Once again the former Motley Crue blond is buzzing the music scene with a solo release - and "Carved in Stone" is much better than his last album, "Exposed."
The guitars are tighter and the songs have a bluesier feel. Even so, the first cut, "Breakin' in the Gun," leans toward an urban feel, with a heavy, danceable back beat and scratch-turntable samples, as does the third track, "One Way." On hearing these tracks a listener could almost develop an urge to rap.
Though Neil insists he's keeping up the Motley Crue sound, "because they're sure not doing it anymore," the album's not as hard as, say, "Shout at the Devil." But it is as dynamic as his ex-band's "Theatre of Pain" and better than "Girls, Girls, Girls" and "Dr. Feel-good."
And as with the Crue hit "Home Sweet Home," there are keyboards. "Skylar's Song," a selection about Neil's son, is peppered with mellow guitars and fleeting pianos. And though the power ballad became an overblown cliche in the late 1980s, you have to give Neil credit: He isn't afraid to experiment with a broader acoustic sound.
In fact, that's the strength of this album. There's a lot of style mixing, and, though the true Crue fan may come away a little disappointed, Neil seems to be doing what he wants. He's making music while the Crue, aside from a stint with vocalist/guitarist John Corabi, is somewhat on hiatus.