Aerosmith

"Toys In The Attic"
1975, Columbia

Oldschool fans consider this to be Aerosmith's crowning achievement, and it certainly is one of the band's most consistent albums. The title track kicks like a New York Dolls tune, except the vocals actually sound like a man is singing the song (check out the NY Dolls if you wanna know what i'm talking about). Then comes "Uncle Salty" and "Adam's Apple", two swaggering tunes that the Black Crowes have ripped off more times than Wilt Chamberlain has been laid. Next comes "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion", the over-played encore numbers that every white female in America knows the words to. After that is "Big Ten Inch", a short, uninspired filler track. The album closes beautifully with "No More", "Round And Round", and the heavily under-rated ballad, "You See Me Crying". While "Toys" ain't exactly "Master Of Puppets" in terms of heaviness, it still kicks! If you love rock, you'll love this album. 'Nuff said.

RATING: 9

"Permanent Vacation"
1987, Geffen

After many years of abusing drugs and mounting more groupies than grains of sand in the Sahara, Aerosmith hit rock bottom in the early and mid-80s. "Done With Mirrors" put them on the comeback trail, but went virtually unnoticed by record buyers. "Permanent Vacation" also rocked, and this time the public took notice. "Angel" was a hugely popular ballad which began a long line of monster power-ballads over the next few records, until reaching the point of self-parody. "Dude Looks Like A Lady" is annoying as hell, but it was also a big hit. But I really gotta give Aerosmith credit for bringing their career back from the grave, making many a blind music critic feel like killing themselves, because of the sheer embarassment (of writing the band off just a few years earlier).

RATING: 9

"Pump"
1989, Geffen

Another awesome CD from Aerosmith's golden middle age. It has rockers like "Young Lust" and "F.I.N.E.", as well as the chick pleasing ballads: "What It Takes" and "Janie's Got A Gun". Even as a lecherous old man, Steven Tyler can still make the little girlies cry. I better stop this review before my sense of morality comes back to me... No seriously, this is a good CD. Perhaps a notch above "Permanent Vacation".

RATING: 9

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