classic rock

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Gems (1988)

AEROSMITH – Gems (1988 Columbia, 1993 Sony)

It’s impossible to view the 1988 compilation Aerosmith Gems as anything but purely a companion piece to 1980’s Greatest Hits. It purposely avoids overlap with that prior album, while providing a slice of the heavier side of ‘Smith. Since Greatest Hits pretty much included all the major greatest hits, Gems tends to focus on underplayed fan favourites.

Let’s check ’em off one by one.

1. “Rats in the Cellar”. I’m on record for liking albums to start with a corker! This one has an absolutely furious pulse, which in turn will set your pulse racing!

2. “Lick and a Promise”. Solid album cut and underplayed favourite.

3. “Chip Away the Stone”. Here is the reason I first bought Gems! This amazing Richie Supa song was only available on a 7″ single, and in live form on Live! Bootleg. Getting a CD copy on an Aerosmith album is a no-brainer winning reason for fans to buy Gems. “Chip Away the Stone” was accompanied by an awesome music video, ensuring that a new generation of Aero-fans got acquainted with it, in the wake of Permanent Vacation. This song can’t be topped!

That’s Richie Supa in the music video too, with the ‘stache.

4. “No Surprize”. Decent album cut from Night in the Ruts. A laid-back Aero-rocker.

5. “Mama Kin”. Believe it or not, good ol’ “Ma’ Kin” wasn’t on Greatest Hits! Including it on Gems was another no-brainer, since Guns N’ Roses put it on their Lies EP in ’88, instantly ensuring that millions of kids were hearing it.

6. “Adam’s Apple”. I’m always in favour of Joe Perry breaking out his slide guitar.

7. “Nobody’s Fault”. Brad Whitford’s apocalyptic metal stomper always deserves more exposure.

8. “Round and Round”. Same with this one. The songs are like a reflection of each other.

9. “Critical Mass”. From Draw the Line, when Aerosmith were reaching critical mass themselves. Regardless of the chemicals in their veins, “Critical Mass” retains the trademark Aero-groove.

10. “Lord of the Thighs”. Concert favourite, and about damn time we got a song from Get Your Wings!

11. “Jailbait”. Whoah nelly, hold on to your hats! Just when you thought Aerosmith were so wrecked they couldn’t even stand up, they surprised with the vintage-sounding “Jailbait”. Since material from Rock in a Hard Place was included, my only disappointment is that “Lightning Strikes” is nowhere to be found on Gems.

12. “Train Kept a Rollin'”. Closing with this one is natural. Aerosmith introduced this Yardbirds song to a new generation of rock fans in ’74, and then they did it for me in ’88!

I do need to address the elephant in the room, regarding the Box of Fire box set, in which Gems was included. I’m not really sure that throwing in an entire greatest hits album consisting of music that is on the other CDs, all but one song, was necessary. Couldn’t the soul exclusive, “Chip Away the Stone”, have just been included as a bonus track on one of the other CDs?

But that’s not the fault of Gems, an otherwise fine companion piece to Greatest Hits.

4/5 stars

Come back tomorrow for the final review in this Aero-series!

AEROSMITH BOX OF FIRE review series:

Disc 1: Aerosmith (1973)
Disc 2: Get Your Wings (1974)
Disc 3: Toys in the Attic (1975)
Disc 4: Rocks (1976)
Disc 5: Draw the Line (1977)
Disc 6: Live! Bootleg (1978)
Disc 7: Night in the Ruts (1979)
Disc 8: Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits (1980)
Disc 9: Rock in a Hard Place (1982)
Disc 10: Classics Live! (1986)
Disc 11: Classics Live! II (1987)
Disc 12: Gems (1988)

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Classics Live! II (1987)

AEROSMITH – Classics Live! II (1987 Columbia, 1993 Sony)

Hot on the heels of Classics Live came Classics Live II! Today you can get them together in one set, because they really are companion albums with no overlap between them. All songs here were recorded by the classic lineup of Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, and Joey Kramer, and there are a couple neat surprises in the tracklist.

