The second text release from Ratt singer Jizzy Pearl, Angst For The Memories, is in many ways matured; yet still bears the characteristic mark of this singer-by-night, author-by-day. With an improved style and a knack for blurring the lines further between fiction and fact, Angst shows that Jizzy can rock in his leathers, but he can also compose a decent sentence!

In memoirs like "Voices", Pearl bears a slice of his soul, with a straight-forward and honest look at what goes into being a vocalist. While "Puppy Shit" is equally honest (and just a touch too informative), it shows a softer side to the author that was devoid in his first book, I Got More Crickets Than Friends. These rare glimpses into the dark and brooding character do not go unappreciated, especially by this reader. Pieces like "Nashville", where Jizzy's more serious reflections seem to echo my own about the Southern subculture, bring this matured seriousness home.

If you're a fan of Jizzy, the author, you'll already know some of these pieces, namely "Lounge Lizard-ry", "Branding" and "Green Pontiac". New pieces that will remind you of the old are abundant: eerily disturbing "The Rape", absolutely bizarre "Bill", ridiculous "Ants", and "The Frightening Butt People", which we won't even get into. The back cover- a photograph of Jizzy flashing the Hollywood sign- is equally as amusing, a perfect example of what one should expect from this rocker.

It's hard to understand the working's of someone's mind when you don't know them, but reading Jizzy's writing makes you feel like you do know him and how he operates. Maybe that's what he intends, maybe not. Either way, his fiction remains tinged with endless elements of his reality- and that shows a certain level of courage and honesty. As a fellow writer, I can appreciate that far beyond anything he's ever done, musically.

www.JizzyPearl.com