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Aerosmith

Music From Another Dimension

Written by: BV on 18/11/2012 18:07:03

It’s been a long while since Aerosmith last released an album, and at times I actually think there is a pretty good reason for that. Their newest release “Music From Another Dimension” is what some people would call a comeback album. I personally wouldn’t, since a comeback album would suggest a return to a once-known former glory. This is, however, not the case. Aerosmith has made an album of that good old 70s style rock they were and are so famous for, and mix in a few of those larger than life-like ballads that made them ever so frustrating - in my opinion of course.

Since I am a much bigger fan of Aerosmith’s earliest material up to and including “Toys in the Attic”, it comes as no surprise that I have come to be quite fond of the more hard-rock like tracks on the album. Tracks like "Street Jesus", for example. It is one of those delightfully fast-paced rock songs that aren’t too heavy, while they retain that ever so powerful attitude that has come to be linked with hard rock. It features some nice blues-like phrasing on the guitars, and some incredibly groovy drums – especially when taking the tempo of the song into consideration. Another one of my favorite tracks from the album is the track “Freedom Fighter”. Oddly enough, this track features guitar-player Joe Perry on vocals and he actually does a pretty good job - a better job than on the other tracks he contributes vocals to, at least. Stylistically the track reminds me of The Rolling Stones and their unique brand of boogie-woogie blues rock, though this is no surprise to me, as I’ve always kind of perceived Steven Tyler and Joe Perry as the American equivalent of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

The ever so huge downside to the album is, as I mentioned, the amount of power-ballads on the album. I mean, seriously, how many power-ballads do you really need on an album? A perfect example of this is the track “Another Last Goodbye”, which is corny as hell with a piano-driven intro that is soon to be accompanied by Steven Tyler’s slightly melancholic voice singing some rather substance-less run of the mill power-ballad lyrics.

All in all, I do like this album - but I don’t like it enough. Were it not for the sheer amount of ballads and the (to me) unwelcome induction of outsider songwriters, the album would be a far more coherent and rocking experience. I’m quite sure that I’ll find myself listening to this album a few more times, only to discover it again in a year’s time or so, but I won’t exactly remember it as being one of the best releases of 2012. And certainly not as one of the best releases from Aerosmith.

Download: Street Jesus, Freedom Fighter, Legendary Child
For The Fans Of: 90’s Aerosmith
Listen: facebook.com

Release Date 06.11.2012
Columbia