The title track kicks off the album. With a thundering drum beat, a heavy KISS-like riff drives along the track. The chorus is actually quite poppy, but that was the great things about the band, they could combine catchy choruses with insanely heavy riffs. In any case, a great opener, and one of my favorite tracks by the band. I could do without the synth-guitar solo, but it's very short. "Take It Or Leave It" again reminds me of KISS, especially "Baby Driver". The song is pretty poorly recorded, as is most of the album, but it adds a rawness to the band's music. Lita Ford's leads sound great, one of my favorite tracks featuring her lead guitar. A great track again, one of the best on the album.
I have never really liked "Midnight Music" very much, maybe because of the very poppy choruses, almost John-Denver or Neil Diamond-like. Not a bad song, but a little sappy for this group of hard-hitting female rock warriors. "Born To Be Bad" reveals the limitations of the girls' musical chops in the intro, as the song warbles in a vague facsimile of being in time. But again, that really does add to the charm. After the slow and almost Beatles-like introduction, a heavy punk/metal riff comes in and kicks you straight in the face. The song is unapologetic, with Joan Jett not showing one iota of regret for living and breathing rock and roll. The song does reveal Jett's vocal limitations compared to Cherrie Currie, but her attitude and edge more than make up for any vocal shortcomings. A great track, but somewhat "all over the place" in terms of production, especially with the effects applied to it, far too much reverb.
"Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin" is a great track and one of the band's most remembered. A massive riff opens the track, and in my opinion the song is the band's most metal-like. The verse riff is simply crushing, very heavy and memorizing. Currie sounds great here, my favorite vocal of hers. The chorus is more punk than metal, but that was another great aspect of the band, the ability to seamlessly blend punk and metal to create a new kind of heaviness. Lita Ford's solo heads into shred territory, and proves that she is definitely underrated as a lead guitarist. A great track, one of my favorite by the band. "I Love Playin' With Fire" is my favorite track by the band. A hypnotic swirl of teenage hormones, fear, and anger, the song swells with emotional impact. I love the cowbell use by drummer Sandy West, a very underrated drummer. Jett's vocals are phenomenal here, very raw and pissed off. A blazing solo caps off a great track, and I dare anyone who likes rock and roll to deny the track's brilliance. Easily the best track on the album.
"California Paradise" is another very well-known song by the band. Currie again delivers her almost banshee-like wail. The song seems to be both praising and lionizing California, obviously where the band was from. Not a favorite of mine, perhaps too much on the punk side of life for me with its tongue-in-cheek sardonic nature. Next is "Hollywood". The song feels almost demo-like, perhaps on purpose. Compared to many over-produced tracks on the album, this track lacks nearly any semblance to being produced at all. I love the bass-lines of Jackie Fox, who shares a writing credit on the track. Jett sounds great here, but her vocals and guitar lie somewhat buried by the bass and drums in the mix. A decent track, very similar to the songs by Jett that would set the early 80s rock world on fire when she would embark on her solo career.
"Heartbeat" shows that we are still in the 1970s and at the tail end of the classic rock era. The most traditional rock song on the album, perhaps due to the influence of Lita Ford on the songwriting of the track. Pretty slow during the verses, but appreciated after such a heavy barrage of earlier tracks. Currie's vocals are soft and sentimental for a change, and they sound decent, but I do prefer her pissed off wail. Lita's leads again sound great, but she brings in that "guitar synth" effect that grates my nerves, despite being a product of its time. A pretty good track, and a nice break from the speed and heaviness of the album. "Johnny Guitar" is a blues-influenced track, telling the tale of a rock and roll lover named Johnny. Despite the sexual drive of the song, I don't care too much for it. The song is far too long and jammy, and suffers from terrible production. Currie's vocals are barely audible. Skip this one.
"Queens of Noise" is a great album, and the band's best in my opinion. Seamlessly combining traditional rock with metal, punk, and even pop, the band fused many musical styles into a heavy sound that showed the world that women could rock as loud as, if not louder here, than any male act. A great band that was before their time, enjoy it while it lasted.
Rating-9/10
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