Aerosmith's strangest album

Before I start this review I want to say that when I was in school in th UK in the early 80s The Beatles were almost universally reviled, and I was always a "closet" fan to avoid ridicule. And yet today in th US they're highy regarded. The same band. It makes you realise just how prone to the whims of fashion rock music is!



I lived through the peak of the Aerosmith witch-hunt hysteria (for that's what it truly was) back in 2001. I got so tired of hearing people go on about how horrible Aersomith were, and I gradually stopped trying to convince people that they weren't that bad. All the "Aerosmith have sold out!" cries is about as lame as the "Arthur Miller dined with Communists!" stuff of the McCarthy early '50s.



So burn effigies of Steven Tyler if you must, but the truth is that most people treat bands like sports teams, they cheer their own bands on and revile the opposition bands. Actually, with pop/ rock music, it seems that "credibility" is the over-riding concern of most, not the music itself. In truth if just Push Play had been released by , say Dave Matthews, many would praise it. Why? Because Dave Matthews is a fresh face while Aersomith are seen as an anachronism. In fact, speaking from experience now, I now realise that people who slam bands are displaying some deep rooted insecurity. They need to villainise something. I used to do it myself. But I'm all grown up now. In truth if you don't like something you'd just say to yourself "nah,it's not really my cup of tea" or something. If you let out howls of derision at something, it says more about your insecurities than anything else. I actually wish people would consider themselves fans of songs, rather than bands. It would make things a lot easier. If the only songs I'd heard from The Beatles were Revolution 9 or Wild Honey Pie I'd probably dismiss The Beatles as rubbish. No, those *songs* are rubbish, but overall The Beatles are a good band. Apply the same scenario to the band of your choice!





Gawd people what does it take to please you? Objectively this album is musically quite strong. It has strong melodies, racous guitar work, funk, attitude,Beatle-esque harmonies and lots of energy. And as always Steven Tylers voice sounds great. And it's also their oddest album. Hard rock, electronica and pyschedlia meet head on. It doesn't always work to perfection, but often it does. There are few throw away songs, but alot of the songs hold up to repeated listens. For me the best tack is undoubtedly The Light Inside. A chilling song that raises the hair on the small of my neck. And Avant Garden is a good example of the type of ballad that Aersomith do well. Not too mushy, but highly atmospheric.



In some ways this album can be compared to The Door's Soft Parade. That album is hated by many. The Doors orchestrated is clearly too much for many. And yet they were only trying to sound like The Beatles Sgt Pepper. And yet too, The Soft Parade, objectively speaking, has some good music on it, like Just Push Play. It's not a monstrosity like some claim just an attempt by The Doors to go more mainstream.



In truth I long stopped believing the herd who say that Aerosmith are bad. They're a long running band, and with anything that's long running, the latest work always get criticised beyond reason. People look back throguh rose tinted glasses.





I'm 35 now. I've been a fan of Aersomith since 1987. If I was a high schooler wanting credibilty among my peers, I'd say I'd hate this album ( even if I didn't really mean it). But I've outgrown that. My music tastes have expanded, and I actually listen to more classcial than rock these days. But I still enjoy bands like Motorhead, Queen, Iron Maiden and Aerosmith. And I like Just Push Play.



So, if you're still an Aerosmtih hater, then:



1)Give it up, because no band is worth such lame vitriol.

2)I reccomend that you put a sticker with the name of a band of your choice over the Aerosmith name and who knows, without the Aerosmtih connotation you might enjoy some of this album!



Thanks for reading!

Can you say MAINSTREAM?

No I dont hate this band and yes I love their classic ones but what the hell is this? How can the real fans give it a 3,4,5 stars review? Just listen to it and tell me it doesn't sound exactly the same like everything (which now is considered "Rock n Roll") that's being played on Mtv, or worst listen to their old stuff and compare it to this one IF it can be compared and tell me these guys haven't sold themselves completley out. Don't agree with me? Listen to Boys Of Summer from their latest greatest hits for cryin out loud!



I feel sorry for their hardcore fans or for the people that bought this album before even listening atleast the samples that you can find at the music stores. I lost respect for this band but I still love their oldies. Oh well, I guess nothing can last forever.

Pink

I'm not quite sure what Aerosmith was doing here, but the song Avant Garden might explain a lot. They were definitely going for an experimental style, possibly continuing what they had begun with Nine Lives.



Track 11, Light Inside is reminiscent of the lunatic songs that make up a majority of Nine Lives second half. While those songs end up being a surprising mess (we're dealing with professionals here!), Light Inside is cleaned up, with less vocal layering. Still, this song is two tracks after Outta Your Head, which is an unfortunate blaring of uninteresting powerchords, recalling the miseries of Nine Lives yet again.



The avant-garde stylism aside, Aerosmith still knows how to pound out a good rock song. Beyond Beautiful literally oozes with hardcore obsessions and power-ego, where Tyler ends up with someone else's woman. Note the use of the sitar.



Just Push Play pushes Tyler's interests in foreign vocalizations, and here he uses Jamaican patois to awesome effect in the hardest song on this album. The music harkens back to their days of old and Tyler makes a nod at one point, singing "walk this way."



Disappointingly, the album slips from here, after only two tracks. Jaded is a teenybopper favorite and Fly Away From Here, written by two friends, have some of the worst lyrics (and bridge) in the history of smithing aero: "cuz no one here can ever stop us / they can try but we won't let them / no way."



The only redeeming song here is Sunshine (track 6), a 70s-esque girl in the new millennium. Great use of simple electric-acoustic guitars, with some strings in the background, but used very sparingly. They end in a tiny slide that reminds me of "A Day in the Life."



If anything, the cover is super eye-catching. Sorayama's sexy robot was used here, also posing differently wearing a different outfit inside the booklet. You can view his artwork online. Keep an eye out for pin-up # 141, my personal favorite. Sorayama's artwork was a great marketing idea!

SACD--do I need this?

Do I need to have an SACD player to play this or can I just use a regular CD player?

True Rock and Roll!

The boys of Aerosmith are at it again with yet another kick-butt CD. Although they slip out of their normal character in this one, the songs range anywhere from a soft ballad like "Jaded," to hard rock in "Just Push Play." This CD is awesome and I recommend it for anyone who has a true "Rock and Roll Soul!"

Tyler and the boys do it again.

If you're looking for songs like "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing," Don't look here. Although there is a couple power ballads, they are Aerosmith originals. These guys never cease to amaze. There are a thousand bands that would die to have some of what these guys got, Rock'n'Roll Soul! Hottest track so far is 'Just Push Play.' Put on the headphones, crank it high and press track 2. It'll rip your guts out. Great album!