On Tuesday September 13th the 13th studio album by legendary rocker Alice Cooper hits stores and I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an early copy. Sitting down listening to it I decided to sit down and do an honest review of it as I am listening to it. The best place to start is the very beginning with:
1. I am Made of You- The starting point for this album is actually a weak one. As soon as Alice opens his mouth to speak the first thing that gets to you is he used AUTO TUNE! Alice fucking Cooper used auto tune on one of his songs. Yes, he is Alice Cooper. Yes, he has earned the right to do WHATEVER he damn well pleases, but he's ALICE COOPER! He doesn't need to auto tune. I've heard this album in other early reviews that this album sounds like a piece from The Rolling Stones. I just want to say right now: MICK JAGGER DOESN'T AUTOTUNE! Let's see where this goes from here.
2. Caffeine- As we get into the second song on the album we are hit with a song about....well caffeine. It's actually a pretty up beat song that almost sounds like it should have been done by a younger band. The lyrics themselves are pretty OK but he treats caffeine as way too much of an addictive and lethal drug. Seeing as this is a concept album and a sequel to "Welcome to My Nightmare" I am willing to overlook any personal gripes with the song as I see where it fits in story wise as a way to keep the nightmares from returning.
3. The Nightmare Returns- Finally the album is starting to get creepy. Everything on this song works, from the creepy piano music in the background to the way that Alice Cooper sings it. The piano runs the entire song and is eventually joined by a classic Cooper sounding metal piece that I assume is the transition to the nightmare. I actually could feel the hairs on my arms going up a tad so I can see this album is heading in the right direction yet.
4. A Runaway Train- Here we have another fast upbeat song. This one almost sounds like a mix between metal and country a little bit. Are there such things as heavy metal banjos cause it sure sounds like there's one in this. I'm getting an image in my head for this song and I will share it. I see Alice Cooper in a nightmare land running down a set of railroad tracks being chased by a giant train that resembles the one from the cover of Motorhead's album "Orgasmatron". (Anywhere I find to put what I see in my mind and help share my interpetation of the story I will). The song ends with the sounds of a train crashing...errie.
5. Last Man on Earth- OK this one starts with a style that almost sounds like "People Are Strange" by The Doors. It's a creepy sounding song though with a creepy, almost carnaval-like, feel to it. I'm starting to think if anything this album would make a great musical film, possibly a mix of live action and animation, because this song would look way to creepy as a live action piece. My favorite lie in this song is "I'm the last man on earth,
So tell me what it's worth.
Am I a beggar or a king?"
Oddly, this one ends with canned appluase. Is it meant to have been performed for those of the other world?
6. The Congregation- This one starts out a little slower which is a good thing. I'd say the pace on this one overall is definetly a bit slower than the others, though not by much. It really sounds like classic Alice Cooper though when you get down to it. So far the album has had it's ups and downs and while it's not 100% classic Alice Cooper it's about 90% classic Cooper.
7. I'll Bite Your Face Off- Here's one that sounds as close to classic Cooper as I've heard yet. This album is slowly falling into it's place and do think that my final rating on this one will be more favorable than my review I did on Twitter last night where I listened to 3 or 4 tracks and then ripped this piece a new one. The lyrics on this one are nicely dark, as the title would suggest and are delivered with a style that feels to me like "I'm Eighteen".
8. Disco Bloodbath Boogie Fever- Gothic disco, that's all I'm gonna say. That and I think I really like this one haha. Nice dark sounding vocalists in the back, 70's feel, dark lyrics, and Alice Cooper does it perfectly.
9. Ghouls Gone Wild- This one sounds like a slowed version of "Blitkrieg Bop" a bit. It's another one I'm liking though. The album is starting to pick up an overall older feel which is what I'd expect for this.
10. Something to Remember Me By- Here we go, nice slow mostly acoustic song, almost ballad like. This is another personal favorite for me. Alice Cooper is bringing the story together quite nicely and the songs are sounding more classic as they go.
11. When Hell Comes Home- This one is yet another classic yet powerful sounding piece. Dark and eerie and of course scary.
12. What Baby Wants- At this point it's hard to nitpick these songs because they have finally gotten the pace and feel they need that's why my reviews of them are short and sweet.
13. I Gotta Get out of Here- This one starts with chiming bells and then picks up a nice end of story style feel completely like Alice Cooper's older work. The lyrics are great and the beat is nice.
14. The Underture- Normally I HATE instrumental rock music but this works great. Alice Cooper told his story and ends it with an almost orchestral sounding (yet completely rock) underture to rap it up.
Overall this actually turned out to be a pretty good album. I give it a four out of five and do want to see the live concert that goes with it if Mr. Cooper decides to go on a concert tour to support it. Post what you thought below. :D
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