Music From Another Dimension! (Deluxe) - Aerosmith

I figured, since there hasn't really be anything of any note or even reviewing for a while the thme has come to do this. Yes a record I started before, the pre-review, the release of this some 4 years ago. There is a reason this hasn't gotten finished, but with the upcoming Steven Tyler solo country debut album slated for February 2016...... Also, some of this was typed 4 years ago so, yeah. This is the long awaited album by one of my favorite bands. I have been waiting for this since 2008. I have been holding a certain type of anger against them because of the wait  I said that this better be worth the 4 year wait. Especially since it's first official date was August 28th, 2012 and it was pushed back to November 6th, 2012. Well heck with you Steven I'm not picking it up the day of, I'm gonna pick you up a week late. Sorry, but I mean what I said. Let's see you be one Cd sale short of debuting at #1. I waited so long to review this because I had to brush up on my Aerosmith. I hadn't listened to any albums front to back, excluding Toys in the Attic in April. I was hoping to get this up by Christmas of 2012 but that sadly never happened, and you'll find out why now.

1. LUV XXX: I don't like the name of this song at all. I actually think it's kind of a stupid name. I listened to a few seconds then skipped it and listened to some of the other songs. I did return to it. The beginning kind of reminded me of a 2012 version of The Movie. With the spoken word part, either that of like Twilight Zone. Also, their name is not Prince. This starts off the album rather promising. The riff is pretty cool, and it gets you pumped to hear the album. While I"m not huge on the vocals, and harmonies I'll let them slide. As the song goes on and on the only connection I can think of is the verses had to be inspired by both Hello There and Goodbye from Cheap Trick. Also, by the end of the track I'm drained. I really don't even want to defend it anymore. Okay solo.
2. Oh Yeah: There is a song by Badfinger called Oh, Yeah. This songs beginning kind of reminds me of that song. The harmony vocals in this song are just... I don't know. The only thing I can say is this was written entirely by Perry. I mean I hear it, but still..... ;'(
3. Beautiful: The beginning of this song reminds me of Back in the Saddle with the foot steps. This song didn't really feel like an Aerosmith song, at first. Like I could see this maybe being a mix of I don't know. When it clicked was after I re listened to Permanent Vacation in my car, because I wanted to hear Magic Touch. After that it became my favorite song on the album. Maybe the only song I love too.  I like the textures a lot on this track, but I feel like I don't want to ruin the song. I mean there isn't anything I could ruin, but I just really like this one.
4. Tell Me: What you see. Starting with an acoustic guitar, this could be a rewrite of Crazy or Amazing. The only thing that doesn't make me want to delete this song off my computer is the fact the chorus is pretty neat. I like the trippy feeling from it. Sort of Nine Lives ish, and I like the backing vocals/harmonies also.
5. Out Go The Lights: This title is too similar to that Kanye off Dark Twisted Fantasy. Cool riff bro, where do I Get The Lead Out? I do like the chorus and backing singers, but I'm not nuts on what they are saying. The song might go over better if it wasn't a blues band playing it. The actual chorus is trippy, but I mean... I don't know. I don't think this is horrible, just not memorable. I mean by the ending of the song, I"m glad it's ending. Also nice way to end the song then come back, and why does it come back. For a solo that isn't even worth listening to.
6. Legendary Child: I don't care for this song. I don't really like the name, it reminds me way too much of 1976's Last Child. I love that song, and I don't really like this song all too much. I don't think this is funny, all the stuff I liked about the band is not working here. Also there is not reason this song exists.
