Search - Ted Nugent :: If You Can't Lick Em Lick Em

My buddy Snoo introduced me to the wacky world of Nuge and

newman@snet.net | Storrs, Connecticut | 12/09/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"my life hasn't been the same since. If You Can't Lick 'Em is a typical hard rock offering straight outta the '80's. The whole shebang is basically a sexist, innuendo-ridden tribute to Nuge's favorite physical activity...and I ain't talkin' about shootin' antelopes. Despite its leanings toward generic hard rock, the album still manages to get me fired up. Maybe it's due to the fact that the music is bright, up-beat, and easy to digest- musically that is. Nuge doesn't really strive to make his listeners think about the songs or bother them with ponderous social issues; he just wants his fans to feel good about life. Obviously the man is not totally hell bent on hedonistic pursuits- check out the melodic ballad "Spread Your Wings." Besides that track, all the rest are mid-paced to speedy rockers that rely on riffs that weren't exactly cliche by 1988, but were pretty darn close. It matters not; Nuge makes those tired sounding guitar riffs sound fresh and sparkling. His vocals really ain't too shabby t'all, but do suffer from that I'm-the-lead-guitarist-so-I-think-I-can-sing-syndrome. I believe that Ace Frehley suffers from the same malady. -David Newman 1998"

It's decent but not as good as the 70's albums

John Alapick | Wilkes-Barre, PA United States | 09/25/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If You Can't Lick Em...Lick Em was a return to Ted Nugent's rocking roots after his previous effort, the disappointing Little Miss Dangerous. Although Derek St. Holmes would return to his band around the time of this album's release, Ted sings all the lead vocals here. The majority of the tracks are very good, among the best being "She Drives Me Crazy", "Funlover", and "That's The Story Of Love", which he co-wrote with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. The title track is outstanding and a welcome return to the long guitar jams he'd excel at with the '70s classics "Stranglehold" and "Writing On The Wall." The very laid-back "Spread Your Wings" is also a strong track. The remaining tracks on the album's second half such as "Bite The Hand" and "The Harder They Come (The Harder I Get)" are not among his best work but still better than most of the tracks on Little Miss Dangerous. While If You Can't Lick Em...Lick em is not among his best work, it's definitely worth a listen."

This Album is Just Not Very Good

Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 02/06/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I like hard rock and Ted Nugent has put out some good stuff, but this album sucks. The guitar is OK, but the vocals and the songs are just weak. You can use this album as a big giant coaster during a Super Bowl party."