ALICE COOPER AOROCK.CO.UK DIRTY DIAMONDS AOROCK.CO.UK ALICE COOPER DIRTY DIAMONDS ALICE COOPER
DIRTY DIAMONDS - Alice Cooper - REVIEW - aorock.co.uk
Welcome to my review of Alice Cooper's new album Dirty Diamonds. Is this the album Alice Cooper fans have been waiting for?Read on..
Following on the heels of The Eyes of Alice Cooper - Alice releases his new studio album Dirty Diamonds.
Every time Alice releases a new cd there is genuine excitement . You never know what to expect. Sometimes he doesn't quite hit the mark, but most of the time Alice delivers an interesting album, after all Alice Cooper is unique and his blend of rock, humour and style are a great combination. So Dirty Diamonds is unleashed, and this is my review. I hope you like it. Dirty Diamonds was released on July 4th, so I've had the album 3 days. This review is split into 2 - My reaction on 3 days listening. Reports on the new album are good, the cover is great , has impact and the inlay pictures very interesting - so is this packing representative of the album or just fancy packaging...here goes....I undo the cd, put in my walkman and press play ..and Dirty Diamonds is underway.....
Opening track whirs into motion . We are greeted by a systematic build up of guitar. We await Cooper's first line, and then the guitar goes into a decent groove...and we wait....Alice opens with a snarl and feeling that reminds of something I've heard before. The songs soon kicks into the catch line. The song is the brilliantly titled Woman of Mass Distraction. An obvious play on Weapons of Mass Destruction. The song motors along and introduces us to a sound and feel that wouldn't be out of place on one of Cooper's classic 70's albums. It's promising, and I'm tapping my foot. I liked Eyes of Alice Cooper, but that in my opinion fell short of what Alice is capable of..onto song 2.............................
The second song opens with a steady guitar riff, introducing the second cut "Perfect" . The song is very amusing Alice sends it up, and takes an amusing slant with great lyrics. Alice talks about a woman he sees/knows and says:
"She's an overnight sensation in the Mirror on the wall, She Gets a standing ovation at every shower Curtain Call..
And she becomes a pop star in the safety of her car, And then she falls to pieces into at the Kareoke Bar..
She's perfect until the lights go on, and then it all goes wrong, cause now she's not so Perfect......."
This song is Cooper delivering at the top of his game. It is a laid back song with an amusing and excellent turn of lyrics. This is a great song and oncw agin makes me think of his older albums. I begin to get hopeful that this is the album I've been waiting for..but it's too early to say........
Onto track 3 "You Make Me Wanna.." is a straight forward upbeat song with no prizes for what Alice is saying here. It rolls along well and once again the song style and production take me back to his earlier work. Not much to say other than this track is good. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the open guitar riff sound like the opening to "All along the Watch Tower" as used on the classic film "Withnail & I". Maybe I'm wrong but I'm convinced I'm right..re enforcing the 70's vibe flowing through the opening three tracks....onto the title track, and by the way the songs are short and the album is moving at pace....
Song four is the title track "Dirty Diamonds", and in my book title track usually deliver the goods. The song opens with a moody flute and tingling keyboards and build in a film like way ..and I'm waiting for something to happen and Alice doesn't disappoint me..the tranquil beginning is just a musical smoke screen and bang an awesome guitar riff crashes like a tidal wave through the song and assaults your ear drums..and it really kicks this riff reminds me of something I've heard before but onto the song....This is frenetic song and Alice rams the lyrics in your face. This is an anthem of a song and the guitars are rough and definitely dirty. The opening chorus crash in and hit you between the eyes and ears ....
" ....Dirty Diamonds..You roll the dice, put your trust in your trophy wife..
.Got stabbed in the back in the blink of an eye, She's in bed with the boys and the F.B.I."
