A few years ago the prospect of new music from Aerosmith seemed about as likely as Manchester City winning the Premier League title. How times change.
It's been a lean decade for followers of America's greatest rock and roll band, with no studio album of original material since 2002's disappointing 'Just Push Play'. Aside from 2004's sublime album of blues covers, 'Honkin On Bobo', only a handful of new/unreleased songs have seen the light of day, courtesy of an endless conveyor belt of compilation releases. Whilst they remained a fully functioning touring outfit throughout the noughties, delays in recording due to illness, injury, scheduling conflicts and the vague possibility that the dog had eaten their homework scuppered any plans for a new album. Then the wheel's came off the wagon. Or rather, Steven Tyler did. Following some bizarre incidents (falling off the stage, passing out in the shower etc) the leather lipped frontman checked in to rehab for an alleged addiction to painkillers. He'd also fallen out with the band, threatening to quit to pursue solo projects. They called his bluff and let it be known they were looking for a new singer. He filed papers in court demanding they desist in that action. It was an ugly soap opera that looked set to destroy the Bostonian quintet once and for all. Then a miracle happened; phoenix from the ashes style. Bridges were built. Rifts were healed. A tour was undertaken and amazingly completed, after which they dove into the studio with Jack Douglas, the man who'd produced their most successful seventies releases, to finally record a new album. 'Music From Another Dimension' is due to be unleashed on November 6th 2012 and lead single 'Legendary Child' is the first taste of that eagerly anticipated record.
So, after the trials and tribulations how do Aerosmith sound circa 2012? The good news is they sound exactly like they've always sounded. And, somewhat paradoxically, the bad news is they sound exactly like they've always sounded. Whilst it's unsurprising 'Legendary Child' is reminiscent of the band's previous work as it was developed from an idea conceived during the 'Get A Grip' sessions, the track feels like the musical equivalent of Frankenstein's monster; a cut and paste of Aerosmith's greatest songs, surgically spliced together to produce a new creation. The shimmering, eastern flavoured intro recalls their mid-nineties 'Nine Lives' sound, whilst the verses are reminiscent of 'Walk This Way' if it had been recorded for 'Get A Grip' in an aggressive mood featuring 'Love In An Elevator's' gang chant backing vocals. Hell, Tyler even delivers a tongue in cheek snippet of 'Walk This Way's' most famous lyric to boot. Furthermore, the bridge is pure 'Janie's Got A Gun' whilst the forgettable chorus is 'Sweet Emotion' played at double the speed. But here's the contradiction it's actually a decent song, and sounding like themselves is no bad thing. It's just difficult to shake the feeling we've heard all this before only better. Which is a shame, because taken on it's own merits it stands up pretty well as a rousing rocker that rewards with repeated listens.
On a positive note, the band's musical interaction is still a swaggering, groin thrusting slab of rhythmic power. The interplay between guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford drives the song as a booming, bottom heavy staccato riff grooves with a heavy blues backbone reminiscent of their seventies peak. Fleshed out by Tom Hamilton's brooding, muddy bass and Joey Kramer's razor sharp drum sound and wonderfully textured fills, the unit is still one of the most breathtaking in rock music, able to weave in and out of different moods with consummate ease. It's also great to hear an old school guitar break from Perry, squeezing his inimitable notes into an unpredictable solo that, although short, reminds us what a fantastically individual talent he's always been. And what of Mr Tyler himself? His lyrics still make cheeky references to sexual shenanigans which, although not quite as sassy as they used to be, are strangely comforting. After all, we wouldn't want him singing about environmental issues would we? However, vocally he's lost some of his nudge nudge, wink wink, drop-your-skirt-ladies sparkle, giving a strangely flat delivery as opposed to the characteristic howling nuances of old.
The band have claimed that 'Music From Another Dimension' will see them returning to their 70's hard rock roots. Whilst 'Legendary Child' shows they haven't become a watered down, pseudo-rock outfit like Bon Jovi, it certainly doesn't boast the edgy, raw power of their earlier work. The production is as embellished and layered as their nineties output and the stripped down, back to basics approach isn't evident on this track. We'll just have to wait until November to see how the whole album pans out, and whilst 'Legendary Child' isn't destined to become an Aerosmith classic, it does have enough to suggest the new record will be worth a listen or two.
Overall, this song has the feel of a solid album track rather than a killer lead single. Maybe releasing something familiar is a calculated move to remind people what they're all about, before the album introduces us to what we hope will be that exciting 'other dimension'.
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It's been a lean decade for followers of America's greatest rock and roll band, with no studio album of original material since 2002's disappointing 'Just Push Play'. Aside from 2004's sublime album of blues covers, 'Honkin On Bobo', only a handful of new/unreleased songs have seen the light of day, courtesy of an endless conveyor belt of compilation releases. Whilst they remained a fully functioning touring outfit throughout the noughties, delays in recording due to illness, injury, scheduling conflicts and the vague possibility that the dog had eaten their homework scuppered any plans for a new album. Then the wheel's came off the wagon. Or rather, Steven Tyler did. Following some bizarre incidents (falling off the stage, passing out in the shower etc) the leather lipped frontman checked in to rehab for an alleged addiction to painkillers. He'd also fallen out with the band, threatening to quit to pursue solo projects. They called his bluff and let it be known they were looking for a new singer. He filed papers in court demanding they desist in that action. It was an ugly soap opera that looked set to destroy the Bostonian quintet once and for all. Then a miracle happened; phoenix from the ashes style. Bridges were built. Rifts were healed. A tour was undertaken and amazingly completed, after which they dove into the studio with Jack Douglas, the man who'd produced their most successful seventies releases, to finally record a new album. 'Music From Another Dimension' is due to be unleashed on November 6th 2012 and lead single 'Legendary Child' is the first taste of that eagerly anticipated record.
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