Slow Growing Albums

[cooperrocks]

As I read all the comments regarding the songs released on the new album including my own thoughts, it did made me think about albums that perhaps you or I may not have cared for upon the first few listens but in time we grew to really like the album. That does happen sometimes. What Alice albums did you initially not like at first but after several listens they became one of your favorites?

For me, The Eyes of Alice Cooper standout. I loved Brutal Planet and still think it is one of the best Alice albums ever and I loved about half of Dragontown so when The Eyes came out and was a total shift in direction, I didn't like the album at first. It wasn't until I went back a couple of years later and started listening to it again regularly that I discovered I really liked it. I will also say that I didn't initially get the early 80's "Blackout" albums at first but around the mid 90's when hard rock and metal was suffering big time, I revisited those albums and Dada in particular became one of my favorites but I really like Flush the Fashion and Special Forces as well. Zipper I am still not as big of a fan of.

Here is hoping the new album will be one of those types of albums!

[Mr. Misdemeanor]

Almost all of them. Seriously. Brutal Planet, Paranormal, and Killer are probably the only three that I really liked on a first listen. For me I had to learn to open my mind up, really listen to the lyrics, and try to "get" what the songs were about. Oh, and not to take every song seriously.

Alma Mater, Fresh Blood, and Zorro's Ascent are three examples of what I'm talking about. Normally if I heard them on the radio I would think they were terrible. But after listening to the complete albums multiple times I really like them.

[pitkin88]

Killer and Love It To Death. I got School's Out an was in love with it. Christmas that year I got LITD and Killer. They both took about 4 or 5 plays. I really didn't know too much about music at that time. I was 12-13 years old and had two albums: Slade Alive and Bolan Boogie. Once I started to get into Killer and Love It To Death I was smitten.

[Agrophile in Texas]

Instances where an album grew on me, was often a case of where I got older and my tastes evolved, matured. LitD, School's Out and B$B were instant winners, buuuut...

I was NOT ready for Pretties for You as a kid, but in later years, when I got into experimental, odd ball music, then revisited it. I loved it, it's now one of my favorites.

But beyond Pretties, even when they did one of those suite type numbers, I struggled with them. For example - I wasn't in love with Killer at first. I liked the 3 tracks from the greatest hits, and Dead Babies, but that was it. Things like Halo and Killer, I just couldn't appreciate that kind of song in my younger days. As an old fart, Killer (song) is a delight, and Halo of Flies has become my favorite track on the release, and I now consider the Killer LP one of his all-time greats. So, while I didn't dislike it in the 70s, it wasn't until I grew up that it shifted from "It's okay", to "It's fantastic!"

Muscle of Love I like more today than I did as a teen. I like the instrumentation; I like zeroing in on that when I listen to it.

As to the recent? Paranormal was more a technical screw-up, I had my iTunes purchases, and normally with those, I'd convert it to WAV and burn a CD, but Paranormal refused to burn in order. Don't know why, everything else did, but not that one (maybe it was haunted). So, I'd listed to it direct or play the CD with tracks out of order (which didn't help). I wasn't feeling it anyway, so I set it aside for years. I finally just bought the CD, came back to it and, "oh, this isn't bad. It's not a top 10er, but I'm digging it".

[lordcatfish]

The Last Temptation was a real slow burner for me. I thought it was a bit sluggish when I first heard it, and the hooks just weren't jumping out at me. It gradually unfurled after a few listens though, and now it's my favourite solo album.

Goes to Hell was another one. I always enjoyed it, but ranked it relatively low in the overall catalogue. As the years have passed, I've come to appreciate it more, and now it floats around the top 10 spot. I think it's a great piece of work.

[mot$$33]

Same for me on Goes to Hell. Not enough rockers when I was younger, but really has grown on me. Love the song flow.

[Agrophile in Texas]

I thought about Goes to Hell as well, my initial reaction was similar to MoL (This isn't as good as B$B - with Hell, "This isn't as good as Nightmare") but over time, judging it as its own thing, I came to really enjoy it.