This song switches musically and is very much like a film tune. This is Cooper , turning the clock back , making you wonder if you have put in Killer or Billion Dollar Babies..surely not. Can Cooper really be sounding this good. Well yes is the answer. So why is this track pleasing me so much? It's the music. Over time Alice Cooper has still delivered the lyrics the way he has always done, but the music changed, the arrangement, the production. Inevitable I suppose and while I liked Trash, and Hey Stoopid , they had lost that 70's vibe that albums like Killer, Billion Dollar Babies and albums like School's Out and Go to Hell had. Dirty Diamonds was an instant hit with me, it's Cooper grabbing for your throat, shaking you and making you listen to his point of view. Impressive.......
The next track is much more mellow and a story ballad in the shape of "The Saga of Jesse Jane". This has Alice going into a tale about a cross dressing trucker. Ending up in Jail and is another highlight of the album . This song is delivered in a very droll way, a cowboy song
"I'm in jail in a Texas town in my sister's wedding gown,
I drive a truck all night long, listening to Julie Garland songs,
Now I'm locked behind Bars of Steel.."
The song moves on to the chorus, with nice guitar work, rambling on Texas style with acoustic guitar work woven in..
" Jesse Jane are you insane, or are you just a normal guy who dresses like a butterfly?"
"......... Jesse Jane are you insane, or just an average Joe looking for a fashion show?"
This song is another brilliant song, Alice is making me very happy as I sit and watch the world go by......
I'm waiting for an average song, a filler, a let down but the title of the next song already has me laughing to the bemusement of passers by..
The title promises a lot..."Sunset Babies (All Got Rabies)".As you can tell this song sounds dubious, but you just know Alice will make you laugh.
"They're running in packs on a Saturday Night......
Sunset Babies All Got Rabies, Sunset Babies All Got Rabies ..
and I'd buy her a diamond collar if she's only throw me a bone "
I won't give anymore away, tongue in cheek, sung as only Alice can. Would make a wicked single..I can just hear it on Radio 1...yeah right.
Pretty Ballerina is another moody melodic strangely compelling song. It has great music and is carried along with this music and harmonies drifts along, telling of a date with a Pretty Ballerina. The song has dream like qualities and great use of keyboards and it is the repeated melody that carries this song to it's destination. Alice's lyrics echoes around and you really have to hear this one to understand it..I'm trying to come up with what this song reminds of....it's definitely Old School Cooper, and the seventies vibe continues. You'll have to decide for yourself.
Now you've been lulled into a false sense of security, relaxed and amused only for track eight "Run Down The Devil" to arrive like a meteorite coming into your front room. This song sees Alice getting back into kick ass mood. Heavy Riff..bam bam bam....Hulking vocals..build ominously
"Run Down The Devil, Run The Devil Down, Run Down The Devil , Run him Down Down..."
This songs is so cool..a road song..an anthem, simple but strong lyrics..great guitar segment, good chorus..great song. The heaviest song on the album and it really works well. Alice really mixes it up on this album. I wouldn't say this song is very seventies..but superb all the same.
Hot on the heels is another song that continues the road theme...and once again Alice Cooper has us in Under My Wheels mode.again.motoring into the next melodic Alice driven song. After all Alice is from Detroit City and so he has good knowledge and reason for these car theme based songs. "Steal That Car" kicks in with another fast and furious riff, with Lyrics delivered quickly and no awards for what Alice is going to say. Alice vocally attacks this song in between the aggressive guitar work . The Lyrics and Guitar work match well, it has the seventies sound and groove. This wouldn't song wouldn't be put of place on one of his seventies albums . Oh what's the song about..okay you made me say it.. it 's about Stealing a car..happy now!
"Six Hours" sees Alice back in Ballad mode. A slow beginning. Nice use of guitar, with lyrics in between guitar segments. I can see this one live. A Sensitive song that trickles along. Short to the point. The Middle Guitar segment ups the tempo and once again Alice is not afraid to let the music do the talking. A mention needs to be made of the excellent guitar, keyboards , drums, and so on . The music is a huge reason this album seems to works so well. Once again like Alice's old work. Hats off to the producer , the band and to Alice of course. The music was a massive part of the Alice's success. Anyway back to the song..nice one.
