Sleaze Rock is starting to really see a lot of action of late. There are many bands that have dedicated themselves to the resurrection of the genre, which took a nose-dive in '93 due to the Grunge insurgence of bands like NIRVANA. Some are doing this very well. MADHOUSE out of Austria is certainly one of them. There are others around who seem to want to parody the style; which is a true shame. THE BIG DIRTY, out of the United Kingdom, with their debut album "The Sex", seems to be genuine.

This quartet is very musically gifted, and they have obviously worked on perfecting the chops involved here. Everything seems to be in place; from the barely veiled (or never veiled) sexual innuendo, to the screaming guitar solos. This record sounds like it could have come out of a retro collection going straight back to the 1980s.

"Dirty Rider", the record's third track, is a good example of the "never veiled" sexual innuendo. Lyrics like "Don't be a tease, get on your knees and ready for pain" and "Putting the hot love all over your face" might make Axl Rose blush. The music here is incredible, with a sweet, bluesy intro and driving swagger throughout. Shaw's vocal lends itself well to the proceedings, with his arrogant delivery and solid conviction. Also of note is the fantastic guitar work of Chris Datson. His style fits the song perfectly.

"Take It Slow" is another good example, and another good tune if you can cut through the lyrical content long enough to get to the music. It almost feels, at times, that these guys are intent on the shock value and selling point of sex for the sake of sex, that it can sometimes drown out the rest of the band. If I have problems with them, and with this release, it is in the single mindedness of the lyrics.

Which brings us to the record's seventh cut, "All Night Long." When I first started listening to the track (I didn't pay any attention to the length of the song at this point), I was taken aback by the tasty acoustic guitar. I was anticipating something completely different than what was delivered, and it was at this point that I found myself losing a bit of interest.

Musically, a great record. Lyrically, infantile and brutal in spots. C'mon guys, you're cleverer than this.