7. What Could Have Been Love: No offense, but this is a gay song. By that I mean this song is kind of "faggy" for these guys. WHY THE HECK DON'T THEY STOP WORKING WITH MARTY! I don't think this song is that good, it's tolerable, but no matter how much I hear it I can't really get into it. I don't think this is a true Aerosmith song. At least not worth waiting four years for. I feel like this is a ballad, but it's here just to have a ballad. There is nothing here that makes me feel anything beyond it's a ballad for sake of a ballad. Stevie plays cigar-box guitar here.
8. Street Jesus: It's nice to see Brad credited to a song again. I thought this was the first time Brad was credited to songwriting on an album since 1993's Get A Grip. I was wrong, it was actually 1989's Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man. This is also one of 3 song that credited Tyler/Whitford. The other's being 1975's Round & Round and 1976's Nobody's Fault. Well that is unless you count the entire Done With Mirrors album credited to the all the members of the group. Both of which are awesome hard rock songs. So as you can tell I had a "expectation" for this song. And we'll certain days I enjoy this, others I don't. I go back and forth between "I like this, maybe I was a little to harsh" to "Why did I ever like this" and the process repeats. It seems best listening once in a blue moon or two. 
9. Can't Stop Lovin' You: I really like the beginning of this song. After kind of re-listening to Get A Grip I gained a new respect for this song. It reminds me of a country song I'd hear on the radio, but it's kind of good. While Carrie sounds good here, come on. Talk about appealing to a pop audience. I do think this works out good, and it doesn't get worse with time. There isn't much to say, it's good. It's not a generic piece of Aerocrap. Maybe it does go a little long, but it's not terrible.
10. Lover Alot: This song isn't that amazing. It sounds like a newer version of a song from Get A Grip. The funny part is that it was probably reworked from Pump Era or Get A Grip Era recordings. With each listen I'm almost convinced to like it less. To be serious, I am progressively loosing interest in it, and faith in this LP. Also 7 fucking people wrote this song, maybe that's too many.
11. We All Fall Down: This title reminds me of Falling Off which I think was some like B-side or Bonus track from like 1993/1994. Don't quote me on this but I'm pretty sure. It also might be an outtake. But this was written by Dianne Warren of I Don't Want To Miss A Thing and other hits writer. What the fuck, this pissed me off. And as for the song................... I never liked Fallen Angels, but this is actually shitty boring lame ass song. I mean even Fly Away From Here has grown on me, but this. This is generic pop Aerosmith.
12. Freedom Fighter: While cheesy, this would fit better in August or July. You know Independence Day and all. Good song, not really. I prefer America, not this bullshit. Also guess who sings backing vocals here, Johnny Depp.
13. Closer: to God. This song starts and it isn't that bad. It kind of sets up something that might be good. While this isn't that amazing of a song, I could see it fitting on Just Push Play, I feel like this should have closed the album. 13 tracks, this closing it... that would honestly be fine.
14. Something: In the way she move. I like the organ in the opening, and I like how this feels like it was not used for a James Bond theme. But as the song goes on and on I see why they didn't accept it.
15. Another Last Goodbye: This is a stupid name for a song. I don't care for the title. To be honest, this feels like classic 70's ending to an album. While there might be a bit of a differnce, there is still Tyler and his piano. Home Tonight, You See Me Crying, Mia this song is pretty decent.

