What Comes Around Goes Around – Tuff

Producer: Howard Benson

Released: 1991 

Rating: **** 1/2

When you finish listening to this album you can almost hear a death rattle as hair metal was gasping for its last breath. This was one of the last hair metal albums released during the genre’s initial heyday and What Comes Around Goes Around is a fantastic swan song (a rather prophetic title in retrospect).

By 1991 few hair bands were breaking new ground, but there was lots of fun music being made. The boys in Tuff were obviously following in Poison’s footsteps with their glam image. At times their songs were a bit “heavier” than Poison, but they even recorded a ballad written by Bret Michaels, Wake Me Up.

The All New Generation is an awesome anthem dedicated to hair metal and all the bands that helped to shape its sound. I Hate Kissing You Goodbye was the albums biggest hit and an awesome ballad. Other album highlights include Lonely Lucy, So Many Seasons (a totally underrated masterpiece), Spit Like This and the moody but awesome Good Guys Wear Black.

As I remember Tuff paid their dues for a LONG time on the Sunset Strip. By the time they finally got signed they were certainly excited, which makes it even more cruel that this album was released in a changing musical climate that insured this album would go nowhere. What Comes Around Goes Around pretty much sticks to the proven format, but there is no denying how much fun it is to listen to. Unlike a lot of later hair metal releases, this one is actually solid from start to finish. If you enjoy Poison, Warrant and Firehouse you should be pleased with this album.