Mane Attraction (1991)

Since its 1987 debut, White Lion has suffered from a split personality. Should it churn out commercially viable hard rock, or should it take chances and give its adventuresome, progressive side free rein? The quartet's answer on Mane Attraction is to do both. Unfortunately, in its attempt to please all the people all the time, White Lion won't fully satisfy anyone. ''Leave Me Alone'' blends jazz and heavy metal, while ''Lights and Thunder'' takes the melodic hard rock of King's X and toughens it up. But all that daring is undermined by treacly power ballads like ''Till Death Do Us Part.'' Power ballads may pay the bills, but it's frustrating to see so much talent devoted to formulas for producing the almighty hit. White Lion at least seems to understand the conflict; they have yet to resolve it. B-