ALBUM REVIEW

MOTLEY CRUE

“Generation Swine”

Elektra

* *

The “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” manifesto existed long before Motley Crue revved up for action in the early ‘80s, but few pursued it with such unbridled zeal. Aiming at equal parts Judas Priest and “Ziggy Stardust”-era Bowie, never overly concerned with content, the Crue compensated for thin substance with aggressive playing, relentless riffs and enough hummability to inspire shout-alongs. Thus equipped, they hammered out hits for a decade and a half.

This year original singer Vince Neil returned to the fold after five years and the group recorded “Generation Swine.” The album benefits greatly from heavy doses of electronics courtesy of Charlie Clouser, best known for his work with Nine Inch Nails. There are also a few sensitive interludes, a number of power-pop experiments and a general effort to cultivate the notion of social awareness. It’s a motley mixture that doesn’t always jell, but it is a valiant effort by the Crue to upgrade its music.

Another generation of rockers is tackling the perennial task of reinventing excess, and while pushing boundaries on a grand scale may garner more glorious notoriety, expanding horizons even in the close quarters of your own repertoire still takes guts.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).