“Back in the Saddle” always works as an opening track, especially since this one comes from the 1984 Aerosmith reunion tour. They truly were back in the saddle, though just as wasted as ever! It has its sloppy moments and sour notes, but more energy than some of the previous live stuff. This rendition will never be considered a definitive live take of the song, but it does document that oft-forgotten mid-80’s period.

“Walk This Way” opens with the announcement that it was Tom Hamilton’s birthday! That would make it their New Year’s Eve gig in Boston in ’84. Joey’s drums are a little “thuddy” sounding, and I put the blame on producer Paul O’Neill (Savatage) who doesn’t always capture a drum sound to my tastes. “Movin’ Out” is one of my underdog favourites from the first Aerosmith album and I’ll always dig its slow, heavy drawl. It’s so great to hear Tyler sing that familiar ad-lib that he does live: “No-one knows the way but Joe Perry.” Following that is “Draw the Line”, another brilliant classic done live all loosey-goosey. “Same Old Song and Dance” follows that same tradition, with a teasing opening to make the crowd go nuts.

“Last Child” brings the funk as always, but my favourite has to be “Let the Music Do the Talking”. Although it was recorded before Done With Mirrors, this was the first new Aerosmith song to get a live release. Of course it’s technically a Joe Perry Project song, but Aerosmith’s version kicks that one in the ass. This live one is pretty awesome. Closing the album with “Toys in the Attic” guarantees that the ending is just as exciting as the beginning. Killer version.

The coolest thing to me about Classics Live II is that even though it’s called II, it doesn’t sound like a second volume of a live album. Considering that “Walk This Way”, “Back in the Saddle”, “Toys in the Attic” and “Same Old Song and Dance” are all on here, it could easily have been the first volume. It is easily the equal of part I.

3.5/5 stars

AEROSMITH BOX OF FIRE review series:

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Classics Live! (1986)

AEROSMITH – Classics Live! (1986 Columbia, 1993 Sony)

A reunited Aerosmith managed to put it together enough to tour, and record new music. Now on Geffen, Done With Mirrors was considered a “good enough” album in most circles. The Box of Fire set, which this series of reviews is really about, doesn’t include any of the Geffen material. Instead it jumps ahead to the next Columbia release, which came out the year after Done With Mirrors. Columbia were now able to put out live albums and compilations. Classics Live! was the first of these.

We have already established that the Live! Bootleg album is simply excellent. As a double live album, it is one of the essential releases from the 1970’s that serious rock fans should own. Classics Live is a different beast, a single LP with odds and ends from tours from 1977 to 1983. There is no indication who is playing on what, but it is known that all four Aerosmith guitarists (Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Jimmy Crespo, Rick Dufay) play on the album. They are all pictured inside, but only by ear could you determine who is playing. For example I think “Train Kept a Rollin'” is a 1983 recording with Crespo and Dufay.

It’s cool that there are songs on Classics Live that were not on Live Bootleg. The most notable of these is “Kings and Queens” which really deserves a lot more praise than it gets. Aerosmith at their most regal. The others are a medley of “Three Mile Smile” and “Reefer Headed Woman” from Night in the Ruts. Joe Perry was definitely out of the band by that time.

Of the more familiar tracks, “Sweet Emotion” is a particularly good version with Tyler sounding pretty rough from the night before! I’m pretty sure there’s some heavy overdubbing going on with this album, if the backing vocals are anything to go by. “Dream On” is excellent as usual, with exceptional sound quality and a raw sounding performance. “Mama Kin” on the other hand ain’t so hot. Pretty sloppy and ragged but a lil’ too much. “Lord of the Thighs” is solid.

The icing on the cake is the unreleased studio track “Major Barbra”. This outtake from Get Your Wings saw its very first release on Classics Live. It’s a slow, mournful, but classy ballad in 3/4 time. It’s a great song that deserved a spot on an Aerosmith album, so here it is!