Here are the bonus tracks. I'm not going to waste time specifying which goes with which, but here are the bonus tracks. It should be noted that I really don't know of an artist who......... Why are you guys doing this. Nothing you've put out since Just Push Play is even worth revisiting. Hell, I'd even go as far to say it's not even worth checking out. Beautiful is a great tune and Can't Stop Loving You surprisingly didn't get old. Another Last Goodbye, while not amazing still pulls enough of those nostalgia heartstrings.. That track kind of holds up well, but outside of those; this, and your solo material, is basically garbage. I'm sorry. Now back to the bonus tracks.

1. Shakey Ground: I have heard the original, after I head this version, and it isn't a half bad song. The Temptations are actually a great band if you're listening to the right shit. I like how it sounds like they got a clavi to play in the track. This is pretty funky, and I love those horns in the track. They reminds me a bit of Straight Up. This is much better than a vast majority, if not everything actually on the album. Then we get a rare saxophone appearance on a Aerosmith track, which I'm pretty sure hasn't shown up since at least the 70's. Also there is a rhythm guitar appearance from someone who hasn't appeared on one of their records since 1982.... Rick Dufay (the guitarist who replaced Brad from 80-84). I should note there is a fun feeling to the original they tried to capture and while I think they did a decent job, the original is better.
2. I'm Not Talkin': This is a cover of the 1964 Mose Allison track. This was only featured on the Japanese edition. I'll say right now, this is more in line with the cover of Baby Please Don't Go off Bobo than the actual deluxe edition bullshit tracks. This comes and goes pretty fast, it's not terrible but it's kind of just same old same old at this point. There isn't anything special here.
3. Up On A Mountian: The thing about these bonus tracks are the Japanese bonus track Face off 2001's Just Push Play is one of my favorite Aerosmith songs ever. Period. So it sucks they don't release them in America. But anyway Tom wrote this himself and sings lead. I was very excited to hear this. And....... I don't care for Tom's voice. This is the first time Tom's ever sang lead. I might be wrong, but this song kind of reminds me a little of 2004's Honkin On Bobo. At least I'll be able to pick out his voice at the ending harmony of Love in An Elevator. I don't think I'm gonna listen to this song again :( I mean the song isn't terrible, it just isn't anything that sticks out to me as worth revisiting after this. This should be a bonus track.
4. Oasis In The Night: This is a song that starts with acoustic guitar, and was written by Joe. The thing is, when I hear this, I go.... what the hell buddy, you sound terrible. Is he doing for a Dylan vibe. If so, I guess he's doing a some what inflection of him now, but.... I really can't even like.... This song isn't horrible, it's just when I hear the lyrics and how this sounds together.... I don't even want to sit through the entire track. It's a nice change of pace, but that doesn't give it a pass.
5. Sunny Side of Love: Written by Steven and Fredreiksen.... this is so Geffen era, maybe like a ballad off Nine Lives. I mean, I used to like that album a lot, but really, it's more select tunes off anything post Draw The Line.

Overall I have to give this a 4/10. This is what I expected. I don't even know what to say. I really kind of..... this is my absolute least favorite release by these guys. Hell DWM is better all around. I've waited 4 years for this, me specifically not talking about those who waited the whole time. What they need to do is fire Marty and Steven has to stop trying to be cute and give the band personality. The 70's group had way more personality and were bad asses. The worst thing they ever did was get song doctors. Also they have to go the way Joe wants to, why?, because he knows whats up. The production hurts the songs for me, to flat out killing others. If you listen to the first Aerosmith album, that is a "true blues" album. Listen to the first like 3 seconds, with headphones and the volume turned up, of the song Movin Out, or Make It but on the Pandora's Box version (the self titled and Pandora's Box version are different, slightly). There is an unintentional noise in the background. Some of that, I think, was left in the mix because it couldn't have been taken out. Now it's like a germaphobic Aerosmith where they can't leave little bits like that and they have to have everything clean and sterile and if a little studio thing like that happens then they have to "rewrite" the entire album. Or at least that's part of a theory of why the pushed the album back 3 months, after there was a release date of 08.28.12. They probably had to give the album a acid treatment, the entire thing. UGH!!!!! Why are people so afraid of germs. I'll never know. If the next albums like this, I GIVE UP!!!!!!!! Oh by the way 4 years later it only gets worse with each listen.

Muscle of Love - Alice Cooper

This is the seventh studio album by Alice Cooper. This was his seventh album in five years. This was also the last, or second to last Welcome to My Nightmare, prior to Vincent changing his legal name to Alice Cooper. For some reason I love the crap out of this album cover. I actually think it's kind of hilarious. This album features the song Teenage Lament '74, and Man With The Golden Gun. This also has the was produced by Jack Richardson and Jack Douglas. This is a notible album because it doesn't have Bob Ezrin producing the album, and he has produced all the Cooper albums from Easy Action up to this point. I guess.