Your Own Worst Enemy is a faster paced song, and believe it the lyrics mention driving cars again. Has Alice had a run in with traffic wardens or traffic police (what do they call them in the USA - I mean their job title!) or something. Nice beat. Straight forward song. Very Short. It's almost over before it starts. Very much like Cooper's songs used to be. I was once told that never make a film (I make short films) longer than it needs to be. I agree with that. For example have you watched Lord of The Rings - The Return of The King....The good byes at the end go on forever. I left the cinema where I thought it should end( about half an hour from the end) and it's much better for this. This song suffice to say doesn't suffer from this problem. Is it a filler? Nah - it's too short for that!
The last song on the album is the excellently titled Zombie Dance. This song opens with atmospheric music and great vocal delivery from Cooper and really puts your head down a time tunnel and kicks you into a place you never thought Alice would let you visit again - Classic Cooper. This song could be off Killer or any other seventies release. This song is moody, interesting, enchanting and really Cooper ending the album on a high, the harmonica playing is great and the music playing a hypnotic spell on the listener.
Bonus Track : Stand
WOW - This track is outstanding - Outstanding Single potential - Great duet with Xzibit (Sony music) - excellent Rapper . I know this song was done before . The intro is superb and just works a treat I think that this song would do really well if it was released as a single. This is no bonus track. It may not fit in with the album, the seventies feel, but I love it all the same. This song is up to date and shows Alice's Diversity.
DIRTY DIAMONDS - Overall AOROCK.co.uk verdict
Dirty Diamonds delivers and for those that said Cooper's best work is in the past I say - your right - but it's also now as well - arise Sir Cooper. Can Alice top this album? I don't think so. In the Killer / Billion Dollar Babies mode.. This is as good as it gets in my opinion. There is one thing Alice Cooper could attempt again, and that's make the follow up to Welcome To My Nightmare / Go To Hell.. It would be a gamble . Alice Cooper is hitting form and it would be great if he does that album while he's on a great musical run. We'll see - but listening to the production on the title track Dirty Diamonds I think he already has the producer in Steve 'n Rick, and Alice has found a new writing partner it seems in Ryan Roxie, not to mention future star I think. In addition the ballad styled Saga of Jesse Jane shows he can still tell a story. The lyrics are comical yet cutting. Only time will tell . This album was recorded in under 2 weeks or so I believe. It would take longer to do a concept album. We'll see, but for now Dirty Diamonds is a reward to Alice Cooper fans and anyone who likes outstanding rock albums. Who said they don't make 'em like that anymore. They do now. Now all I need to do is get tickets for the tour..........a tour I wouldn't want to miss..see you there.
AOROCK.CO.UK VERDICT : 9/10 : The wait is over - Alice Cooper has delivered a gem of an album. A diamond to be precise.
Review by Richard Ingham (or Richy UK if you like.)
DIRTY DIAMONDS ALICE COOPER REVIEW AT AOROCK.CO.UK DIRTY DIAMONDS ALICE COOPER AOROCK.CO.UK
ALICE COOPER DISCOGRAPHY
Pretties For You
Easy Action
Love It To Death
Killer
School's Out
Billion Dollar Babies
Muscle of Love
Greatest Hits
Welcome To My Nightmare
Go To Hell
Lace & Whisky
The Alice Cooper Show
From The Inside
Flush The Fashion
Special Forces
Zipper Catches Skin
DaDa
Constrictor
Raise Your Fist & Yell
Trash
Hey Stoopid
The Last Tempatation
Fistful of Alice
The Lifes & Crimes of Alice Cooper
Brutal Planet
Dragon Town
The Eyes of Alice Cooper
Dirty Diamonds