3.5/5 stars

AEROSMITH BOX OF FIRE review series:

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Rock in a Hard Place (1982)

AEROSMITH – Rock in a Hard Place (1982 Columbia, 1993 Sony)

I sometimes wonder what it was like to be an Aerosmith fan in 1982. Their last album, Night in the Ruts, showed signs of decay. Then out came Rock in a Hard Place. Joe Perry and Brad Whitford were both gone*, and in their places were Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay. Both guys are good players and writers, but they are not Perry and Whitford, who were 2/5 of the Aerosmith sound. Changing two guitar players in the space of an album, especially when you’re losing a guy like Joe Perry, is always risky. It’s risky because you’re losing a very recognizable member (musically and visually), and you’re changing the creative chemistry of the band. Whatever was special about the first six albums, there was no guarantee it would carry over to the seventh. Add to that an unfortunate album cover featuring Stonehenge. There was nothing wrong with that, until This Is Spinal Tap came out in 1984. It was a movie that Steven Tyler took very personally. Rock in a Hard Place looked like a joke, now.

Thankfully the record opened with two great songs in a row. The frantic “Jailbait” immediately recalled previous high points like “Toys in the Attic”. New guitar players or not, Hamilton and Kramer were more than capable of laying down that speedy Aero-groove on their own. Unusually for a rhythm section, they have a signature sound together, which makes “Jailbait” naturally sound like Aerosmith. Tyler is a sassy as ever, singing from experience I’m sure. Incidentally “Jailbait” is the only song with a Rick Dufay writing credit. Jimmy Crespo on the other hand co-wrote seven tracks.

Richie Supa, co-writer of “Chip Away the Stone”, returned to help out on the single “Lightning Strikes”. Maybe that’s one factor that makes the song so classic to me. Brad Whitford was still with the band when it was recorded, so that’s him on rhythm guitar instead of Dufay. “Lightning Strikes” was accompanied by a cool music video featuring the new guys. It’s cool how they fit in with the band, looking right at home, smoking on cigs. In the video, the band double as greaser gang bangers, ready to rumble in the middle of the night…when the lightning strikes.

Unfortunately, album quality takes a dip after that!

“Bitch’s Brew” is OK but it’s easy to hear the fatigue. The groove is there and the riff is solid, but there aren’t enough hooks to go around. That’s Crespo on the backing vocals, by the way. “Bolivian Ragamuffin” features some sweet slide guitar and really harkens back to what I like about Aerosmith. It’s just not a good enough song!

“Cry Me a River” is the old Ella Fitzgerald classic, and who but Aerosmith are better at doing unusual classic covers? “Cry Me a River” isn’t one of their best, but it is good. They do it as a smokey, lounge number complete with electric guitars and a monster called Joey Kramer on the drum kit!

Skip “Prelude to Joanie”. What happened here? This song intro is pretty silly. Did Tyler listen to The Elder and say, “Jeez I have to get more sci-fi and conceptual sounding in my music!” Skip it, and get to the much better “Joanie’s Butterfly”. This sounds fresher. In a way it foreshadows some of the more exotic textures that Aerosmith would try out 15 years later on Nine Lives. It starts acoustic, but when the electric part kicks in, it’s old Aerosmith all over again and it works. It was an ambitious song and for the most part, they pulled it off. It could stand a little more cohesion, but think about the drugs swimming in their veins at the time!

“Rock in a Hard Place (Cheshire Cat)” again recalls the good ol’ days, sounding a bit like “Same Old Song and Dance”. Not as good, mind you, but in the ballpark. “Jig is Up” is an attempt to get back to the funkier Aerosmith vibe, but it’s a completely forgettable track. Truly filler, B-side material. (Great guitar playing though.) “Push Comes to Shove” ends the album on a slower, lounge-y note. Once again I can’t help but hear the band burned out and running on fumes when I listen.

Aerosmith would tour around, in smaller venues, for the next few years. Tyler was in some serious shit with his problems, falling down and passing out on stage. Meanwhile as the band aimlessly toured the country, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford began to talk about what it would take to rejoin the band. As if fated, Rick Dufay killed his own job with Aerosmith by suggesting to Steven Tyler that getting the other two guys back would be his best option. Wheels were set in motion.

