SickthingsUK

Post-honeymoon, it's a solid 5.9/10 for me. This is weighing it against all albums of all genres and styles since the advent of recorded music, not just those in the Alice Cooper canon. Pretty good rating when you think of it that way. I've never heard anything over a 9, so there's that to consider as well.

Songs I can do without:

Paranormal
Paranoiac Personality
Holy Water
The Sound Of A
GAG

Fallen In Love will probably join the throw-away list soon enough. Hey, I'm 56, so I can be like that.

This leaves six super-duper ditties I really dig. Can't think of the last time I heard a new album with that many keepers. The live tracks seem to have their audience, but I don't care for the heavy-handedness of the touring band so much (no knock on the band, as it's standard for live these days) - so no real draw for me.

There is no way this is a 5.9 album you need to bump this up to a 6 or else you will be ex communicated Padre. At most conservative it is a 7. I'd give it a 7.5 and he hasn't had one of those in a long time.

pitkin88 wrote:There is no way this is a 5.9 album you need to bump this up to a 6 or else you will be ex communicated Padre. At most conservative it is a 7. I'd give it a 7.5 and he hasn't had one of those in a long time.

It's that...that cover.

padre_sliprat wrote:

pitkin88 wrote:There is no way this is a 5.9 album you need to bump this up to a 6 or else you will be ex communicated Padre. At most conservative it is a 7. I'd give it a 7.5 and he hasn't had one of those in a long time.

It's that...that cover.

Oh that is a 1

pitkin88 wrote:

padre_sliprat wrote:

pitkin88 wrote:There is no way this is a 5.9 album you need to bump this up to a 6 or else you will be ex communicated Padre. At most conservative it is a 7. I'd give it a 7.5 and he hasn't had one of those in a long time.

It's that...that cover.

Oh that is a 1

.9 actually.

Ok two months in and I would give it an 8/10. I like every song on the album but don't really love any, well actually dynamite road and GAG are almost there. W2MN has some real stinkers but I Love 'I am made of you' 'caffeine' and 'daddy's home'. I think paranoiac personality is the weakest track, dead flies has really grown on me, really well made high intensity, good solid rockers. I really hope he plays four or five live....and I really like 'holy water'.

Agree that this album doesn't have the downs of W2MN and genuinely believe that if he worked a few of the tracks hard live they stand a real chance of making their mark as classics from the solo years. Just can't get beyond Fireball as the best example.

just checked some charts,and "paranormal" is on the Uk rock chart at #21,down from #16 the previous week..but didn't see it on any other charts

One thing for sure the album gave us an all-time Alice classic with "Fireball". It's one of the best songs of his career!

I rank the album at a 7. It would have got an 8 if it had a better cover--a plain white sleeve would have been better than that cheap looking crapfest. It could have been better if the two headed Alice was punching itself in each face!

Now that I think about if Alice wanted to shock he could have had the two headed Alice french kissing each other. Would that be considered incest?

Also, Paranoic Personality has become my least favorite track. Just annoys the hell out of me! I skip over it each time!

I was thinking of how "Dynamite Road" sounded similar in structure to another song about cars. I finally found what I was looking for. a song that was played on the radio in the Los Angeles area a lot in the 1970's (then I found out that version was a cover!) The song "Hot Rod Lincoln" by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (1971) was the most successful version (#9 Billboard charts, #7 Canada, #69 Billboard Hot 100 singles 1972). But the original version was by singer-songwriter Charlie Ryan released in 1955 (and was a rockabilly song written as an answer song to Arkie Shibley's 1951 hit "Hot Rod Race" which describes a race in San Pedro, Los Angeles, between two hot rod cars, a Ford and a Mercury).

Anyway, the end of that song (last two lines are spoken)"..We had flames comin' from out of the side. Feel the tension. Man! What a ride! I said, "Look out, boys, I've got a license to fly!" And that Caddy pulled over and let us by. Now all of a sudden she started to knockin', And down in the dips she started to rockin'.
I looked in my mirror; a red light was blinkin' The cops was after my Hot Rod Lincoln!
They arrested me and they put me in jail. And called my pappy to throw my bail.
And he said, "Son, you're gonna' drive me to drinkin'
If you don't stop drivin' that hot rod Lincoln!"

Anyway, you can look up "Hot Rod Lincoln" lyrics on line. I wonder if that song in any way was an influence for "Dynamite Road"?

I would imagine Hot Rod Lincoln was a huge influence. My favorite version is by one of my favorite bands, Asleep at the Wheel.

padre_sliprat wrote:I would imagine Hot Rod Lincoln was a huge influence. My favorite version is by one of my favorite bands, Asleep at the Wheel.

Pat Travers does a fine version himself!

padre_sliprat wrote:I would imagine Hot Rod Lincoln was a huge influence. My favorite version is by one of my favorite bands, Asleep at the Wheel.

I'm also a big fan of Asleep At The Wheel. I am a HUGE fan of Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys and they have done so much to keep his memory and music alive and thriving!

mr.barlow wrote:I'm also a big fan of Asleep At The Wheel. I am a HUGE fan of Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys and they have done so much to keep his memory and music alive and thriving!

Bob Wills is still the king.

Ray and Asleep at the Wheel come through often. Last time was in a 450 seat semi circular theatre. No seat was farther than 11 rows from the stage.

I have never heard them and could not name a song of theirs to save my life.

pitkin88 wrote:I have never heard them and could not name a song of theirs to save my life.

Western Swing music. As far from rock as it gets.

Listening to Paranormal for the first time through in a while and all I can say is THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Anyone can say what they want, but for a 69 year old rockstar to release one of the - arguably - best solo albums of his career, that’s pretty big miracle. How can we ask for more?

4 out of 10

Listened to it today for the first time in a month. It was nearly impossible to get through. Fireball, Rats, and You and All Yor Friends are likable songs. Fireball head and shoulders above the rest. Will always hate the vocal effect, but so be it. The other two suffer from muddiness and the terrible pop-punk production on YAAYF, but the writing does overcome those flaws. The rest I have no desire to listen to again.

I don't know how George Harrison was sued for "My Sweet Lord" sounding too much like "He's So Fine" by the Chiffons but Alice walks away scot-free from "his" "Paranoic Personality" not sounding exactly like "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour?

Turrible song and album...

Parish wrote:I don't know how George Harrison was sued for "My Sweet Lord" sounding too much like "He's So Fine" by the Chiffons but Alice walks away scot-free from "his" "Paranoic Personality" not sounding exactly like "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour?

Turrible song and album...

There is a huge difference in sales size. Going after Alice would cost more in legal fees.