Sixx: AM – ‘Sixx: AM Hits’ [Album Review]

He’s a rock superstar and a best-selling author. Sixx AM’s bassist Nikki Sixx is a man who has been there and, just about, survived to tell the tale. On October 19, 2021, Sixx releases his new memoirs The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx and, to accompany his new book, the band is releasing this retrospective.

A celebration of some of the group’s biggest moments, along with six new tracks, Sixx: A.M. Hits is a collection of the hard rocker’s finest moments. Featuring fan-favourites and new tracks, the soundtrack to Sixx’s well-documented battle with drink and drugs, and subsequent life of sobriety, is a real mixed bag of songs. Powerful lyrics explore Sixx and his near-death experiences, drug and alcohol abuse, and sobriety. The story of how Frank Feranna become Nikki Sixx has been played out in front of millions of fans the world over and this is Sixx himself telling it, warts and all.

Unsurprisingly, considering the themes, there are some really dark moments on the album, for example, hearing Sixx speak through his withdrawal from heroin on “Girl With Golden Eyes” is truly harrowing to start with but, as is the case with this story, positivity shines through in the end. “Accident’s Can Happen,” a track which deals with relapsing, like much of the material, shines with positivity while cuts like “Rise” and “We Will Not Go Quietly” are the kind of anthems written by a man who has been down many times but has no intention of going without a fight.

As for the six (well, four and two remixes) new songs, both “The First 21” and “Talk To Me” have that big, booming, almost Queen-like vibe while “Penetrate” and “Waiting All My Life” are grittier and less pristine. The collection wraps up with reworkings of “Skin (Rock Mix)” and a piano drenched “Life Is Beautiful,” a track that takes us right back to the very start of this rollercoaster story.

Sixx: AM Hits Track Listing:

1. Life is Beautiful
2. This is Gonna Hurt
3. Lies of the Beautiful People
4. Pray for Me
5. Rise
6. Stars
7. Maybe It’s Time
8. Skin
9. Belly of the Beast
10. Are You With Me Now
11. Girl with Golden Eyes
12. Accidents Can Happen
13. Gotta Get it Right
14. We Will Not Go Quietly
15. The First 21
16. Talk to Me – Radio Mix
17. Penetrate
18. Waiting All My Life
19. Skin – Rock Mix
20. Life is Beautiful – Piano Vocal

Run Time: 77:52
Release Date: October 22, 2021
Record Label: Better Noise