The standout here is "How You Gonna See Me Now" which details Alice seeing his wife after his release. It is a very moving and well done song that sort of makes up for the other crap. Overall, the album might have been better if Alice had treated the subject not so seriously, but with a Grand Guignol touch, which is what we would expect him to do. ***
Now: Still another platter from Alice that truly matters. I certainly liked this well enough at 17 (although wanted to rock more), but this has grown to mean more as I've grown older for the following reasons. I enjoyed my drinking , but did a few stupid things that I would not have done had I been sober. Also, had family members and some friends who had deeper issues with alcohol, which meant the demise of a couple friendships. Also, I was worried about since I shared DNA with the family members who were having trouble,it might effect me as well. Didn't like the way it was making me feel and was losing the taste for it. Had my last beer on September 7, 19998 (did not even finish it ) and don't miss it at all (if only I had such will power with sweets
.Also, had depression for most of my life and it was really starting to effect me when I turned 30, but decided to deal with it like a 'man" and was worried what family/ friends might say. When I finally started to see a doctor 12 years later, I was so miserable and desperate I didn't care what ANYONE thought. My doctor looked like an older version of Phoebe from FRIENDS, but she was great and after five years of therapy, can appreciate the joys life brings, as well as the occasional roadblocks.
Good playing on the album and excellent production by David Foster, although I think the album would work better with different sequencing. I realize they had limited space with an album, but with the wonders of CD and my finger, I think the whole story would work better like so:
Open up with "From The Inside" as it is the logical beginning of Alice's tale. This is a great song, but think the solo backing vocals aren't really necessary. Follow up with "Serious" and although thee is a "gambler" in the inner sleeve photo, the song also apply's to Alice who certainly laughed, smoked , drank and is a serious card player. Keep "The Quiet Room" (take away the solo backing vocal, please!) and "Nurse Rozetta" as they fit into the story and close the first side with "Inmates" which works so well with the strings and the disjointed vocals throughout -this could also introduce us to the fellow travelers on Alice's journey.
Although "For Veronica's Sake" has great music (does Dick Wagner play on this one-he has a lot of co-writes on here,,which is a good thing), I'm not crazy about it and feel "No Tricks", the B-side of "How You Gonna See Me Now" would fit better as certainly many alcoholics/drug abusers can slip back, lie to themselves and other people and have to try treatment again (for about a year, was a janitor at a Hospital Psych ward and saw quite a few repeat patients and there was a "quiet Room" called an "Isolation Ward" for patients who were posing a threat to others or themselves). "Jacknife Johnny", probably the saddest song on the album could be next -Vietnam Vets, for the most part, got such a raw deal and it's wrenching how Johnny uses all the drugs to cope and getting grief from his friends for falling in love and bringing back "That VC girl". Continue with "Millie and Billie" which has grown on me considerably with it's very creepy story being told by Alice and Marcy Levy's beautiful vocals. As wise sage Desperado 22 pointed out , are the two of them related, like cousins or siblings? (No wonder Millie is fearful of what their children would be) and there's no doubt Millie's husband ,Donald died a horrible death. More good strings and Alice's' end vocal are very effective.
Close the album with "Wish I was Born in Beverly Hills', the rocking song of the young girl with too much money and time on her hands (Hearing this, I was thinking of Lindsay Lohan) and wrap it up with "How You Gonna See Me Now". Alice has been released and feeling better, but such uncertainty he must have felt wondering how things would be between he and Sheryl now that he was sober and this uncertainty is truly felt as the song fades. One of his best songs and brought several tears to my eyes.
Stellar effort and a brave one to boot (Not many rockers were entering rehab at this time). As said, liked it when I got it and after reading a scathing review by Lester Bangs in CIRCUS, I wrote a letter of rebuttal full of four letter words (being cool, you understand) which got published in CIRCUS #215 with Cheryl Ladd and Miss Piggy on the cover (Rock and Roll!) and my own rebuttal from another reader in CIRCUS #218 with Jane Fonda on the cover (More Rock and Roll). *****
It's amazing what your imagination can come up with 
