Written by Susie Salva
The invincible Bret Michaels who has survived an emergency appendectomy, suffering from a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a warning stroke, and a hole in his heart has just released his new studio album, “Custom Built,” on Poor Boy Records. The celebrity apprentice winner and the star of the wildly successful reality show VH’s “Rock of Love,” has put together some of the most interesting music in awhile “Custom Built” has charted at #1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Album Chart, #1 on the Billboard Independent Album Chart, #4 on the Billboard Rock Album Chart and #14 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart.
On this new disc Michaels shares a duet with Miley Cyrus on “Nothing To Lose,” covers Sublime’s “What I Got,” and remakes “Every Rose” with a country version featuring Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down and Chris Cagle and Mark Wills.
The lead track, “Riding Against the Wind,” is vintage Bret Michaels as you expect him to be as he appears on all of his previous solo discs and characteristic Poison tracks. “Go That Far,” has a club mix featuring Jason Miller of Godhead playing the signature soundtrack to the VH1 “Rock of Love,” reality series. He seems his best finding his stride when singing country-fried rock as found on “Open Road,” and as he plays homage to Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38 Special and the King Elvis Presley and Janis Joplin on “Rock’N My Country”. The delta blues is ever so present on this track featuring Michaels on the harmonica.
The CD rounds out with a demo that Michaels cut of “Nothing To Lose,” and finishes off with “I’d Die For You,” featuring a talk box and seductive lyrics. If you are a fan or just starting out you’ll be thrilled with “Custom Built.” Michaels delivers on this upbeat and rockin’ CD. For all things Bret Michaels you can follow him at: www.bretmichaels.com.
Read more about Bret Michaels new reality show here…