Record deal with Columbia now done, the label were free to issue live albums and outtakes. Even as Aerosmith were on tour behind a brand new studio album for Geffen (Done With Mirrors), Columbia ensured there was also a live album on the shelves. That’s what we’ll be looking at next time.

3/5 stars for Rock in a Hard Place.

* Be sure to check out the Joe Perry Project, and Whitford/St. Holmes.

AEROSMITH BOX OF FIRE review series:

REVIEW: Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits (1980)

AEROSMITH – Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits (1980 Columbia, 1993 Sony)

When a fan walked up to Joe Perry in 1980 and asked him to sign the brand new record Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits, the guitar player was so out of it that he didn’t even know there was such a record. Now 35 years later, it has sold 11 million copies and has become that one Aerosmith disc that everybody seems to have. My wife asked for Aerosmith’s Get A Grip for her birthday in 1993 from her uncle, but he couldn’t find it, so he got her Greatest Hits instead. She didn’t know a single song but quickly grew to love every one of them.

This album is legendary. Even though all the Columbia studio albums were already included, Sony still put Greatest Hits in the Box of Fire set. Two probable reasons for this are 1) the album is now considered a classic hits record, and 2) there are some versions here not on any other Aerosmith albums. In fact Sony revamped this album again a few years later, re-releasing it as Greatest Hits 1973-1988 with seven more songs including one unreleased rarity. That’s another review though, not a part of this series. Since the Box of Fire has the original 10 track version of Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits, then that’s the one we’re going to look at. This is the album that was released in 1980 to buy the band some time before having to crank out another studio LP…this time without Joe Perry.

This was my first album of “old” Aerosmith, just like it was for my wife. I got mine in the spring of 1991, and while I was familiar with the hits, I had never heard the rest before. “Dream On” wasn’t new to me, but if it’s new to you, you might be shocked how Steven Tyler’s voice has changed so much over the years. Even familiar hits like “Walk This Way” sound ancient compared to today!

Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits was perfectly sequenced. At 10 songs and 37 minutes, it was also the typical length for a single record hits album. There are very few songs not included that are glaring by their absence. Even so, they were eventually released on a second volume called Gems in 1988. If you’re missing “Mama Kin” or “Nobody’s Fault” then you can simply get Gems to fill in the gaps. On its own, Greatest Hits has material from all six prior Aerosmith albums, including some rare single edits and one non-album cut.

“Come Together”, the Beatles cover, was released as a live version on Live! Bootleg while the studio version (produced by George Martin) was on the soundtrack for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Saving fans the hassle of buying that awful album to get “Come Together” is the kind of thing that greatest hits albums are meant for.

The single edits include “Same Old Song and Dance”, with the line “Gotcha with the cocaine” replaced with “You shady lookin’ loser”. I didn’t even notice. “Sweet Emotion” has a different intro and outro. “Walk This Way” and “Kings and Queens” are single versions, but most probably didn’t notice that either. “Kings and Queens” is a stunning inclusion. It’s one of those Aerosmith classics that always deserved more airtime.

In summary:

Great, concise hit-loaded tracklist.
Rare tracks/versions.
Covers all six prior Aero-platters.

For a single record hits compilation, you can’t really ask for more than that.

5/5 stars

AEROSMITH BOX OF FIRE review series:

REVIEW: Faith No More – Sol Invictus (2015 Japanese import)

We temporarily interrupt the Aerosmith series in order to bring you this…

NEW RELEASE

FAITH NO MORE – Sol Invictus (2015 Reclamation, Japanese import)

When I worked at the Record Store, I used to tell the younger folks, “If you like bands such as Korn, System of a Down, or Incubus, then you need to check out Faith No More. They were doing what those bands did way back in the early 90’s.” I still maintain that to be true. Faith No More have been there, done that, and moved onto Sol Invictus, their first studio album in 18 years.

