic Range – and “Crack a Smile… And More!” blast out of the speakers.

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

Universal Music Japan ～ 【UICY-78669】
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01 – Best Thing You Ever Had
02 – Shut Up, Make Love
03 – Baby Gets Around a Bit
04 – Cover of the Rolling Stone
05 – Be the One
06 – Mr. Smiley
07 – Sexual Thing
08 – Lay Your Body Down
09 – No Ring, No Gets
10 – That’s the Way (I Like It)
11 – Tragically Unhip
12 – Doin’ as I Seen on My TV
13 – One More for the Bone (Outtake From Crack A Smile)
14 – Set You Free (Outtake From Crack A Smile)
15 – Crack a Smile Unfinished Demo
16 – Face the Hangman (Outtake From Open Up And Say…Ahh!)
17 – Your Mama Don’t Dance (Live On MTV Unplugged)
18 – Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Live On MTV Unplugged)
19 – Unskinny Bop (Live On MTV Unplugged)
20 – Talk Dirty to Me (Live On MTV Unplugged)

Bret Michaels – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
Rikki Rockett – drums, percussion
Bobby Dall – bass, backing vocals
Blues Saraceno – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals
C.C. DeVille – acoustic guitar (16–20)

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www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICY-78669
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