Aerosmith is back in the CD racks with "Music From Another Dimension!" the band's first album of all new material since 2001's "Just Push Play."
It's been 12 long years and the promise of an album that would return the band to its hard rocking 70's sound was just a bold faced lie! "Music From Another Dimension!" sounds nothing at all like "Toys In The Attic" or "Rocks" both of which are arguably the bands most beloved classic albums.
Instead the band has reverted back to it's 90's heyday which isn't bad except that "Music From Another Dimension!" is no more than a subpar lackluster retread of the multiplatinum selling albums "Permanent Vacation," "Pump" and "Get A Grip."
The fact is... the band didn't even try to capture either period not the 90's and certainly NOT the 70's!
This collection of songs doesn't t feel like a "band" album whatsoever! Steven Tyler should have just made a solo album and gotten all this bullshit out of his system.
When you have to wait 10 years between studio albums the expectations are just too high and this one does not even come close to meeting them. Joe Perry is an excellent guitar player but he should never sing on an Aerosmith album... he just doesn't have the vocal chops. At this point in his career Joe's voice makes Keith Richards sound like Steve Perry.
The fault doesn't lie solely on the band either! Producer Jack Douglas should never have been allowed to produce "Music From Another Dimension!" Not because he isn't a good producer, but because he is "too close" with the band.
Douglas is like the 6th member of Aerosmith and at this point just a "yes man." Only a producer that is a buddy of the band would let a lyric like: "Is that your girl in the lily white dress? How come she's so fucking passive agress?" exist. That lyric alone ruins the song "Lover Alot" which is actually one of the high points on the record!!
At this point in their career Aerosmith needs to work with a task master that will tell them "this is not good enough." If they ever make an album again I hope the boat is steered by someone who will make the band work to much much harder and reclaim their success.
In concert the band is still at the top of their game but their days as a recording entity have long since disappeared.
Download these:
"Oh Yeah," "Legendary Child," "What Could Have Been Love," "Another Last Goodbye"
Skip the rest!
Drumroll please... 4 out of 10 Toys In The Attic
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