Every Faith No More album requires multiple listens to “get”, usually somewhere between three and a dozen listens. There is no shortcut to this. The only way to appreciate Faith No More is to give each record the time and focus that it deserves. Faith No More is not background music nor have they ever been. Scott from Heavy Metal Overload said in his Sol Invictus review, “…On initial spins it seemed like Faith No More were playing it too safe. The material and delivery seemed lazy and half-baked.” I had the same impression. The songs seemed too laid-back and passive at first. Then the album began to sink in, as I absorbed its shadowy intensity.

As a fan since 1990, I tried to keep my expectations reasonable in 2015. In my heart, I knew that if Faith No More were to live up to their past, the new album must meet the following criteria at minimum:

1. The album had to continue to straddle many genres of music, as they always have — preferably within the same song. They have done this again, blending exotic moods and textures together into a contiguous whole. Diversity is not an issue.

2. I needed Mike Patton to blow me away with his singing again. I know his voice has changed (as voices do!) but he is such a unique, innovative vocalist that I couldn’t settle for anything less than manic intense awesomeness. Once again, Patton has risen to the occasion. Utilizing gutteral grunts, Tom Waits’ low grumbles, and sandpaper screams, he uses his voice as an instrument. Just listen to that “Go! Go! Go! Go!” hook in “Superhero”. There is no better way to describe it than vocals as a bizarre instrument.

3. A Faith No More album must be bracing, even if the songs are slower and quieter. I found 1997’s Album of the Year (the last album, and the only other one with guitarist Jon Hudson) to be tame by comparison to their prior work. Not Sol Invictus. Even on slower, more melodic tracks like the excellent “Sunny Side Up”, they bristle with tension. There’s an emotional intensity to every track.

4. Faith No More have to sound like they mean it — and they do. I hate when a band reunites, but do not add anything to their legacy when they do it. Sol Invictus has a purpose; you can hear the blood sweat and tears in the songs.

5. This one was a given. The musicianship had to be top notch. No worries there. In addition I feel like I’m “getting to know” guitarist Jon Hudson for the first time, due to his diverse work here. Heavy Metal Overload also laid kudos at the feet of keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and he does deserve credit for creating the textures and atmosphere.

I have to admit I was worried about this album. I didn’t care for the first two singles, “Superhero” and “Motherfucker”. Because of this, I purposely did not play them again, until the album came out. I know that Faith No More are not the kind of band you can always appreciate from a single. I was concerned that the first two singles didn’t leave an impression, but I knew that the context of a full album would do them good, and I was right.

My favourite track of the album cuts is “Rise of the Fall”. This singular song combines elements from all eras of Faith No More into one. At times it sounds like a Mosely-era track from Introduce Yourself. At others, one of the more humid and tropical moments on King For A Day. Then a track like “Matador” reminds me of how “Zombie Eaters” from The Real Thing builds, and builds, and builds. It stands out to me for those reasons, but it is impossible for me to ignore any of these songs. Each one has a personality of its own, and there are none I haven’t grown to like. I look forward to listening to Sol Invictus this summer, and allowing the songs to unfold on their own, and reveal their colours.

The Japanese version of this CD has a fantastic bonus track — a remix called “Superhero Battaglia”. Because I normally dislike remixes, you can trust me when I say this is a good’un. The song is intensified and made more exotic. I like it better than the original. “Superhero Battaglia” was originally the B-side to “Superhero”, logically enough. This leaves one B-side, a J.G. Thirwell remix of “Motherfucker”, still on my “want” list. (It was the B-side to the Record Store Day single for “Motherfucker”.)

Sol Invictus is the first contender for album of the year. (Pun intended.)

4.5/5 stars

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Rocks (1976)

AEROSMITH – Rocks (1975 Columbia, 1993 Sony)

Packaged clean and sharp, Aerosmith made their intentions clear on the cover art for Rocks. The album launched a million guitar players and a hundred careers in rock and roll. It is also notable as being the last album before a major turning point; the point at which Aerosmith let the drugs work against them in a major way.

