Tracklist

01 It's All Right
02 Lonely Hearts
03 Intro
04 Save Me
05 Down And Dirty
06 Shooting Star
07 Honky Tonk Woman
08 Best Friendz
09 Where U Gonna Run
10 Rock Down Your Door
11 Back Home
12 Come Together

New Jersey band Kidd Scruff was once described as having a sound of the Beatles mixed with that of Skid Row. I’d like to offer a new description; Skid Row meets Warrant. Okay, so maybe they’re not quite up there with the likes of these glam monsters but, sadly, forming in the 90s was never going to go well for them. But that’s certainly not to say that these guys don’t have their own sound. It’s All Right kicks in with attitude and a sweet dose of suave arrogance. I didn’t much like the backing vocals on Lonely Hearts but Save Me brings back the edge combined with easy-listening that these guys pull off so well. Down and Dirty apparently was released as the taster track for this album but, while the harmonies showed more promise, I couldn’t help but start to get a little bored. Shooting Star is a pleasant ballad while Honky Tonk Woman displays some bluesier influences. Best Friendz I like a little better; beginning with a thicker texture, it has a much darker sound yet still pulls off a light-hearted melody. The next track, Where U Gonna Run has an interesting thumping beat underlying the texture but the song itself uses less distortion, losing that heavier edge. It makes for a perfect acoustic set in my mind. Rock Down Your Door is where you can really hear those Skid Row sounds come into their own. It’s my favourite track on the album from the first thirty seconds with a far more distinctive, catchy sound but again, those backing vocals get in the way. Penultimate track Back Home is similar to Lonely Hearts, a little too much so perhaps, but I was glad to hear Come Together closing the album with Kidd Skruff’s more comfortable gritty yet smooth style.

No, they don’t match Skid Row, or even Warrant. But maybe they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. What I would suggest is checking out the re-issue of this album (2010) for the bonus tracks and giving these guys the time they deserve.