Saliva – Cinco Diablo

Saliva
Cinco Diablo 
Island/Def Jam Records

Rating:  

 Reviewed by: Justin

“Ladies and gentlemen, here I come again
I consider every one of you folks my friends

Ho ho ho!  With that ode to KISS in the last line of the opening track, on December 16th Saliva returns to the scene with Cinco Diablo, their long-awaited follow up to Blood Stained Love Story just in time for all of you boys and girls to pick it up for the holidays.  For those who have followed Saliva’s career from the very beginning way back in the late 90’s, they will hear the band’s evolution and polished sound shine through on this record, but if you’re somebody who listened to Saliva seven years ago and are just getting into them again, it’ll sound like two different bands to you.

There’s little dabbling in the rap rock sound that Saliva built its reputation on.  This is just a straight ahead rock record, and that’s perfect.  Between the songwriting and rock melodies on Cinco Diablo, it sounds closer to the sound that the Memphis quintet probably always wanted to make, and they sound grateful to still be able to make a living in music 12 years later, as evidenced by “Family Reunion”, which was recently the most added song on Billboard’s modern rock radio chart.  The P.O.D. sounding first single is for the fans that have made Saliva’s concerts more like, you guessed it, a “family reunion”, according to lead vocalist Josey Scott.

While it’s an excellent start to the CD, it’s hardly the best song on the album in this listener’s humble opinion.  That’s a tie between “My Own Worst Enemy” (track 2), featuring Brent Smith from Shinedown, the smooth chorus of “Best Of Me” (track 3), and a song that is destined to be a live hit and staple in the band’s set, “Southern Girls” (track 9).  Sounding like a cross between “Legs” by ZZ Top with lyrical content similar to “Girls Girls Girls” by Motley Crue, this hard-rocking anthem is a track Kid Rock wishes he could have written first.  Plus… who doesn’t like southern girls?!?

All in all, although records have been second fiddle to Saliva’s live show, Cinco Diablo is a solid rock record from start to finish that will fit in just fine in your CD collection, or on your iPod… obviously just to tide you over until the band rolls through your city.  So pick up Cinco Diablo and check out Saliva’s tour dates below.

Saliva Tour Dates
Dec 14 2008 Orange County Choppers Newburgh, New York
Dec 15 2008 Highline Ballroom New York, New York
Dec 16 2008 House of Blues Chicago, Illinois
Dec 17 2008 The Rock Columbia Heights, Minnesota
Dec 18 2008 The Pageant Saint Louis, Missouri
Dec 19 2008 8The Blue Note Columbia, Missouri
Dec 20 2008 Midland Theatre Kansas City, Missouri

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