Temptation? That brings back strong memories. The first listen was like getting struck by lightning... Oh my, this is good. Next track, this is really good, third track... holy **** Alice is back! (I though he had good albums and fair ones since DaDa, but Temptation was a return to awesome sauce for me - interesting to read that 'instant love', wasn't always the case for others).

[rgallie]

Brutal Planet was my first Alice album. I came to Alice after seeing him in Waynes World and wanted more of that. Naturally Brutal Planet blew that away with its heavy sound. Then I discovered the lighter 70s Alice, Billion $ Babies first, took me a while to adjust. But then i loved it. Killer to me is the BP album of its day. I have loved EVERY album I then picked up and by the time Dragontown was out I had them all. But slowly (and maybe it comes from hearing so much great music in a short time) the magic of an instant love left me. Since W2MN I have not had anything really make me go WOW on first listen.

The EP was an exception to that, I really enjoyed it, maybe because he poured his craft into a few songs rather than spread it over an album....I doubt I will listen to ACAS, W2MN again. Paranormal and DS might get a shot to remind me how they sounded when I fancy a die hard night and listening to some songs ive forgot about for a "new music" experience. I hope Road can be fresh again.

[dadascot]

Brutal planet was the one for me. I hated that industrial metal sound. It was such a departure from the last temptation. I bought the BP vinyl a couple of years ago and it really came to life for me. Every couple of years I dig out Dragontown and ACAS but I still think they are appalling. Detroit stories was a wow to me, the first since last temptation. My best friend, who got into Alice as a 9 year old in 1975, didn't like it but at my insistence reappraised it and now really likes it.

[killer wolf]

no such thing for me, i've loved all but one album and that one hasn't grown at all so i just play the two tracks off it that i love.
the new album sounds like it's going to be another cracker from what i've heard so far.

[tuneylune]

ACG-I couldn't believe what I was listening to when I first put PRETTIES FOR YOU on the turntable. Such a weird unfocused album! It grew on Me slowly and after not playing for a few years, find it quite good in its quirky way, although the Ezrin LP's bury it.

AC Solo- For this one, it's THE LAST TEMPTATION. I had read in METAL EDGE that a Box set was coming out and was so looking forward to it (not knowing it would take almost five years before it was available) . I almost felt TLT was sort of a consolation prize. But repeated playings over the course of several months really made me love this album; certainly one of his best works.

Some albums need that slow build up; eg it took awhile for PRESENCE (Led Zeppelin) to sink its hooks into Me, but it's my favorite of their studio work.

[patrick]

EA was a slow grower.
Back in time -pre-internet- there were times when almost nothing was available to anticipate on a new album. So you could get Zipper or Lace and Whiskey and Dada in your hands with no clue at all what to expect ( certainly with those atypical covers). Zipper and Dada worked well, Lace (listening now) slower (but not convincingly)

[cooperrocks]

I thought about Goes to Hell as well, my initial reaction was similar to MoL (This isn't as good as B$B - with Hell, "This isn't as good as Nightmare") but over time, judging it as its own thing, I came to really enjoy it.

Temptation? That brings back strong memories. The first listen was like getting struck by lightning... Oh my, this is good. Next track, this is really good, third track... holy **** Alice is back! (I though he had good albums and fair ones since DaDa, but Temptation was a return to awesome sauce for me - interesting to read that 'instant love', wasn't always the case for others).

That's interesting to me too. The Last Temptation is my favorite Alice album ever from any era. It grabbed me from the very first listen and that's why I asked the initial question. Sometimes I wonder if we all reach that point in our life where basically nothing will please us and we go into listening to a new album, watching a new tv show, etc with the attitude where we are going to try to find fault with it before even giving it a chance. Some of the best albums and best bands are those that we initially wrote off. Thanks for your thoughts!

[Agrophile in Texas]

You're welcome, I'm enjoying the read - good topic.

Sometimes I wonder if we all reach that point in our life where basically nothing will please us and we go into listening to a new album, watching a new tv show, etc with the attitude where we are going to try to find fault with it before even giving it a chance.

