The words “legend” and “legendary” get thrown around so haphazardly these days. It’s to the point where one questions if the descriptors hold true meaning anymore. Make no mistake; Suzi Quatro IS a legend in the truest sense of the word. She wasn’t the first female rockstar, but she was the one who singlehandedly broke down barriers (or glass ceilings) for The Runaways, Girlschool, The Donnas, and every badass woman who has picked up a guitar since. Nearly half a century since taking the world by storm, Suzi Q is still rocking with her brand new studio album, The Devil in Me.
In a world of constant change, it’s nice to see Suzi Quatro’s modus operandi remains the same. The Devil in Me carries on her longstanding tradition of no frills rock n’ roll. The choruses are catchy, the riffs are big, and a steady dose of pianos recall the pioneering spirit of Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. The opening title track boasts all of these trademarks, as well as Suzi’s signature leathery voice (no pun intended). It’s old school rock n’ roll played through a modern filter. It reminds me a bit of Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless in structure and spirit, but then again, those are two more acts who wouldn’t be at it today if it weren’t for Suzi.
The Devil in Me showcases all sides of Quatro’s creative spectrum. The 70s sleaze of “Hey Queenie” is a reminder that Quatro was writing Runaways style rockers before The Runaways. “Get Outta Jail” has that sly, ominous atmosphere associated with Tarantino soundtracks. Perhaps the esteemed filmmaker will use it in his next picture. And then we’ve got pummeling hard rockers like “Motor City Riders” and my choice cut, “I Sold My Soul Today”. These gritty, guitar driven cuts are oozing with that Motor City mojo, even more so than the last Alice Cooper album which was intended to be a tribute to Detroit’s scene and sound.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Suzi Quatro release without a handful of retro ballads to compliment the equally retro sounding rockers. While this may be to the chagrin of your average meat and potatoes rocker, we must not forget that Quatro’s history with ballads goes far back. Her duet with Smokie singer Chris Norman, “Stumblin’ In”, landed Quatro her biggest hit, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Top 40. The late 70s were some dark days for rock n’ roll. Among the disco and mom friendly fluff, the only way a rock act could land AM airplay is if they released a ballad. Hence Suzi with “Stumblin’ In”, KISS with “Beth”, Alice Cooper with any number of Barry Manilow-esque songs. You get the idea. “My Heart and Soul” and “Love’s Gone Bad” are throwbacks to that bygone era of AM gold. Introspective lyrics, gentle melodies, and a lush wall of vocals: All that’s missing is Casey Kasem to tell me which number we’re at on the weekly charts.
The last time I was this happy listening to and reviewing an album was AC/DC’s Power Up. Much like Power Up, The Devil in Me is bound to become a regular spin at this household. It easily holds up to the finest moments in Quatro’s 70s catalog. With sunshine and nice weather right around the corner, The Devil in Me will serve as the perfect soundtrack to fun filled evenings of drinking and dancing, as it should. God save the “Glycerine Queen”!
7 out of 10
Label: Steamhammer
Genre: Hard Rock
For fans of: The Runaways, Joan Jett, AC/DC