Fresh from his ill
fated "American Idol" exploits, Steven Tyler and Aerosmith
have released their first album in 11 years. Boston's Bad Boy's were
close to breaking up back in 2009 following yet another disagreement
with Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry, but now they're back with
"Music From Another Dimension."
With the new record
Aerosmith have gone a completely different route to other classic
rock bands such as Kiss and Rush, also with new albums this year.
While they focus on their 70s styles, Aerosmith with "Music From
Another Dimension" have gone back to the style of their
90s commercial revival, reminiscent of "Get a Grip."
The album begins with a
mood lifting outer space intro, before piling into the clumsily
titled LUV XXX. The bluesy rocking from the opening track is
something that continues throughout the album, with Tyler's sweet as
ever vocals sounding magnificent. Aerosmith then go into "Oh
Yeah," a track which quite clearly was inspired by The Rolling
Stones due to the vocal styles and the female backing vocals heard in
tracks such as "Gimme Shelter" from The Stones. Not exactly
what you want to hear from a band who are legends in their own
right.
Something Aerosmith
have always done well is the power ballad, having huge success with
tracks such as "Crazy'" and "I Don't Want To Miss A
Thing", and that doesn't change with "What Could Have Been
Love." A powerful tear jerker, but deep down it sounds
like it could be Tyler's own personal ballad to Perry, with lyrics
such as "leaving for a no-where bound train" implying more
than meets the eye. But behind Tyler's emotional vocals you feel the
track is missing that solo to really propel "What Could Have
Been Love" into a classic.
One of the early
surprises from the album is "Beautiful," the backing vocals
on the track compliment Tyler's rasping vocals brilliantly, reminding
listeners that talent doesn't have to be produced in a studio.
Closely following this is "Lover Alot," a track which
blends in with the Aerosmith back catalogue after jumping straight
out of "Just Push Play."
The two most bluesy
tracks from the album, "Out Go the Lights" and "Street
Jesus" are particular highlights from the album.
Perry knew he was on to a winner with the guitar workouts laid down
for these. "Street Jesus" is a track that is quite simply
about a tramp on the streets, with an easy intro into the track the
guitar and drum lines pick up pace, and we have a fast paced
Aerosmith album that suddenly make us forget that the Boston rockers
have been around for over 40 years now, two tracks that can
wire themselves into Aerosmith's legacy. It's just a shame Perry's
tracks where he leads on vocals couldn't match up to some of the
tracks he'd written for Tyler.
This is where the album
falls short, ironically in the way that it feels too long. Perry's
"Freedom Fighter" almost sounds like a country western
track Tim McGraw could have performed, you have to feel this is a
track the rest of the band let Perry have to keep him happy following
their history. Tracks like "Freedom Fighter" remind you why
Joe Perry's solo career never went anywhere. The other Perry track
"Something" doesn't do much more than his other track, and
reminds us all why Steven Tyler is just irreplaceable as a vocalist,
Perry's style just isn't Aerosmith.
Not all Tyler's tracks
are perfect in the overstuffed "Music From Another Dimension"
however, the country track "Can't Stop Loving You," is
horribly out of place as a crossover ballad with Tyler's American
Idol partner Carrie Underwood. The rest of the band must have had a
day off from the studio when this was recorded, with lyrics seemingly
chucked together because they rhyme (Hey
I can’t stop loving you,
because it’s all I
wanna do). It's also one of four ballads on the album, too many
for a hard rock album.
It's better news for
the rest of the album though, "We All Fall Down" and "Tell
Me" are two of Tyler's cleanest vocal performances throughout
the record. "Tell Me" is a slow jam looking back on
previous years, again possibly a nod to the Tyler Perry feud from
years gone by with lyrics such as "I
think it’s time to realize it’s done." "We All
Fall Down" is a "safe" ballad, and also sounds like a
rest bite for Tyler's screeching vocals on tracks previously in the
album. Despite having an almost immortal voice, you're reminded he's
getting on when you see him falling off stages and the likes.
Stand
out track here however is "Legendary Child." If Aerosmith
were to ever write a biography and express it through the medium of
music, this is it. Talking about shows they played forty years ago,
and nearly losing everything after having it all, this is the track
to remember.
Finally we come to
"Another Last Goodbye," where Tyler won't let us
forget the incredible range his vocals have. Screeching lyrics jump
out of this ballad, reminding us why Tyler is one of the best in the
business.
"Music From
Another Dimension" does feel a little too long on ending, you
can't help but feel the album would be a far more solid piece had the
fat been trimmed from the edges. Aerosmith have tried to bring their
classic bluesy rock into the modern age. Fortunately because of the
digital age you can edit playlists on the fly, do this right with
"Music From Another Dimension" and you could end up with a classic.