I can't speak for others, but I've not gotten that jaded, I still get really excited about a new release, and it depends on the content of the individual album on whether it's a thumbs up or down.

Example: I went into ACAS just jacked, loved the art for each song, couldn't wait for the music, and then... que the sad trombone. I kept going back to it, and would revisit it over the years, but nope. And it made me sad to dislike an AC CD that much. Usually, I can't wait to get back to an album, even if it's a grower (for any band or singer), I look forward to when it connects. But Spider never did, which was a bummer.

But then W2MN was announced, and I was right back to excited, I can't wait to hear it, bring it on! And with that one I was richly rewarded (I see not everyone agrees, but I loved it from play 1, and still love it).

[bigbradwolf]

I find the sooner you take to a song the faster it gets tired. I think the same can be said for albums. It's normally the albums you don't take to or songs that don't appeal that actually last the test of time.

I also think there's a case for live shows to bring an album to life. Brutal Planet and Dragontown were the last tours that featured heavily in a live show - I know Eyes and Dirty Diamonds had their spot in the limelights as well. I just wish Alice would have more faith in his newly released stuff.

[Railwayman]

I find the sooner you take to a song the faster it gets tired. I think the same can be said for albums. It's normally the albums you don't take to or songs that don't appeal that actually last the test of time.

I also think there's a case for live shows to bring an album to life. Brutal Planet and Dragontown were the last tours that featured heavily in a live show - I know Eyes and Dirty Diamonds had their spot in the limelights as well. I just wish Alice would have more faith in his newly released stuff.

Agree, I mean Trash was a huge sugar rush at the time but can't remember the last time I gave it a spin whereas I found Brutal Planet an exhausting listen at first but warmed to it over time and now play it on a reasonably regular basis and the tour just brought it to life.

[Agrophile in Texas]

Yeah, I had the same reaction to Trash. But looking at my top 10, and it was mostly love at first listen, and those LPs/CDs have sustained their wonderfulness to this day.

School's Out for one, I'll never forget how charged up I was about it the first time I played it, track after track, it blew me away. And decades later, getting the remaster - I played it over and over again, it was still as fresh and brilliant as the first time I heard it.

[del]

Killer and Love It To Death. I got School's Out an was in love with it. Christmas that year I got LITD and Killer. They both took about 4 or 5 plays. I really didn't know too much about music at that time. I was 12-13 years old and had two albums: Slade Alive and Bolan Boogie. Once I started to get into Killer and Love It To Death I was smitten.

Interesting and similar. I found music in late 71 and by the time I got School’s Out I owned plenty of singles but only a handful of albums including Slade Alive, Electric Warrior and A Nods as Good as a Wink to a Blind Horse. Just like Schools Out all of them blew me away and only a handful of acts or albums have ever had that impact since. These albums set several of my markers for music and Alice is the only one I’ve stayed the distance with on albums simply because, unlike every other act I’ve invested in, nearly all of the albums grow over time.

Slowest or biggest growers over the years have been PFY, DaDa and W2MN. Strangely, PFY is the only ACG album I’ve been returning to recently. I still don’t have it near the top of my favourite albums but I enjoy dropping a few tracks into random play playlists. Playing tracks out of context can sometimes make you listen to them closely again. The best recently was Living crashing in right after Johnny Cash’s Hurt.

[mot$$33]

I find the sooner you take to a song the faster it gets tired. I think the same can be said for albums. It's normally the albums you don't take to or songs that don't appeal that actually last the test of time.

I also think there's a case for live shows to bring an album to life. Brutal Planet and Dragontown were the last tours that featured heavily in a live show - I know Eyes and Dirty Diamonds had their spot in the limelights as well. I just wish Alice would have more faith in his newly released stuff.

Agree, I mean Trash was a huge sugar rush at the time but can't remember the last time I gave it a spin whereas I found Brutal Planet an exhausting listen at first but warmed to it over time and now play it on a reasonably regular basis and the tour just brought it to life.

Man, that’s exactly me as well. My odds of putting on Brutal Planet vs Trash are probably 10:1.