So this is the so called comeback album for Aerosmith, as Joe Perry and Brad Whitfield rejoined the band after their short lived solo careers and Aerosmith’s declining fortunes. This album did not do a whole bunch commercially either, and they were at the last chance salon until the Run DMC collaboration saved the band – the rest is history.
Ironically the opening track, Let The Music Do The Talking, was the title track from Joe Perry’s first solo album. Tyler loved it so much he wanted to put his stamp on it, and acknowledging Perry had made some great music away from the fold. This album is what critics say “the last true Aerosmith record”, as after this the band used a whole bunch of outside writers to come up with the hits. My Fist Your Face is a typical simple rocker that the band could write in their sleep. Shame On You has an off-funk vibe and groove – it’s a great tune. There are not many Brad Whitford tunes, but Sheila is a cool one with a great repeating riff. She’s On Fire is quite an interesting song as the band would revisit this vibe albeit in a different song on Pump with Monkey On My Back. The Hop is the only full band contribution on the whole album and is an up-tempo blues shuffle.
Not the best album they ever done, but nowhere near as bad as people make out.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
