COMPILATION LP REVIEW MAD MIKE JONES PRESENTS MOTOTRAX 1 Extreme sports are becoming more and more associated with modern rock music's energy, intensity and excess. Motorcycles have always had the link with rock n' roll, right back to the 50's with James Dean, so what could be more natural than bringing all these factors together. Our modern day rebel without a cause is Mad Mike Jones, freestyle motocross junky and grease-ball since the 70's who has approved this compilation for all those reasons. It's a compilation of music fuelled by motorcross containing live versions of popular songs, slightly quirky remixes and even some covers, performed by many big name metal acts including Slipknot, Disturbed, Soulfly, Static-X, Pitchshifter and Mudvayne and the big names continue with executive production by Sharon Osbourne. Slipknot's "(Sic)" (Molt Injected Mix) belts out a really good heavy mix, and Soulfly's "Terrorist" (Total Destruction Mix) is a slightly different version of the song co-written and performed with Tom Araya from Slayer, based around an almost industrial beat and feel. (Hed)PE Vs Bad Azz "Bartender" gives quite an interesting spin on the song with some real dirty street fused hip hop rock and then Pitchshifter's "Shutdown" from their latest album, sure is a cool rocking track and the only British band on the record. Sharon should be ashamed. On the more nonplussed side, there's Mudvayne's "Dig" (Rhys Fulber Remix) which is a kind of stripped down version mixed to what sounds like a thudding dance beat, but is to empty to work for these ears. Then there are live songs from Disturbed and Static-X which add nothing to the studio versions and are very average. Slaves On Dope do the Black Sabbath song "War Pigs" which isn't that bad, mixing both singing and shouting, using the latter as often as possible, adding a heavy emphasis and making it a cool version. Nashville Pussy do the Lynyrd Skynyrd style southern boogie thing with their cover of Molly Hatchet's "Flirtin With Disaster" and Zeke's "Kill The King" I thought was going to be a Rainbow cover but disappointingly wasn't and turns out to be shouty speed thrash played at 100mph. Pure Rubbish with "Electric Heart" play the trashy punk rock n' roll Faster Pussycat style and Union Underground's "Natural High" gives a live take of more sleazy tattoo rock n roll. Overall, where there is actually very little that is new in terms of material or innovation on this album, but there is quite a few exclusive versions of tracks which makes for a unique compilation for pundits looking for a collectable. It's an enjoyable CD for someone into nu-metal or trashy rock n' roll and kind of captures the excitement and energy involved in the motorsport that endorses it, but without getting covered in shit. Rigsby (25th September, 2002) |