“Back in the Saddle” is an impressive opener. The main riff in the song is not a guitar, but Joe Perry playing a six string bass. Steven Tyler has mastered his own voice by this time, squealing and shrieking in conjunction with the hooks. In some ways “Back in the Saddle” sounds like the birth of the true Aerosmith. “Last Child” meanwhile nails the oft-overlooked funky side of Aerosmith.

“Take me back to-a south Tallahassee,
Down cross the bridge to my sweet sassafrassy,
Can’t stand up on my feet in the city,
Gotta get back to the real nitty gritty.”

With the help of an understated horn section, Aerosmith turn “Last Child” into something special. This unexpectedly fades into the metallic aggression of “Rats in the Cellar”. A spiritual sequel to the song “Toys in the Attic”, this one’s even meaner and faster. Somebody said that the goal here was take what the Yardbirds were doing and turn it up. Harmonica hooks and slide guitar goodness — I’d say they nailed it.

I need something groovy and right in the pocket after that, and “Combination” sung together by Tyler and Perry is one such groove. “Combination” is an album highlight boasting hooks and cool bass licks galore, and listen to Joey Kramer tearing it up on the drums! “Sick as a Dog” is another semi-forgotten classic. I’ve loved this melodic rocker (similar to past tracks such as “No More No More”) since day one. I can’t help but get it in my head every time I actually am sick as a dog. (Knock wood, no major illnesses yet in 2015!)

Perhaps the most important song on Rocks is the Whitford/Tyler composition “Nobody’s Fault”. Along with “Round and Round”, Whitford has a knack for coming up with some of the heaviest Aerosmith riffs. Testament covered it in 1988 for The New Order, taking it to an extreme that Whitford couldn’t have predicted. The post-apocalyptic lyrics fit the concept of the Testament album.

Aerosmith’s original recording of Nobody’s Fault features some of Tyler’s most impassioned howls. Drummer Joey Kramer considers it to be his best drumming, and I’m sure Whitford feels the same about his guitar work. Although you can still hear that Aerosmith beat, “Nobody’s Fault” proves the band are versatile and more than just another American blues rockin’ band.

Bringing back the funk, “Get the Lead Out” isn’t particularly a standout except in terms in performance (which, with Aerosmith, is always above reproach). “Lick and a Promise” returns us to quality, with a stock rocker about Tyler’s favourite subject. We’re now at the end of the record, and “Home Tonight” continues Aerosmith’s knack for ending an album effectively with a slow number. A piano ballad with plenty of guitars, “Home Tonight” adds that bit of class that Rocks needed in order to compete with an album like Toys in the Attic.

So how does Rocks compare with Toys in the Attic, anyway?

Too close to call. Rocks is definitely a heavier record, and Toys in the Attic is closer to the dead-center of Aerosmith’s sound with the horns and strings. Otherwise, it’s splitting hairs.

5/5 stars

AEROSMITH BOX OF FIRE review series:

Disc 1: Aerosmith (1973)
Disc 2: Get Your Wings (1974)
Disc 3: Toys in the Attic (1975)
Disc 4: Rocks (1976)

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Toys in the Attic (1975)

AEROSMITH – Toys in the Attic (1975 Columbia, 1993 Sony)

What’s your lucky number? For Aerosmith, maybe it’s 3. Third album in as many years, Toys in the Attic is considered by some to be the album: “If you’re only going to get one,” the desert island record. Considering that Rocks was yet to come, let’s withhold judgement until we get there. For now just be aware there is a lot of Aero-love in the world for Toys in the Attic, and you can hear why.

As if to prove that Aerosmith could keep up with some of their heavier competitors out there, “Toys in the Attic” is a blazing guitarfest careening through the speaker into your skull. What a way to open an album: it’s a statement. The band were honed to a razor-sharp edge by producer Jack Douglas. Joe Perry in particular had grown to be a ferociously good blues-rock player, and “Toys in the Attic” is the evidence.

