Shane’s Rock Challenge: Saints Of The Underground – 2008 – Love The Sin, Hate The Sinner

Shane | 13 June 2014 | Reply

Shane’s Rock Challenge: Saints Of The Underground – 2008 – Love The Sin, Hate The Sinner
By Shane Pinnegar
8/10

What makes one album a hit and another a flop?

Luck, talent, timing, songs, backing, touring, radio, fashion and more all play a part, and so many excellent records miss their shot because one or another pieces of the puzzle aren’t there.

SOTU featured Warrant’s Jani Lane on vocals, Ratt’s Bobby Blotzer on drums, House Of Lords bassist Chuck Wright and journeyman guitarist Keri Kelly, a man with a thousand recording and touring credits, notably Pretty Boy Floyd and Alice Cooper’s band.

Easily better than at least a couple of Ratt and Warrant albums that sold a LOT more and are unfairly remembered more fondly, LTS, HTS is an album to really slam home the fact that quality songs and performances are NOT what sell a record.

To be fair, 2008 just wasn’t the right time to release an independent hard rock album, but its well worth jumping on now if you haven’t already.

On top of the Tom Petty and Rolling Stones covers (American Girl and Moonlight Mile respectively), SOTU rock at the heavier end of their day job band spectrums – though Lane’s vocals ensure it’s more reminiscent of Warrant than Ratt.

All In How You Wear It and Exit are great little rockers, as is Signs Of Life and closer Jimmy, and the band toured for a while with Ratt’s Robbie Crane in the bass position, but Lane’s tragic death in 2011 ensured there would be no follow-up and the band folded.