Dragontown is an excellent album!

[evil syd]

I have noticed that there are bunch of people on this board who are not very happy with DT. I thinking maybe because it's a lot heavier than most of his albums and people are just not into that style. I really don't know. This album I play quite frequently. Maybe it's not too well received because it came after Brutal Planet and that conjures up comparisons. It's like when the movie "Casino" followed after "Goodfellas", the comparisons downplayed the brilliance of Casino. I feel it's the same way with DT. Mad heavy tunes from the Coop. I just don't get it. Btw, "Deeper" is a brilliant song!

[HORRORHOLIC]

I like it a lot more than I did when it 1st came out. I always really liked it, but it kind of seemed like leftovers from Brutal Planet which I love. There are some great songs.

[evil syd]

..... but it kind of seemed like leftovers from Brutal Planet which I love. There are some great songs.

I think that's the area where some people get stuck in. I don't look at it as leftovers but maybe more as an extension or as a complete separate entity. I think some people should refresh themselves with this album, put "Brutal Planet" aside and look at with a new light.

[Robbie]

"...or as a complete separate entity." You been hanging out with "Gunner", Syd?

[evil syd]

"...or as a complete separate entity." You been hanging out with "Gunner", Syd?

[concolz]

It's the old 'yes it is, no it isn't' album game. I'll play. For what it's worth, I'd give 'BP' the five-star 'excellent' rating, whilst 'DT' earns a four-star 'mostly really good'. I've docked one star for 'Sister Sara', as it's a boring, horrible plodder.

The rest? Well, I think the opening trio mesh well together, the next three have Alice on his soap box - I like preachy - whilst 'Disgraceland's finger-pointing irreverence is LOL, with a brilliant vocal. The final quartet of tracks are much more eclectic than on 'BP', which is a plus point, although 'Every Woman' is overly slow and sappy. For me 'DT' is one of AC's best albums but, naturally, my 'great' will be someone else's 'crud'.

[HORRORHOLIC]

..... but it kind of seemed like leftovers from Brutal Planet which I love. There are some great songs.

I think that's the area where some people get stuck in. I don't look at it as leftovers but maybe more as an extension or as a complete separate entity. I think some people should refresh themselves with this album, put "Brutal Planet" aside and look at with a new light.

That's exactly how I see it now.

[HORRORHOLIC]

It's the old 'yes it is, no it isn't' album game. I'll play. For what it's worth, I'd give 'BP' the five-star 'excellent' rating, whilst 'DT' earns a four-star 'mostly really good'. I've docked one star for 'Sister Sara', as it's a boring, horrible plodder.

The rest? Well, I think the opening trio mesh well together, the next three have Alice on his soap box - I like preachy - whilst 'Disgraceland's finger-pointing irreverence is LOL, with a brilliant vocal. The final quartet of tracks are much more eclectic than on 'BP', which is a plus point, although 'Every Woman' is overly slow and sappy. For me 'DT' is one of AC's best albums but, naturally, my 'great' will be someone else's 'crud'.

Sister Sara is one of my favorite songs on the album haha!!! The only one I don't really care for is Disgraceland. It's a little too Weird All for an Alice album for me.

[cooperrocks]

I liked the heavier direction Alice went to in the early 2000's and was hoping he would stay in a heavier direction for a while longer. I actually think he won over a few new younger fans with the Brutal Planet album (based on what some teenagers told me back then).

The problem with Dragontown was the album was a little inconsistent in my opinion. I like the track "Deeper" as well. The first four or five songs are really good, but the second half of the album isn't nearly as consistent. Brutal Planet, with the exception of Pessimystic, had good song after good song.

[The son of Don Quijote]

Both albums are excellent but I prefer Dragontown. I find this direction to be much more imaginative and creative take on metal music than Constrictor and Raise Your Fist and Yell or at least it seems to be more natural for Alice. There is more diversity on Dragontown. I think It's Much Too Late is one of the most underrated AC ballads ever. I don't care for opening song on either album. Brutal Planet is too monotonic (not the best word but I can't think of anything better right now) in its angry vocal delivery and Triggerman is very artificial sounding from production standpoint and the ending is too punk for my taste.

Some of Alice's best songs were on those albums, Highlights for me: Dragontown, Deeper, Sex Death and Money, It's Much too Late, Sister Sara, Pick Up The Bones, Eat Some More, Sanctuary, It's The Little Things. Great times!

[While Heaven Wept]

A few too many duff tracks on DT for me. Sentinel and Disgraceland being the worst.

Much Too Late, Triggerman, Somewhere In The Jungle and Sex, Death and Money are all good tunes in my opinion though.

[dadascot]

I never took to this album at all. Far to industrial metal for my tastes. I felt that Alice was looking at what was current and copying it rather than going with his own brand. I like sister sara, pick up the bones (which is so haunting live) and every woman has a name which is why I would pick this before RYFAY, which is my least favourite.

[A_MichaelUK]

>I felt that Alice was looking at what was current and copying it rather than going with his own brand

Over at the other thread, you wrote "I really liked that he was trying different types of music and showed his versatility as a songwriter,".

[dadascot]

>I felt that Alice was looking at what was current and copying it rather than going with his own brand

Over at the other thread, you wrote "I really liked that he was trying different types of music and showed his versatility as a songwriter,".

Exactly 'HIS' versatility. This album had the feeling that he was searching round, borrowing the style of others and forcing it into his own.

[A_MichaelUK]

Exactly 'HIS' versatility. This album had the feeling that he was searching round, borrowing the style of others and forcing it into his own.

One could easily say that about "Lace And Whiskey" as well which had country and western and disco elements.

[evil syd]

Exactly 'HIS' versatility. This album had the feeling that he was searching round, borrowing the style of others and forcing it into his own.

One could easily say that about "Lace And Whiskey" as well which had country and western and disco elements.

I have to agree with UK. Cooper adapts many styles into "HIS" music, that's what he's been all about. It could be punk, metal, hair metal, industrial music, good ole rock and roll, hard rock, garage band styles, bsllads, blues, country, disco, folk, etc. He loves to poke his head into many styles and in this case, I felt it worked very well.

[dadascot]

Exactly 'HIS' versatility. This album had the feeling that he was searching round, borrowing the style of others and forcing it into his own.

One could easily say that about "Lace And Whiskey" as well which had country and western and disco elements.

Ok, I'll grant you that one and just say I really disliked the Nu metal sound that he took on.

[Shoesalesman]

While it's my least favorite album, I don't hate it. Still worth the purchase, still gets regular play (minus skipping over the second song).

[While Heaven Wept]

Far to industrial metal for my tastes.

Not trying to have a go, but it really annoyed me then and it still does now when people refer to BP and DT as 'Industrial Metal'. It sounds absolutely nothing like industrial metal! Nu-metal maybe, but not industrial.

[cooperrocks]

People need to realize that this is the music BUSINESS (not that there is much of a music industry these days). Alice is considered a huge influence on the hair bands and some of the numetal bands. While no one sells many albums anymore, Alice still desires to be relevant and competitive with some of the newer bands. That means adapting his sound from time to time. This has always occurred. Consider Deep Purple, for example. They are considered a 70's band, yet had somewhat of a hit with the "Perfect Strangers" album in the 80's. It still sounded like Deep Purple but had a more modern sound for its time. Consider successful older bands like Aerosmith. Aerosmith's newer albums definitely don't sound exactly like their classic 70's material.

In Alice's case, it still sounds like Cooper to me. Interestingly enough, after Alice went back to more of a garage rock sound, he gets criticized for trying to relive his past. This isn't aimed at anyone, but fans can't have it both ways.