Any time there is a major change in a band’s lineup, it can be a polarizing event among the group’s fan base. (There are still people arguing about whether Bon Scott or Brian Johnson is the better singer for AC/DC—and that change occurred nearly 45 years ago!)
In the case of Motley Crue, that polarizing moment occurred in the first half of the ’90s. Out was longtime vocalist Vince Neil (though there are contradictory stories about whether he quit or was fired), and in came John Corabi, who had been best known at the time for his work with The Scream. Corabi was to Motley Crue, in effect, what John Bush had been to Anthrax—namely, a singer whose power and range could take the band into different dimensions.
The problems, however, were many that the Crue faced. Five years had passed since the release of their last studio effort Dr. Feelgood. The music industry’s landscape had moved on from hard rock/metal to grunge—but by the time Motley Crue was ready to bring a new album to the masses, things had shifted again. And, Corabi was never truly accepted by the bulk of Motley Crue’s fans.
This all is really a shame, because Motley Crue, the sole full-length effort from the Corabi-led Motley Crue, is actually a good album. (Not a great one, mind you, but a good one.)
Now... before the die-hard Crue fans all immediately close their browsers in disgust with this opinion, let’s lay out the facts. Yes, Corabi had a different style in his vocals than Neil did—but he brought more range and power to the microphone. No one was saying he was 
better... just different. And, different seemed to be what Motley Crue wanted at the time.
The same argument can be made about the songwriting. There are no real hit singles among the 12 songs on this disc; instead, Motley Crue set out to make a hard rock-oriented record with the occasional pseudo-ballad, and with more than a bit of grunge-like seasoning in the music. Corabi’s ability to play guitar also freed up Mick Mars to not worry about covering rhythm and solo work; it does sound like there is a bit of liberation to the playing.
Maybe the change in songwriting direction is what sent fans scurrying for the exits—and that’s really unfortunate. The lead-off trifecta of “Power To The Music,” “Uncle Jack” and lead-off single “Hooligan’s Holiday” are honestly some of the best material Motley Crue had put out to that point. Granted, they differed significantly from songs like “Looks That Kill,” “Kickstart My Heart” or “Home Sweet Home”—but they showed a maturity in the Crue’s songwriting that hadn’t necessarily been evident to this stage in their career.
Not that Motley Crue was completely mature; the middle-finger track “Poison Apples” is proof of this, though it’s an enjoyable romp to take part in.
The challenge Motley Crue faced was keeping that energy level strong from beginning to end—and, sadly, it wasn’t able to. Tracks like “Welcome To The Numb,” “Smoke The Sky” and “Droppin’ Like Flies,” while good, just aren’t of the same caliber. The disc does end on a solid note, though, with the ballad “Driftaway”—though it’s not a pure ballad in that it still packs a powerful musical punch.
The real tragedy in the whole scenario is that Corabi wasn’t given enough of a chance to grow into his role in Motley Crue. We can listen to his later work with Union to have a sliver of an idea of what might have been... but even there, it’s not the same. Corabi deserved the chance to lead the band through multiple albums to prove himself to the naysayers—alas, it wasn’t to be.
Motley Crue is the kind of album that is begging to be rediscovered. Who knows? Maybe fans of Motley Crue who had otherwise discarded this one to the dustheap of history will discover the diamond in the rough that they had back in 1994. While it might never bring Corabi back into the fold, the album deserved a better fate than what it was handed back then. Give it another chance, and discover that magic for yourself.