A big comedown from Pump

As many have pointed out, these are very slickly produced and radio ready, which is fine if there's substance under the veneer. Sometimes there is, but more often there isn't. The album is definitely at its strongest in the first half where nearly all the best songs reside.



"Eat the Rich" is a fabulous screed against the high and mighty, "Get a Grip"'s rapid-fire chorus sticks in your brain, and "Livin' on the Edge" was deservedly a radio hit (although, in the end, his message is a bit fuzzy. The first part obviously lambasts racists, but in the section where he says there's something RIGHT with the world today, he never lets you in on what the 'good thing'is. And even when he's saying we're 'on the edge', he seems to lampoon the notion at the same time with the 'chicken little' reference, so I'm not sure ultimately what the song's about..)



After this, things go downhill in a hurry. The theme of "Flesh" has been done over and over by the band and usually much better, "Shut Up and Dance" doesn't inspire any hoofing, and "Gotta Love it" is downright insipid. "Cryin'" is the only bright spot in the 2nd half of the disc...a nice bluesy ballad that became one of the CD's hits. The Stephen Tyler harmonica solo really kicks this one into overdrive.



"Amazing" COULD have been one of Tyler's best songs ever. It's certainly probably his most introspective and meaningful lyric, but the music just isn't up to snuff to accompany it.



This is certainly one that has a few choice moments and lots of bland bits in between.



2 1/2 stars

Aerosmith - 'Get A Grip' (Geffen)

Have always been an Aerosmith fan,even on their lp's that didn't do all that well.I can honestly say that 'Get A Grip' is a darn good later day effort by them Boston bad boys.I've heard a few mention how this CD just MAY be the band's best record since their 'Rocks' lp.Now,that's saying something.'Get A Grip' is in my opinion anyway,a modern hard rock classic.Rips from beginning to end.Killer tracks include "Eat The Rich","Shut Up And Dance","Fever","Line-Up","Livin' On The Edge"(remember the video?),"Cryin'" and "Walk On Down"(which features guitarist Joe Perry on vocals).Sweet!No doubt.A must have for all fans.Highly recommended.

Aerosmith Everlasts.....

Rock groups come and go, but Aerosmith shows us why they endure with this remastered CD. My favorite A albums are still "Toys in the Attic" and "Pump" but 'Cryin'" alone would made this CD worth the money.

Aerosmith makes their mark in the arena of operatic rock

In his influential 1941 essay "On Popular Music," Frankfurt School critic Theodor Adorno argues that popular music promotes passive listening. The strain and boredom of work is such that we want to avoid effort in our leisure time and that popular music satisfies our craving for stimulation after work. Our choice is between dancing in distraction to the rhythm of the music, oblivious to our own exploitation and oppression, or to wallow in sentimental misery, again oblivious to the real conditions of our existence.

My preference has always been for the former, which explains in part why I really like "Get a Grip." Before this 1993 album I could always take or leave Aerosmith ("Dream On" more than "Walk This Way"), but this particular effort has remained one of my favorites for over a decade now. If I om going to ignore by exploitation and oppression, this is the sort of music I want to be playing (loudly) on my CD player. I could not tell you half the lyrics of any of these fourteen songs, so my ability to explore the social significance of "Livin' on the Edge" or "Eat the Rich" is pretty much blown. I just think this is a great rock and roll album. The point is to playing "Cryin'" or "Get A Grip" and turn the volume up real loud all the while thinking of Alicia Silverstone in another MTV music video.

I heard that Aerosmith was all set to release this album when they decided to go back into the studio and tinker with it a bit more. I am not musically adept enough to either recognize or explain what they did, but whatever it was it sure works. The album was produced by Bruce Fairburn, who had worked with the group on "Permanent Vacation" and "Pump," so he probably had something to do with it as well. There is something majestic about the sound of these songs, which reminds me of the operatic rock sound we first recognized on Alice Cooper's "Billion Dollar Babies" and Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell." The problem, of course, in that in concert it is difficult to sound as good as they do on this album. But at least for once in their long career, Aerosmith got to the top of the mountain.

Community Album ***1/2

"Get a Grip" is the apex of the Aerosmith Mach II, along with "Pump." While Pump sounds more like Aerosmith the bar band, "Get a Grip" is Aerosmith the arena rockers. Every note of this album is calculated for better or worse; Outside writers (Desmond Child), outside musicians (Lenny Kravitz), rehashed material (the "Walk this Way" intro). Much of the album hasn't aged well either, like the rapping on the title track or the over-produced "Flesh." Many of the songs that acted like songs of a generation in 1993 sound like filler today. Having said all that, "Get a Grip" is still a compelling listen and yes, it DOES have something for everyone.



"Eat the Rich," though admittedly a bit hypocritical, is still better than the Stones have done in the last 30 years. "Fever" borders somewhere on the line of high-octane blues and country (well, Garth Brooks DID cover it). Lyrics on some of the lesser tunes, a la "Shut Up and Dance," are poetic, clean-cut, and still funny as ever. Finally, say what you will about their late ballads, but "Cryin" and "Amazing" still play in the messy rooms of generation X, 90s-minded individuals.



Overall: 7 out of 10.

Get A Grip, Indeed

I bought this the day it came out, listened to it all the way through three times, and tossed it out the window of my apartment in Boston. The only songs I can stomach are "Livin' On The Edge" and one other one towards the end that I can't remember the name of...something about dancing.

Anyway, for all of the bashing that I hear about Rock..Hard Place and Done w/ Mirrors, this album is absolute crap.

Why they became so huge again in the late 80's is a complete mystery to me. Glossy production, horrible lyrics, unimaginative grooves and those horrible, HORRIBLE power ballads are NOT what made Aerosmith a classis band - Go buy Toys In The Attic or Rocks NOW...and toss this garbage in the trash where it belongs.

potential sensory overload

get a grip on this cd and never let go 'cause it's really good. i'd like to listen to it while playing revolution x. what a great game.