One of the great joys of listening to Aerosmith is finding the little known album gems that weren’t repeatedly re-released on hits packages. “Uncle Salty”, a slow crawl through the blues via the neck of a bottle, is one such track. Also underexposed is “Adam’s Apple”, which shows off Joe Perry’s greasy slide guitar sleaze. The horn section makes an appearance here too, adding extra sauce. Then they bring the funk on “Walk the Way”. Run DMC recognized that funk and knew how to update it in 1986. In 1975, Tom Hamilton’s rolling bass was the stuff that groove is made of. This is the kind of song that proves the musical ability of these five gents from beantown beyond the shadow of a doubt. Then the sassy horns return on “Big Ten Inch Record”, an old R&B classic from 1952. Remarkably the band pull it off with class and sassafras.

“Sweet Emotion” is one of the band’s best known today, something that Tom Hamilton must be happy about, since it’s one of only a few Tyler/Hamilton co-writes. It’s no surprise that Hamilton had a hand in its composition since it’s based on another one of his rolling bass lines. But listen to the way Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford lock into him. That groove is the foundation on which Aerosmith was built. On top of that, Steven Tyler has always had a way with melody. “No More No More” is one of his most irresistible singalongs.

The Sabbathy thunder of “Round and Round” was an unexpected twist. Tracks like this and the later “Nobody’s Fault” show the metallic side of Aerosmith that usually remains shrouded. “Round and Round”, though menacing and heavy as a brick, is the least memorable song on Toys in the Attic (only because the competition was so good). Brad Whitford takes care of the solos on this one, a song he co-wrote (just like “Nobody’s Fault”).

“You See Me Crying” ends the album on a melancholy note but lovely note. A piano based tune with strings and McCartney-ish melodies, it is truly the kind of classic that Aerosmith will be remembered for. If it were not for songs like “Dream On”, “Seasons of Wither”, and “You See Me Crying”, then Aerosmith would be just another American rock and roll band playing their version of the blues that the Stones and Zeppelins of the world had already plundered. “You See Me Crying” was proof that Aerosmith were more than that, and had their own thing going on. (That’s Whitford playing the solos again, by the way.)

So what’s better? Toys in the Attic, or Rocks? Let’s find out next time.

5/5 stars

AEROSMITH BOX OF FIRE review series:

Disc 1: Aerosmith (1973)
Disc 2: Get Your Wings (1974)
Disc 3: Toys in the Attic (1975)

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Get Your Wings (1974)

AEROSMITH – Get Your Wings (1974 Columbia, 1993 Sony remaster)

Only the year after dropping their debut, Aerosmith cranked out another collection of solid bluesy rock tunes, but this time with better production! With Bob Ezrin overseeing the project, Aerosmith made the fateful hookup with Jack Douglas. Although the band had bigger hits under Bruce Fairbairn in the 80’s, Aerosmith made their best albums with Jack Douglas in the 70’s.

Get Your Wings really sounds like the Aerosmith we now know and love. The first album wasn’t all the way there yet. Get Your Wings sounds like my kinda Aerosmith. Surely, the opener “Same Old Song and Dance” is familiar to millions. Horn laden and funky, “Same Old Song and Dance” hits all the Aero-bases.

As a piano player, Steven Tyler usually keeps in simple and rhythmic, and “Lord of the Thighs” is the perfect example of that kind of Tyler piano part. It’s a menacing song, right in the pocket, also boasting some of Joe Perry’s more memorable solos.

One of my favourite songs, and one of the least-known is the sci-fi tale “Spaced”. This is a story about the “last man to survive”. It’s an ambitious tune for Aerosmith, and boasts a number of catchy parts. Another seldom heard track is “Woman of the World” which is also pretty cool. I like the acoustic intro and the smoking Joe Perry licks. “S.O.S. (Too Bad)” is a full-speed-ahead Aerosmith blast of adrenaline, a definite classic. These tracks boast a high level of musical depth and satisfying chops.

