Meat Loaf turns up the sorrow on ‘Hell in a Handbasket’

You either love Meat Loaf, or you reach for the vegetables. An album by the iconic singer is always a monumental affair, featuring loud music, long song durations and plenty of theatrics. Hell in a Handbasket, his latest release, is no exception. However, the singer is much more somber, sorrowful and giving than ever before. Lyrics about “insecurities” and this “Mad Mad World” make the album feel almost elegiac.

The 12-song compilation begins with a bang. “All of Me,” written by Dave Berg, provides the thesis for the rest of the album, highlighting a self-realization of “anger” and “shame.” The image of a “fortress” that’s crumbled around the singer’s feet is particularly evocative.

“The Giving Tree,” masterfully written by Evan Watson, is the best song on the album. It’s a ditty that Robert Johnson would be proud of. It’s simultaneously anthemic and conciliatory, fully buying into the old “sell your soul to the devil” mantra of the great blues legends. This one is a gem.

“Live or Die” is so-so, while the three-part “Blue Sky / Mad Mad World / The Good God is a Woman and She Don’t Like Ugly” is strangely clever and effective, reminding listeners of Meat Loaf’s epic hit songs from earlier decades. Credit Chuck D’s work on the song for its lasting qualities.

Then the heartache comes. Meat Loaf strays into unchartered waters for the rest of the album, and very few points hit their mark. A cover of “California Dreamin'” is atmospheric and dreamy, but hardly an excuse to bypass the original by the Mamas and the Papas.

“Party of One,” “Another Day” and “40 Days” are more respectable, even though they fail to fit Meat Loaf’s unique style. There’s a sweet tenderness to “Our Love and Our Souls,” featuring Patti Russo on shared vocals.

“Stand in the Storm” has several guest artists, including Trace Adkins, Lil Jon and Mark McGrath. Although the song is a strongpoint for the album, the alternate vocals are more disruptive then complementary. Everything is thrown around, which is a shame, because the song has great potential.

“Fall from Grace” finishes the album on a down note, sticking with Hell in a Handbasket’s overall theme of sadness, but solidifying the release’s inability to rise above its grounded nature.

Meat Loaf’s vocals throughout the effort are loud and totally his own. He strains a bit too much, but what’s a Meat Loaf album without a little sweat and tears? More than anything, Hell in a Handbasket proves this enigmatic singer still has the chops, the power and the bravery to do what he wants (and for as long as he wants). With a few edits (songs reaching beyond the 5-minute mark need to earn that right), Meat Loaf would have had a remarkable album on his hands. As it stands, Hell in a Handbasket is just all right.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Hell in a Handbasket

• By Meat Loaf and The Neverland Express

• 12 tracks

• Rating: