JoeTyler said:

rialb said:

You are cracked. The album tracks on Pump are probably better than the singles!

ha! No. Only Voodoo Medicine Man comes close...that song is amazing...

My Girl and Don't Get Mad are pure filler, and Young Lust/FINE are slighty dated...

And I've always preferred the live version of Monkey On My Back

DWM and PM are flawless...well, The Movie stinks but that's the exception... lol

and I'M COMPLETELY sober, lol

Are you sure you are not being overly kind to Done With Mirrors? I think it's a good album but nothing on it is as good as the best songs on Pump. As I said I find Permanent Vacation just a little too tame. The guitars on that one are so clean sounding, at least on Pump there are glimmers of the sound they had in the '70s.

Your dismissal of "Young Lust" and "F.I.N.E." as "slightly dated" wounds me deeply. If those songs are "slightly dated" how would you characterise the sound of Permanent Vacation?

MattyJam said:

What to get next?? I have the first four 70s albums, Pump (which I didn't care for) and PV. Any recommendations on what to buy next?

Maybe Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology (also reissued as Gold)? It's a two disc compilation of the Geffen Years (1985-1994). There are some decent rarities on it and it gives you a good sampling of this era. Plus it's fairly cheap.

[Edited 4/13/11 13:43pm]

rialb said:

JoeTyler said:

ha! No. Only Voodoo Medicine Man comes close...that song is amazing...

My Girl and Don't Get Mad are pure filler, and Young Lust/FINE are slighty dated...

And I've always preferred the live version of Monkey On My Back

DWM and PM are flawless...well, The Movie stinks but that's the exception... lol

and I'M COMPLETELY sober, lol

Are you sure you are not being overly kind to Done With Mirrors? I think it's a good album but nothing on it is as good as the best songs on Pump. As I said I find Permanent Vacation just a little too tame. The guitars on that one are so clean sounding, at least on Pump there are glimmers of the sound they had in the '70s.

Your dismissal of "Young Lust" and "F.I.N.E." as "slightly dated" wounds me deeply. If those songs are "slightly dated" how would you characterise the sound of Permanent Vacation?

Exuberant. Bahamas. Hot.

and Done With Mirrors...wow, I respect/enjoy that album soooo much. Their last raw album with that "70's" touch...

[Edited 4/13/11 13:48pm]

JoeTyler said:

rialb said:

Are you sure you are not being overly kind to Done With Mirrors? I think it's a good album but nothing on it is as good as the best songs on Pump. As I said I find Permanent Vacation just a little too tame. The guitars on that one are so clean sounding, at least on Pump there are glimmers of the sound they had in the '70s.

Your dismissal of "Young Lust" and "F.I.N.E." as "slightly dated" wounds me deeply. If those songs are "slightly dated" how would you characterise the sound of Permanent Vacation?

Exuberant. Bahamas. Hot.

and Done With Mirrors...wow, I respect/enjoy that album soooo much. Their last raw album with that "70's" touch...

[Edited 4/13/11 13:48pm]

Done With Mirrors is definitely underrated but the songs are not quite there. It's not exactly bad but nothing really stands out as being a great song. Also, the production is a bit undercooked. It's kind of similar to Night in the Ruts. As an album Done With Mirrors is probably a little stronger but there's nothing on it as good as "No Surprize."

I think we discussed Get a Grip earlier but why do you rank it behind Done With Mirrors and Permanent Vacation? I think it's a little long but there is a great ten track album buried in there. It's got better songs and more bite than Permanent Vacation. It's not quite as consistent as Pump but it's probably their second best post reunion album.

rialb said:

JoeTyler said:

Exuberant. Bahamas. Hot.

and Done With Mirrors...wow, I respect/enjoy that album soooo much. Their last raw album with that "70's" touch...

[Edited 4/13/11 13:48pm]

Done With Mirrors is definitely underrated but the songs are not quite there. It's not exactly bad but nothing really stands out as being a great song. Also, the production is a bit undercooked. It's kind of similar to Night in the Ruts. As an album Done With Mirrors is probably a little stronger but there's nothing on it as good as "No Surprize."

I think we discussed Get a Grip earlier but why do you rank it behind Done With Mirrors and Permanent Vacation? I think it's a little long but there is a great ten track album buried in there. It's got better songs and more bite than Permanent Vacation. It's not quite as consistent as Pump but it's probably their second best post reunion album.

This is how I (currently) rank the Aerosmith albums:

(hot hot hot)

Rocks

Toys in the Attic

Permanent Vacation

Done With Mirrors

(good, but they don't blow my mind anymore)

Pump

Night in the Ruts

Get a Grip

Get Your Wings

Draw the Line

Aerosmith

Honkin' On Bobo

(to hell with them)

Nine Lives

Just Push Play

Rock and a Hard Place

JoeTyler said:

rialb said:

Done With Mirrors is definitely underrated but the songs are not quite there. It's not exactly bad but nothing really stands out as being a great song. Also, the production is a bit undercooked. It's kind of similar to Night in the Ruts. As an album Done With Mirrors is probably a little stronger but there's nothing on it as good as "No Surprize."

I think we discussed Get a Grip earlier but why do you rank it behind Done With Mirrors and Permanent Vacation? I think it's a little long but there is a great ten track album buried in there. It's got better songs and more bite than Permanent Vacation. It's not quite as consistent as Pump but it's probably their second best post reunion album.

This is how I (currently) rank the Aerosmith albums:

(hot hot hot)

Rocks

Toys in the Attic

Permanent Vacation

Done With Mirrors

(good, but they don't blow my mind anymore)

Pump

Night in the Ruts

Get a Grip

Get Your Wings

Draw the Line

Aerosmith

Honkin' On Bobo

(to hell with them)

Nine Lives

Just Push Play

Rock and a Hard Place

Dude, you need to lay off the booze. Aerosmith and Get Your Wings beneath Done With Mirrors and Permanent Vacation? You need to be slapped.

Nah, I guess I generally agree with your list but I have a lot more love for Rock in a Hard Place than you do and slightly more love for Nine Lives. I would probably put Just Push Play in a category all by itself. It's truly horrible.

rialb said:

JoeTyler said:

This is how I (currently) rank the Aerosmith albums:

(hot hot hot)

Rocks

Toys in the Attic

Permanent Vacation

Done With Mirrors

(good, but they don't blow my mind anymore)

Pump

Night in the Ruts

Get a Grip

Get Your Wings

Draw the Line

Aerosmith

Honkin' On Bobo

(to hell with them)

Nine Lives

Just Push Play

Rock and a Hard Place

Dude, you need to lay off the booze. Aerosmith and Get Your Wings beneath Done With Mirrors and Permanent Vacation? You need to be slapped.

Nah, I guess I generally agree with your list but I have a lot more love for Rock in a Hard Place than you do and slightly more love for Nine Lives. I would probably put Just Push Play in a category all by itself. It's truly horrible.

I don't get the love for Aerosmith. "Write Me" is a very weak song, the cover of "Walking the Dog" is just ok and I simply don't like the mannered, pre-screaming cat voice of Steven.

Oh, and obviously, "Mama Kin" is basically a live number, the studio version sounds like a demo...

"One Way Street" is too long ...

fine debut, nonetheless...

JoeTyler said:

rialb said:

Dude, you need to lay off the booze. Aerosmith and Get Your Wings beneath Done With Mirrors and Permanent Vacation? You need to be slapped.

Nah, I guess I generally agree with your list but I have a lot more love for Rock in a Hard Place than you do and slightly more love for Nine Lives. I would probably put Just Push Play in a category all by itself. It's truly horrible.

I don't get the love for Aerosmith. "Write Me" is a very weak song, the cover of "Walking the Dog" is just ok and I simply don't like the mannered, pre-screaming cat voice of Steven.

Oh, and obviously, "Mama Kin" is basically a live number, the studio version sounds like a demo...

"One Way Street" is too long ...

fine debut, nonetheless...

Insanity! They find a great groove and stay locked into it for exactly the right amount of time. I also really dig "Write Me." There's a quality about the album that they were never able to recapture. Obviously they made better albums but there's something special about the debut. Maybe the fact that they were not completely messed up on drugs while they were making it.

I do agree about Steven's voice. It just sounds weird and the first few times I heard the album it really bugged me but I got used to it. It's like the muddy production on the first two Kiss albums, it's a distraction but the songs are good enough to overcome it.

JoeTyler said:

MASTERPIECES

Rocks

Toys in the Attic

Pump

VERY GOOD ALBUMS

Get Your Wings

Done With Mirrors

Permanent Vacation

GOOD ALBUMS

Get a Grip

Aerosmith

Draw the Line

Night in the Ruts

DECENT

Honkin' On Bobo

WEIRD

Rock In a Hard Place

CRAP

Nine Lives

Just Push Play

Pretty much. Yep. Although I might call 'Just Push Play' weak rather than crap. But the lines are so close together that it may as well be crap.

They have a couple of two disc "Best Of" collections that are pretty damn stellar as they include album cuts, not just singles. Definitely recommend the new listener start there.

JoeTyler said:

This is how I (currently) rank the Aerosmith albums:

(hot hot hot)

Rocks

Toys in the Attic

Permanent Vacation

Done With Mirrors

(good, but they don't blow my mind anymore)

Pump

Night in the Ruts

Get a Grip

Get Your Wings

Draw the Line

Aerosmith

Honkin' On Bobo

(to hell with them)

Nine Lives

Just Push Play

Rock and a Hard Place

Can't really disagree there, either, except I think Pump is a classic. It would definitely make my favorite albums of all time list.

rialb said:

JoeTyler said:

I don't get the love for Aerosmith. "Write Me" is a very weak song, the cover of "Walking the Dog" is just ok and I simply don't like the mannered, pre-screaming cat voice of Steven.

Oh, and obviously, "Mama Kin" is basically a live number, the studio version sounds like a demo...

"One Way Street" is too long ...

fine debut, nonetheless...

Insanity! They find a great groove and stay locked into it for exactly the right amount of time. I also really dig "Write Me." There's a quality about the album that they were never able to recapture. Obviously they made better albums but there's something special about the debut. Maybe the fact that they were not completely messed up on drugs while they were making it.

I do agree about Steven's voice. It just sounds weird and the first few times I heard the album it really bugged me but I got used to it. It's like the muddy production on the first two Kiss albums, it's a distraction but the songs are good enough to overcome it.

that voice was perfect for "Dream On", but that's all, lol. In fact, I think that Steven didn't "find" his "real" voice until Rocks/Draw the Line...

btw, "Movin' Out" is an underrated masterpiece, pure hard blues/70sMetal perfection...

[Edited 4/13/11 15:19pm]

Cerebus said:

JoeTyler said:

This is how I (currently) rank the Aerosmith albums:

(hot hot hot)

Rocks

Toys in the Attic

Permanent Vacation

Done With Mirrors

(good, but they don't blow my mind anymore)

Pump

Night in the Ruts

Get a Grip

Get Your Wings

Draw the Line

Aerosmith

Honkin' On Bobo

(to hell with them)

Nine Lives

Just Push Play

Rock and a Hard Place

Can't really disagree there, either, except I think Pump is a classic. It would definitely make my favorite albums of all time list.

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I consider Pump to be a late-80s classic but, for me, the album doesn't sound as good as it used to... as I've said, there is filler and some of the hard-rock numbers are a bit juvenile... Get a Grip also sounds a bit juvenile.

DWM doesn't sound juvenile...

[Edited 4/13/11 15:23pm]

Just wanted to chime in and say that i think Nine Lives was a great release. Songs like "Falling In Love", "Hole In My Soul", and "Pink" define Aerosmith to me. Fun, kitschy rock songs great for singing along but not anywhere near deep.

I'm not over 30 yet... so I don't remember their "heyday" except for their return on Get A Grip (which I also think was great, especially "Living On The Edge").

They also put on a hell of a live show. Saw them with Lenny Kravitz a few years back and they blew Len out of the water.

*listening to Get A Grip for the first time*

Am enjoying Get A Grip. There's a few too many fillers, but as a whole there's some pretty solid material on there. Really like Eat The Rich, the title track and Livin' On The Edge. Crazy is my favourite of the big power ballad trio, Amazing is quite nice but Cryin' is just alright.

Overall, I think I prefer Permanent Vacation though (one of those rare albums where I can find something to like in pretty much every track).

MattyJam said:

Am enjoying Get A Grip. There's a few too many fillers, but as a whole there's some pretty solid material on there. Really like Eat The Rich, the title track and Livin' On The Edge. Crazy is my favourite of the big power ballad trio, Amazing is quite nice but Cryin' is just alright.

Overall, I think I prefer Permanent Vacation though (one of those rare albums where I can find something to like in pretty much every track).

glad you finally like them, they are a terrefic hard rock band.

Curious to know... what does everyone else think of Get a Grip??

MattyJam said:

Curious to know... what does everyone else think of Get a Grip??

pretty good but its not as raw as their earlier records, probably a 7.5 out of 10 for me. Best song for me is either Amazing or Living on the Edge

MattyJam said:

Curious to know... what does everyone else think of Get a Grip??

My opinions about their Geffen albums are pretty fluid. There's a fair bit of fat in Get a Grip but I think there's a very good ten track album in it. I think that "Crazy"/"Cryin'"/"Amazing" are basically interchangeable, the album would be stronger if you dropped two of those songs. There are some decent b-sides from this era ("Head First," "Don't Stop" and "Can't Stop Messin'") that can be found on the double disc Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology.

For me it is their third best Geffen album after Pump and Done With Mirrors. It's not bad but it's a little too long and unfocused.

jeidee said:

Just wanted to chime in and say that i think Nine Lives was a great release. Songs like "Falling In Love", "Hole In My Soul", and "Pink" define Aerosmith to me. Fun, kitschy rock songs great for singing along but not anywhere near deep.

Yeah! I also think "Nine Lives" is a kick ass album and greatly underrated... it's easily as good or even better than "Get a grip"... great rockers and great ballads.

PatrickS77 said:

jeidee said:

Just wanted to chime in and say that i think Nine Lives was a great release. Songs like "Falling In Love", "Hole In My Soul", and "Pink" define Aerosmith to me. Fun, kitschy rock songs great for singing along but not anywhere near deep.

Yeah! I also think "Nine Lives" is a kick ass album and greatly underrated... it's easily as good or even better than "Get a grip"... great rockers and great ballads.

I partially agree. Nine Lives is probably one of the loudest Aerosmith albums, the guitars have some bite, but the songs aren't quite as good as they could be. I like the sound of the album better than I like the songs. Like Get a Grip I think Nine Lives is too long, Aerosmith should not be making sixty minute albums.

Still, I might reach for this album before Permanent Vacation. I should be used to it by now but I would like to see a full Aerosmith album that does not use any outside writers. They are in their sixties now and I don't think they should be trying to compete with modern pop acts, just give us a kickass rock record with lots of loud guitars.

MattyJam said:

Curious to know... what does everyone else think of Get a Grip??

too many juvenile tracks (title-track, Shut Up and Dance, Flesh, or even Cryin'), but the rest of the album is solid. The B-Sides Head First and Can't Stop Messin' are actually better than some of the album-tracks...

Amazing and specially Crazy are excellent ballads. They sound like the 90's version of You See Me Cryin'/Home Tonight ...

Their last "great" album, even if it's on the level of DWM/PV/Pump. I respect Get a Grip because being a 1993 mainstream rock album it succeeded in the era of grunge/alternative due to some strong singles and a solid rock tour. The album could have failed miserably, but in fact it was a worldwide smash...

and hey, it's like 100000 times better than Nine Lives

rialb said:

PatrickS77 said:

Yeah! I also think "Nine Lives" is a kick ass album and greatly underrated... it's easily as good or even better than "Get a grip"... great rockers and great ballads.

I partially agree. Nine Lives is probably one of the loudest Aerosmith albums, the guitars have some bite, but the songs aren't quite as good as they could be. I like the sound of the album better than I like the songs. Like Get a Grip I think Nine Lives is too long, Aerosmith should not be making sixty minute albums.

Still, I might reach for this album before Permanent Vacation. I should be used to it by now but I would like to see a full Aerosmith album that does not use any outside writers. They are in their sixties now and I don't think they should be trying to compete with modern pop acts, just give us a kickass rock record with lots of loud guitars.

I still own my copy of Nine Lives but I don't listen to it anymore. Instead I burned years ago my own version, which is more salvageable than the official album (at least for me, lol):

1.Nine Lives

2.Falling In Love

3.Taste of India

4.Something's Gotta Give

5.The Farm

6.Ain't That a Bitch

7.Pink

8.Falling Off

9.Full Circle

10.Fallen Angels

JoeTyler said:

and hey, it's like 100000 times better than Nine Lives

No, it's not and

JoeTyler said:

I still own my copy of Nine Lives but I don't listen to it anymore. Instead I burned years ago my own version, which is more salvageable than the official album (at least for me, lol):

1.Nine Lives

2.Falling In Love

3.Taste of India

4.Something's Gotta Give

5.The Farm

6.Ain't That a Bitch

7.Pink

8.Falling Off

9.Full Circle

10.Fallen Angels

...what's your point? You burned your own copy and still used 10 out of 14 tracks! Can't be too bad then! But seriously though, I would be hard pressed to come up with 4 songs on that album I don't like... actually there is not one song I don't like at all... the songs I like least would be Pink and Attitude Adjustment.

"aint that a bitch" is FIRE

forgot how good that is

JoeTyler said:

MattyJam said:

Curious to know... what does everyone else think of Get a Grip??

too many juvenile tracks (title-track, Shut Up and Dance, Flesh, or even Cryin'), but the rest of the album is solid. The B-Sides Head First and Can't Stop Messin' are actually better than some of the album-tracks...

Amazing and specially Crazy are excellent ballads. They sound like the 90's version of You See Me Cryin'/Home Tonight ...

Their last "great" album, even if it's on the level of DWM/PV/Pump. I respect Get a Grip because being a 1993 mainstream rock album it succeeded in the era of grunge/alternative due to some strong singles and a solid rock tour. The album could have failed miserably, but in fact it was a worldwide smash...

and hey, it's like 100000 times better than Nine Lives

I respectfully disagree with your assessment.

I gotta say, i am surprised the op didnt like their debut album. I am addicted to some of thr stuff on here- Dream On, One Way Street, Movin Out.

rialb said:

JoeTyler said:

too many juvenile tracks (title-track, Shut Up and Dance, Flesh, or even Cryin'), but the rest of the album is solid. The B-Sides Head First and Can't Stop Messin' are actually better than some of the album-tracks...

Amazing and specially Crazy are excellent ballads. They sound like the 90's version of You See Me Cryin'/Home Tonight ...

Their last "great" album, even if it's on the level of DWM/PV/Pump. I respect Get a Grip because being a 1993 mainstream rock album it succeeded in the era of grunge/alternative due to some strong singles and a solid rock tour. The album could have failed miserably, but in fact it was a worldwide smash...

and hey, it's like 100000 times better than Nine Lives

I respectfully disagree with your assessment.

Crazy is one of my all time fav ballads, and Amazing's lyrics are uplifting...

I do agree, though, that Cryin', despite some kick-ass solos, is nothing special... they were obvioulsy tryin' to "write" a GN'R ballad...

[Edited 4/18/11 3:55am]

I do love Crazy. Not sure if I would say it's as good as You See Me Crying, but it's still one of their best ballads.

MattyJam said:

I do love Crazy. Not sure if I would say it's as good as You See Me Crying, but it's still one of their best ballads.

hell, only the hardcore fans remember You See Me Crying lol

for me, their best 70's ballads are Dream On (obviously) and Seasons of Wither

I wouldn't call Kings and Queens a ballad...

Mia is good but I cannot listen to that song anymore, not after I read how badly Steven treated his first wife/daughter: like shit