Opener "Good Times" sounds like a late 1990's pop-rock song. Like Vertical Horizon, Everclear, and blah blah whoever, the song would sound totally in the right place rolling during the credits of some teen movie from the late VHS era. Dated even for the time of the album's release, it is nonetheless a decent slice of pop that is not as bad as it seems, a fun and simple song. "Hello, Again" is in much the same vein as Good Times. A sugary and sappy pop song, it sounds like a song written and recorded by a group of teenagers rather than a 40-plus(at the time) heavy metal drummer. I love the bass playing and sound, a true highlight of the album. A decent song, and totally unexpected from Lee given his exploration of drum and bass, hip-hop, and heavy metal over the years. Not terrible, pretty catchy in fact.
"Tryin to Be Me" brings guest star and supreme douche-bag Chad Kroeger. Sounding like a Nickelback song (hate that band so much), I don't really like the song at all. Lee's drumming is excellent as always, but the laughable lyrics and Chad grunting instantly turn me off. Skip this one, unless for some reason you really enjoy the works of Mr. Lavigne. "Sister Mary" is an odd song. Very inspired by Paul McCartney and the Beatles, the insanely heavy drums do not match the very English feel of the song. The gentle and flowery guitars and signing are nearly ruined by Lee's racket, which sounds good for metal, but is far too heavy-handed for this slice of pop. The lyrics are actually quite good, and tell the story of a woman who has taken a few wrong turns in her life and has turned out to be what seems to be an exotic dancer. "The Butler" takes a cue from hip-hop albums. A short "skit", it is a recording of Lee's purported butler. A strange idea for a rock album, but it's kind of funny.
"Tired" is Lee's attempt at a pop-punk tune. His faux-English sneer will make you cringe. A high-pitched synthesizer squeal runs through the song, an awful sound. To make matters worse, Joel Madden from the horrible Good Charlotte sings on the song. The song is a train-wreck from start to finish, one of the worst songs I have ever heard in my life. "I Need You" shows off Lee's exploration of electronic music. Featuring Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin, the song is actually one of the better on the album. Lee doesn't sing on the track (probably a good thing on this track) and it's a decent and catchy pop ballad. "Make Believe" also bears the hallmarks of Chad Kroeger, and he was certainly involved in the production and writing of this song. Again, I cannot recommend anything connected to Chad, and this song does not sway my opinion. Skip it, unless your wildest fantasies involve Tommy Lee singing a Nickelback song.
"Makin Me Crazy" is Tommy attempting country-pop. Featuring British songstress Dirty Harry, the song is not really any better or worse than most of the crap I hear on country radio. Not a terrible song, but not really within my stylistic preferences and pretty repetitive. At this point, the album is really all over the map musically speaking, with countless genres and writers represented. "Watch You Lose" is the most straight-up rock song on the album. Still sounding like Nickelback, the whinny lyrics and emo-feel don't really do it for me, but the guitars are heavy and the drums kick ass, one of the better songs on the album.
"Say Goodbye" brings us back into pop territory. Pretty 90's sounding, the song reminds me of the Goo-goo Dolls and other similar bands. Again, not horrible, but not something you would expect from a man that rides a drum kit strapped to roller coaster while swigging Jack Daniels, very soft and mellow. "Hello, Again (acoustic)" is just what the title says, an acoustic version of track 2. The acoustic version is actually better, and is still not a bad song, but not a classic.
"Tommyland: The Ride" is not horrible. There are some great pop moments. But the album's long list of genres and guest stars cause a lack of consistency. While I appreciate Lee's efforts to branch out musically, the Chad Kroeger songs and Joel Madden song nearly derail the album. Lee is certainly best at metal drumming, but it's nice to see him try something new. Although the results may be varied, his songs are often tender and certainly always from the heart. Don't expect Shout At The Devil, but for those with an open mind, you might find a few things to like about Tommyland.
Rating-6.5/10
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