Meniketti

For many, singer/guitarist Dave Meniketti was Y&T. Possessing a Sammy Hagar-esque voice and woefully underrated lead guitar skills, Meniketti was the heart and soul of the aforementioned '80s-era hard rocking band. And after hearing his sophomore solo effort, 2002's Meniketti, it's hard not to feel like you're hearing a Y&T release from back in the day. It's all here, folks — tough rockers, power ballads, gang-sung choruses, and shredding six-string work — all ingredients for a state-of-the-art hard rock record...from 1985. But this is exactly what the redeeming quality of Meniketti is: he sticks to his guns and doesn't stray too far from the sound/approach he's known for (really, how convincing would the one-time Y&T leader sound trying to replicate Korn?). A hint that the material won't stray too far from Y&T can be detected by merely scanning the songwriting credits, as Meniketti's longtime partner in Y&T, bassist Phil Kennemore, helped co-pen a few tracks. Even from the titles, longtime fans can assume which tunes will be the rockers and the ballads — "Messin' with Mr. Big" and "Tough Luck Avenue" are the headbangers, while "It's Over" and "Tell Me (Why I Should Wait)" are the tearjerkers. Y&T fans are sure to enjoy this strong solo outing from their main man.