1. Big Apple Dreamin' (Hippo): This is the first track on the album. The beginning feeling of it is pretty solid. I feel like there is a "prog" type of feel. There is a blues rock vibe that I also get from this song. I didn't really expect for theses guys to have a song that had this type of synths. I think that this is more of a "solid" version of Billion Dollar Babies, the song. I'm hopefully going to have a review of that album up tomorrow. I like how this has this long fade out. I think it was a decent intro. And as the song ends there is a sole violin that comes in that sounds really cool. Again, I'm suprised.
2. Never Been Sold Before: The riff in this song reminds me of a shit ton of the title track off Nazareth's 1975 album Hair of the Dog. This has song has that type of drive to it that that song has also. I feel like this could have been a demo version of that song. If that makes any sense. I do like this though, and this also has horns.
3. Hard Hearted Alice: This song has this type of intro that reminds me of Black Diamond of the 1974 self titled debut album by KISS. This has this type of soft feeling to it. It also reminds me of like Genesis with Peter Gabriel, or Rainbow with Dio as the singer. This is just a building eerie song. I really like this song. It even has a keyboard part in there that sounds like something  a 70's Prog Rock band would do. The solo in this song switches back and forth from left channel and right channel. It's really cool. I'm not SHOCKED! by this, but I do like it. {8/10}
4. Crazy Little Child: This has a type of cabaret feeling to it. This is also a different feeling. I read that Alice said they made this more of a straight forward rock album, "More Balls". But I don't think that's true. This still has a theatrical feeling to it. I like it more that this is like this. I think that it helps get through the album. And makes it not super "boring"
5. Working Up A Sweat: This is a bluesy type of song. The bass is kind of what keeps my attention. I could see this being in a movie or something, if it was a more famous song. If it wasn't for his voice, I could see this being an Allman Brothers song.
6. Muscle Of Love: This is also a cool song. I think that it's cool that this song is about masturbation. It's really straight forward. If you half pay attention to the lyrics you can tell it's about masturbation. I do think that this, out side of that fact, which is hilarious, is a sick song. The ending has this, the very ending, a Allman Brother's feeling to it.
7. Man With The Golden Gun: This song was supposed to be on the theme to the James Bond movie of the same name, according to Alice, Vinnie. I am glad they went with Lulu's one. I think that the vocals sound better on the version they used. I could see this fitting in the movie though. There is a little ditty where it has this type of Bond feeling it. I think that this outer space thing though it kind of "scary". I do think that this is a solid song though.
8. Teenage Lament '74: This song has this type of teenage innocence to it. This song isn't that amazing, it's ok, but I do think that it gets it's point across. I think that it is a good song and the music fits the topic of trying to fit in as a teen. I think that it's neat that someone would write a song about that. Especially when it's was written by adults.
9. Woman Machine: I guess the bassist said that this is the reason they split with Bob Ezrin. That he they wouldn't change the arrangement of the song and that Bob wanted them to. I think that the arrangement of this song gives it this darker feeling to it. I'm getting also this, it's almost over, feeling to this song. I think that it's also going congratulations, come back again for another listen. I do like this song. The ending is pretty cool like effects going on with it. I wish that it was a little more chaotic at the ending though.

Overall this gets a 7.2/10. I don't think that this is so much a Hard Rock album. I think it's Hard Rock with some of that theatrics in there. The variety helps me digest this faster. I think that the production on this to is more "Open". Obviously that is wrong, but to me it's not so "cramped". There is more "Breathing Room" for everything. I wasn't obsessed with it, but I still enjoyed it. I do want it on vinyl

Toys In The Attic - Aerosmith

This is my first Aerosmith review. This is their third album released this month in 1975. This is like Aerosmith's classic album. When I was in 8th grade they were my favorite band. I bought all their CDs, I still need all their live albums, minus Live! Bootleg, a few compliations, and the boxsets, minus Pandora's Box. These guys lost their position as my favorite after I gave into The Beatles. Now this is one of my favorite albums and I suggest anyone to listen to it. But it's not going into the "Albums To Hear Before You Die" because it is a commonly known album. I guess theses guys used a 16-track tape recorder for this album. I do think that this is well... Here