Aerosmith covered the legendary Yardbirds song “Train Kept a Rollin'” and managed to make it their own. When it picks up steam at the end, better hold on tight. This song may enduce whiplash. You get to cool down as it fades into the acoustic classic “Seasons of Wither”. As far as I’m concerned, “Seasons of Wither” is almost as brilliant as “Dream On”. It’s that good. It also takes advantage of the fuller production that Jack Douglas brought to the table.*

Although “Seasons of Wither” would have been a fine side closer, a coda is tacked on in the funky “Pandora’s Box”. Double and triple entendres, a rock solid rhythm section, and those soon-to-be-trademark Aerosmith horns n’ piano — what more do you need? While it does feel oddly sequenced, “Pandora’s Box” is every bit as classic as anything else on the album.

Get Your Wings showed significant growth from the band’s debut. Their trajectory had yet to peak…even better things were ahead.

4/5 stars

* I noticed in the photos in the CD booklet, this album was once available in Quad! Oh, to have a quad version of “Seasons of Wither”!

AEROSMITH BOX OF FIRE review series:

Disc 1: Aerosmith (1973)
Disc 2: Get Your Wings (1974)

REVIEW: Aerosmith – Aerosmith (1973)

It’s time for another series here at mikeladano.com! It’s been a while since I’ve tackled something this big, but for the last two weeks I’ve been writing and listening to a band that I hadn’t been spending a lot of time with in recent years. That band is AEROSMITH and it’s time to look at every original classic Aerosmith album on Columbia Records. The scope of the series is really simple: I’m reviewing all 13 discs in 1994’s massive Box of Fire collection — the entire box set from start to finish!

If you’re not into Aerosmith, I apologize, but that’s what I’ve got for the next couple weeks. To use the words of my friend Aaron, I just had to give’r.

You ready? As Steven Tyler might say, “Oooh-wha-ga-ga-ga-GOW!” Let’s go!

AEROSMITH – Aerosmith (1973 Columbia, 1993 Sony remaster)

Who woulda thunk that the band of young kids on this shitty album cover would become one of the biggest rock bands in history? Nobody, that’s who!

I love this album. I love its simplicity, its raw sound, basic production and youthful glee. I love the built-in musical maturity that seemed to bloom fully formed. I love the interplay of the whole band, their chemistry already intact. Everything you love about the way that Perry and Whitford make their guitars mesh with bassist Tom Hamilton, and how Hamilton syncs in with Joey Kramer on drums — it’s already here. Meanwhile, Steven Tyler had yet to discover all of his sass, but he was well on his way. All Aerosmith (1973) is missing is great production, something the band would develop with Jack Douglas on the next album Get Your Wings.

It’s easy to draw comparisons between Aerosmith’s and Kiss’ first records. Both records exhibited a more “rock n’ roll” vibe, and tame production values, with a band straining at the leash to really play like they do live. Ultimately it took both bands a few years to capture that.

The two massive hits on Aerosmith are two of their best known and beloved: “Dream On” and “Mama Kin”. Think about that for a second. One album with both “Dream On” and “Mama Kin”! What more do you want?

You’ll also get six other great early Aero-gems. “Walkin’ the Dog”, a Rufus Thomas cover, is one that Aerosmith still drags out in concert occasionally. A decade later Ratt covered Aerosmith’s version, well before Guns N’ Roses made covering Aerosmith the cool thing to do, as they did with “Mama Kin”!

Hidden gem: “Movin’ Out”, based on a couple really cool Joe Perry riffs. There’s also a killer, even more raw alternate version on the Pandora’s Box set. Aerosmith recently dusted this one off again, and it sounded amazing.

I don’t think there is a weak song on the album. There aren’t a lot that are “greatest hits”, but each one is great in its own way. “Write Me”, “Somebody”, “Make It” and “One Way Street” are all catchy little blues rock tunes, nothing to write home about but plenty to shake your ass to.

Incidentally, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, Aerosmith also contains the greatest opening line of any debut album ever: “Good evening people welcome to the show…”

Long story short: Aerosmith is a tasty blend of all the great Aerosmith ingredients that I love. Electric rock and blues form a perfect blend, and Steven Tyler was the perfect singer to front this band. Throw in some of his harmonica, piano and mellotron and you have a potent mix. But keep in mind, greater things came in very short order. Aerosmith, solid as it is, was only a precursor to true greatness.

4/5 stars

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