Band:	Hanoi Rocks
Album:	Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks
Style:	Glam rock
Release date:	1981
A review by:	KwonVerge

01. Lost In The City
02. Village Girl
03. Stop Cryin'
04. Tragedy
05. Don't Never Leave Me
06. First Timer
07. Cheyenne
08. Eleventh Street Kids
09. Walking with my Angel
10. Pretender

Hanoi Rocks not only were the first band Finland had to show to the whole world as a really important act that would become famous and legendary, they were also one of the pioneers of the glam/sleaze scene of the 80s and one of the most important/unique acts of this special scene. Influenced by the punk rock movement, glam/punk acts as Johnny Thunders' New York Doll's and Stiv Bators' Dead Boys and having to offer new and refreshing ideas, Hanoi Rocks during 1980/1981 managed to offer to the world a highly inspired and influencial crossover record to the world, an album produced by Monroe and Andy McCoy themselves, the renowned "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks". Why crossover? Because it had the energy of punk rock, the naughty and colorful aesthetic of glam/sleaze and a hard rock feeling; blending in a fabulous way all these elements together this special quintet from Finland made their first impact to the world of rock in the most appropriate way.

The album opens with the utterly groovy and all the way rolling "Lost In The City" and something that steals the overall impression is the sound of the saxophone (!!!) which paces with the basic rock instruments and the vocals in such a magical way! From the very first song you get the feeling that you have to deal with something special and so you get more and more "lost in the city" of Hanoi Rocks and you don't want to find a way out simply because this album breathes inspiration, rock n' roll attitude and glam aesthetic! The guitar work is simply astonishing! Andy McCoy on the lead and Nasty Suicide on the rhythm guitars are pouring their souls to the altar of rock n' roll and offer some awesome rhythmic guitar work and dirty guitar riffing or some definitely quality solos that make the overall feeling of the album more affected. Sam Yaffa (bass guitar) and Gyp Casino (drums) on the rhythm section keep the vide and the pulse of the compositions alive in the most groovy and vivid way, whereas the saxophone, as I said above, whenever it makes its appearance it makes the overall aesthetic of the album more glamorous! Michael Monroe on the vocals offers a really dirty interpretation, whereas he never forgets to sound more emotional when he has to or offer a more clean vocal type as well! He's just a brilliant interpreter and gifted multi-organist without any shadow of doubt!

The whole album is a glam/sleaze highlight itself and flows definitely as one! It has everything, groovy compositions, dirty ones, more emotional songs, everything, so you won't have to complain about the "loss" of a specific emotion from "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks". You'll find the groovy and saxophone-driven rock n' roll dynamites "Walking With My Angel" and "Lost In The City", the classic "Tragedy", the rolling "First Timer", the more emotional "Cheyenne" and "Don't Never Leave Me", but what I'm doing here, the whole album is a classic one, listen to it as a whole!

If you want one of the most influencial albums of the glam/sleaze hard rock scene then Hanoi Rocks' debut album is an album for you, nasty hairspray dude!