Aerosmith - "Music From Another Dimension!"
1) LUV XXX - (6/10)
Just the name of this song (pronounced 'Love Three Times') had me worried at what to expect from Aerosmith's latest album. After the minute of a creepy voice explaining how this album was going to control my emotions, I wasn't feeling any better about it. However, they surprised me and pulled of a solid rock tune with an infectious drum beat and nice little guitar solo by Joe Perry. I'll give it a six out of ten just because Tyler's vocals just didn't sound like himself and that took away from the experience. The majority of the song didn't sound like it should be an Aerosmith song. But I have to say, the last minute is completely different than the majority of the song. The last bit reminded me of Aerosmith in their prime and it got me pretty excited.
2) Oh Yeah - (7/10)
This song also had its dull moments. There were times when the constant singing of "Oh Yeah!" in the background got kind of annoying. Regardless, this song was definitely better than the opening track, but it still lacked some of the characteristics I have come to expect in Aerosmith's music. Another awesome guitar solo brought this song to life and left me satisfied.
3) Beautiful - (8.5/10)
This was the rowdy rock anthem I had been waiting for! It's hard to think of anything negative to say about this song. For those of you who aren't familiar with Aerosmith, this song represents their style perfectly. With another impressive guitar solo and electric vocals from Steven Tyler, this album just got a whole lot better.
4) Tell Me - (7.5/10)
This was an interesting choice to follow up the hard-rocking "Beautiful." This song is driven by the acoustic guitar and is a typical Aerosmith love song. It progresses from just an acoustic guitar and Tyler's vocals to a quality rock ballad. This is the first song on the album that expressed a lot of emotion and had meaning. Perry snuck another guitar solo into this song, making that four songs in a row in which he had a share of the spotlight. Let's see how long this streak lasts!
5) Out Go The Lights - (9/10)
After listening to this song I felt like I was back listening to Aerosmith in the seventies. It is a hard rocking song that shows off their bluesy roots. The backing vocals give this song a type of groove that I haven't heard in an Aerosmith song in a long time. Another long-lasting guitar solo brings the streak to five consecutive songs!
6) Legendary Child - (8/10)
This song proves that Aerosmith is really putting forth an effort to return to their seventies form. I was surprised to find out that this was the lead single off of this album. For the past 20 years, it seems like Aerosmith has been making pop-influenced songs in order to stay on the radio. It's a great song that deserves to be the lead single. An additional guitar solo means that Joe Perry has had a solo on every song on the album so far!
7) What Could Have Been Love (7/10)
This song is just a classic power ballad that is a target to expand their audience and get playing time on the radio. It highlights Steven Tyler's voice but the song as a whole lacks detail that could have made this song better than what it is. Tyler's passion gives it a tone that makes the song, um, not terrible. The power ballad did not call for a real guitar solo from Perry, ending the streak at six consecutive songs.
8) Street Jesus (9/10)
This is another great song that brings me back to Aerosmith's prime. There are pieces of this song that could have been taken directly from an old album of theirs. It has a blues sound to it that is just awesome. This is definitely one of the stand-out tracks off of this album. Going back to Joe Perry's string of guitar solos, this song gets him back on track with a few nice riffs and one great solo.
9) Can't Stop Lovin' You (feat. Carrie Underwood) [4/10]
I don't know what to say about this one. What were they thinking? This song is an awkward cross between country and shrieking hard rock. It doesn't make sense. However, I have asked other people their opinion on it and some people really like it. To me, I think it was a terrible decision on Aerosmith's part. I actually lost some respect for these guys just now.
10) Lover Alot (7/10)
This is just a raw, powerful, hard rock song. This is another one that is reminiscent of Aerosmith's prime days in the seventies. It's surprising to see how much their music has changed since their last album, 11 years ago. This song is all about repetition. This was the song that was stuck in my head after listening to the album for the first time. It is also the second single off of the album.
11) We All Fall Down (6/10)
This one is just another ballad. It's more sappy than the first one (What Could Have Been Love), and it doesn't fit in with the rest of the songs that take on that old "Rock 'n' Roll" sound. Despite that, this was expected because they gained a large amount of fans from their "sappy" stuff in the nineties.
12) Freedom Fighter (8/10)
Politics isn't usually something that is brought up in Aerosmith's music. However, lead guitarist Joe Perry was outraged when he learned of Joseph Kony, who has been abducting children all across Uganda and surrounding areas. He was inspired by the documentary "KONY 2012", which went viral on YouTube. Perry wrote and sang this song all on his own, making it the only song that does not feature vocals from Steven Tyler. On top of all this background information, it's a great song.
13) Closer (5/10)
This song is just boring. It is lost somewhere between a regular mid-tempo Aerosmith song and one of their slower ballads. I haven't been able to figure this one out, and the confusion made the song come across as a bit dull. If anyone can give me a clue as what this song is all about, please let me know.
14) Something (6/10)
This album is beginning to lose the early excitement it had in its first half. This song is also a little boring. I think the vocals belong to Joe Perry, but I can't be sure. It's definitely not Steven Tyler. Something about this song just didn't do it for me.
15) Another Last Goodbye (7.5/10)
This closing ballad was a great way to end the album. The final track was the best of the three ballads off of this album. It featured a few signature screams from Steven Tyler. The song expressed the emotion of the entire album. Based on the lyrics, I wouldn't be surprised if this last song may be the final song of Aerosmith's career. This is quite possible because Steven Tyler is well into his sixties now. The song and the album ended with the return of the eerie voice from the beginning. This time it told me that I am now allowed to return to reality. I don't think that was at all necessary, it made the whole thing seem pretty corny.
Music From Another Dimension! adds to the success of the legendary band, Aerosmith. The album had several hits and a couple misses. And although the 15-track album isn’t its best work, it is much better than anything they have released in the past 15 years. Aerosmith is obviously trying to recreate its prime days, but I don’t think any longtime fans will be complaining.
Listen to the Deluxe Version of Music From Another Dimension on Spotify!
Listen to the Deluxe Version of Music From Another Dimension on Spotify!
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