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The guys were very professional, part of the elite of the hard rock scene of the time. David Coverdale(vc), Cozy Powell(dr), Neil Murray(b), Jon Lord (kb)(much more discret than in Deep Purple, but always good) and the simple and efficient guitars of Micky Moody and Mel Galley. And they delivered some good rock music!

"Crying In the Rain" and "Here We Go Again" are strong songs. They would later reappear in the pop-metal classic album of 1987, but the original versions, if not so flamboyant, sound more hones! t. Instead of the ultra-fast metal solo of 1987'"Crying..." there's a sparse, echo-enhanced bluesy guitar screaming over a cool groove. In my opinion, the highlight of the album!

The opening with "Young Blood" and "Rough And Ready" really rocks, the band delivering powerful music and the lyrics with their "I'm gonna make you mine" confident and cocky attitude being exactly what sexist, stupid, subtlety-deprived rock music was supposed to be. Great!

But then you have some hard rock stereothipes ("Victim Of Love") and silly rock'n'roll ("Bloody Luxury")that are no memorable at all. The album goes on relying on the old formulas the band used more tastefully in previous albuns. Whitesnake was sounding louder and harder this time, but it didn't mean the songs were better.

There are no slow ballads in this album, the closest thing to the romantic moments Coverdale uses to deliver is the beginning of "Here I Go A! gain".

A collection of rock songs that aren't unforg! ettable but if you are a Whitesnake fan then you should have it.


Classic Whitesnake.   September 29, 2005
 4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Whitesnake were the weakest of the post-Purple spin-off bands, mostly due to the pedestrian nature of the material and the lackluster playing of those involved. However, if one can get past the cliched lyrics and predictable arrangements, they'll find one of the band's stronger and more consistent releases here. Following a pair of mediocre albums (1980's Ready 'N' Willing and 1981's Come An' Get It)and a short break, the band reconvened and returned with their strongest set since the very good Lovehunter in 1979. While the lyrics are beyond embarrassing, the material is performed with an energy and fire lacking on the previous two albums. Despite Coverdale's valiant effort to destroy the songs with his juvenile lyrics, the band perform them with such vigor that they almost always manage to make them work.Included here are the original and far superior versions of Here I Go Again and Crying In The Rain. These were both re-recorded for their huge 1987 album, with that version of Here I Go Again topping the charts all around the globe. Both the originals are more stripped down than the remakes and are just warmer overall. This is a far from perfect album, but if you're looking for a good example of early Whitesnake, this is a great place to start.


Truly rockin' Whitesnake!   May 22, 2003
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

In the mid 80's I went in search of the entire 'Snake back catalog (on vinyl, of course!). When I found this I was happy. I immediately loved it. My favorite track is Here I Go Again. This, to me is the REAL version of the song, with the original lyric; "Like a HOBO, I was born to walk alone." (It was changed to DRIFTER, in 1987.) I LOVE the more bluesy sound of the song. Far superior to the 1987 remake. The same goes for this version of Crying In The Rain. I also love the title track, Bloody Luxury, and Victim Of Love, all of which truly rock! Definitely a classic! I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to hear a truly cohesive band. The guitars of Micky Moody (one of Britains most underrated slide guitarists!) and Mel Galley are great! The rhythm section of Neil Murray on bass, Deep Purple's Ian Paice (drums) and Jon Lord (keyboards) really hold it together.


4 1/2 stars. The last really great Whitesnake album   July 26, 2003
 2 out of 4 found this review helpful

I much prefer Whitesnake's bluesy late seventies/early eighties efforts to their later pop metal and poodle-rock, and "Saints & Sinners" is the last album before the transition began.
Bernie Marsden is gone, unfortunately, although he does get a few writing credits, but Mickey Moody, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice are still there, and the combination of former Deep Purple frontman David Coverdale's sandpaper voice and guitarists Mel Galley and Mickey Moody is superb on raw hard rock thumpers like the thunderous heavy metal of "Victim Of Love" and "Crying In The Rain", as well as on power ballads like "Here I Go Again" (the original version, thank you, not the evil, re-recorded pop metal version from the "1987" album).

There is barely a weak track on this fine album - "Love An' Affection" and "Rock An' Roll Angels" are not musical or lyrical heavyweights, sure, but they are both good-time, sing-along barroom boogie. "Rough An' Ready" is pure raunchy machismo. And the almost unknown "Bloody Luxury", one of the few Whitesnake songs never to show up on any compilation, is an irrestistable slice of melodic hard rock, boosted by some fierce boogie piano playing by Jon Lord.
Again, the lyrics are not great art, as I'm sure you know, although Coverdale does try on a couple of songs, but, hey, look upon it as a break from all the Bob Dylan and Neil Young that you should also be listening to!

This is a fine collection of blues-and-boogie rifs and great hooks, and it is definitely among the best three or four Whitesnake albums (along with "Ready An' Willing" and the wonderful "Live - in the Heart of the City").
4 1/2 stars. Fans of the "real" Whitesnake won't want to miss this one.


Saints & Sinners is an underrated album   February 13, 2000
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

A lot of people don't care much for this album, and I could never figure out why. This is a straight-forward hard rock album, though it still has a lot of the bluesiness (which was ditched soon thereafter). Songs like "Young Blood", "Bloody Luxury", and the original "Crying In The Rain" are all excellent! There were maybe 3 or 4 songs that don't stand out, but the rest I find very enjoyable. It's a shame that Coverdale had to turn 'Snake into a glam rock band in the mid-late 80's. If you are looking for hair bands, buy the S/T or Slip Of The Tongue...if you're looking for good, out on the town music...buy this album!