You know with a Joan Jett record you're not going to get too many surprises and that's the case with her new record Sinner. For the most part straight-ahead rock & roll is the order of the day and Ms. Jett does not disappoint. "Riddles" kicks off the record, a chugging collection of riffs that is highlighted by a gaffer from Dubya at the end. "A.C.D.C." opines the fact her girlfriend is getting a little something on the side, sometimes with a guy. "Five" is your standard rock fare. "Naked" is one of the better cuts on Sinner. Simple yet memorable, the song has more of a vibrancy about it as if it was produced by somebody else.
"Everybody Knows" is also a pretty solid mid-tempo rocker and "Change the World" has some punk-type vocal harmonies that make it stand out. One of the pleasant surprises is "Androgynous" is an almost-country cut that contains a chorus you have to sing along with. "Fetish" features some beefed up guitars and the subject matter takes a spin around the naughty area of the neighborhood.
"Watersign" is a great cut that is slower than most on the record and is free of the Jett-isms from other records. It also has one of the best vocals that Joan has ever done. Of the remaining cuts, only "Baby Blue" really stands out with its defiant swagger.
Sinner will probably not see Joan rise back to the glory of her "I Love Rock & Roll" days but this is good enough of a record that should please her devoted audience and maybe even win a few new fans over in the process.