1. Toys in the Attic: This song has this like arpeggio riff in there. The vocals of Tyler and Perry are super close on this track. They almost sound like someone singing. The chorus to the song has that arpeggio thing that is in the intro. All the instrumentation in the song is clear and audible. You can pick out each instrument. This song is such a good tone setter for this album. I love the, what I assume, picked bass "thump, thump, thump, thump". The way it sounds is awesome. And I also love that the song fades on this track.
2. Uncle Salty: This song is about sex abuse. Uncle Salty sexually abused this girl so then that led to a life of prostitution for her. I love how this song is so mellow. The guitar in this song is also very cool sounding. Don't quote me, but I think that Joe used a 12 string guitar on this song. This is a very clear song too. This whole album is clear. There song ends with the two channels alternating and repeating the chorus to the fade. The bass in this song is also really cool sounding. I love the guitars distortion on this song.
3. Adam's Apple: This song is Ok. I'm not obsessed with this song. I think that this song is really catchy, but it just hasn't hit me like all the other songs on this album. This song is all about Adam and Eve. There are horns on this song, which I think is kind of cool, but like I said I'm not huge on this track.
4. Walk this Way: This bitch is like 3:41 minutes of sickness. This song has a very distinct riff, along with the rest of the songs on this album. But the thing about this is that they out did themselves with this song. I love that the album was called Toys in the Attic and not Walk this Way. If it did it would have ruined the surprise of this song. The drum beat comes in and a measure late the guitar comes in. The blues feel to this song still appeals to me. For the most part blues bugs the crap out of me, but some Aerosmith doesn't. Especially their '70s stuff. The solo in this song is super cool and easy to remember. This is the classic Aerosmith that everyone should know. I know that this is a song everyone knows, but there are more good songs like this one.
5. Big Ten Inch Record: The legend in this song is "Suck on my Big Ten Inch, Record". And Steven says that he said "sept on my big ten inch record". I didn't even realize that it sounded like suck until I read that. So I'm on your side Steven. Realistically this was a filler. It's not a bad filler, but I don't think that it has ever been my favorite song on this album. This song does have this 50's honky tonk dance feel to it. I don't know if that was the correct term to use, but that's what I think. This is defiantly a song that I could see people dancing to. It is also a cover.
6. Sweet Emotion: This song has a super well known bass intro to the song. I remember being obsessed with this song. I love the bass part of the song. It is like the build up to the song. The way they sing the long held out "Sweet Emotion" in the beginning of the song gives me chills. The crunch of the guitar makes me crazy. I honestly think that this is their best written song on this album. It's not my favorite, one of them, but I think it's their best. The one thing that I am not a crazy about, but it also might have ruined the song, is that it is hard to hear the drums and bass when it does the little bridge between each verse. The verse before the solo has triangle in it. And it sounds really good. How cool is that. The solo on this song has tons of wah-wah on it. That makes it sound really cool and I love the way it sounds. And it has the solo to the fade
7. No More No More: This is a nice peaceful song to be a bridge between the awesome Sweet Emotion and the scary Round And Round. This sounds like it could be a song at a wedding. In a way, if you think about it for a little bit. This is probably one of the prettiest and upbeat songs on the album. There is a lot more piano in this song than some others. This song actually kind of reminds me a little of the 1977 title track off Draw the Line.
8. Round And Round: This is easily the heaviest song on the album and the way the vocals are distorted could almost be scary. The way they say round and round and round give you a feel of going around in a circle. The solo also continues the feel of that idea. Jack Douglas did a good job at giving it that feeling. This song also seems like more compressed in a way. It is one of the scarcest Aerosmith songs that I have ever heard. But if you think about it Brad had a way of writing some of the more dark sounding Aerosmith songs. This song is still fading up until the next song starts.
9. You See Me Crying: This is the ballad on the album. Like Seasons of Wither, Home Tonight, and Mia. This is more like Mia in the fact that it is more piano based. This is a pretty positive song, but it is also more sad. The chrous on this song is actually pretty sad. It bugs me that they don't have the personal who did the string on the album. The strings are very pretty on this song and it would be nice to see who did them. This is a good feel of a classic ballad by this band. I love this song and this whole entire album.

This is overall a kick ass album. This is a fucking 9/10. I love this thing and I know you will to. A ton of Aerosmith classics are on this album. I love this thing, there is a lot of good song writing on this. I definatly agree that this is a classic album, and that it is also an album that helped shape rock n roll. One thing that does piss me off though is that they didn't credit the people who played horns. But besides that I think that you should check this out if you haven't already. Trust me, it's worth it.