You don't need twenty-twenty vision to see that the early 21st century has experienced -- for better or worse -- a fierce resurgence of glam metal that unmistakably harks back to the '80s. That said, one of the rather unsung figures of the '80s Sunset Strip metal scene, Lizzie Grey, has stuck to his stylistic guns all along, and continues to do so with the 2007 release by
Spiders & Snakes,
Melodrama. But as longtime fans will attest, the group is not merely a Grey solo project, as co-founding
S&S member/drummer Timothy Jay has been a major contributor to the band from the beginning, and continues to be, as he penned or co-penned half the tunes here, and even takes over lead vocals on a cover of
the Bay City Rollers' "Yesterday's Hero." If you're looking for melodic yet tough rock with an '80s L.A. flair, then be sure to check out the Grey-sung album opening title track and the
Cheap Trick-esque "Shoot Me Down" (sung by bassist Phil St. Vincent). And if that's not enough to entice you to purchase
Melodrama, the set comes with a bonus second disc -- a DVD that features a 40-minute concert at the Key Club, as well as an interview, slide show, and bonus track. ~ Greg Prato