Aerosmith has released their first album of original material in ten years. Music From Another Dimension! is another of their modern era albums that attempts to recapture their infectious punchy rock from the 1970s while including some slow ballads intended for radio play and movie soundtracks. And most of the songs work well and a few are damn good whatever the band’s intentions were in the studio.
The album opens and closes with a narrator voice over similar to the Outer Limits TV show in which the viewer is told that there is nothing wrong with your television set. First song “Luv XXX” cruises down the rock and roll highway with its tight rhythm section adding lots of nifty notes between beats. The guitars are driving, and the vocal harmonies are vintage Aerosmith. Yet, as cool as Steve Tyler and Joe Perry sound here, this song gets its thumping energy from bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer and rhythm guitarist Brad Whitford. Rollicking drum fills and rambunctious bass runs most mark the song.
“Oh Yeah” finds the band members more in sync. The rhythm section powers it forward here too, but Perry’s guitar phrase is more incisive, and he leads the band instead of just filling in the song with a bunch of riffage. Tyler is more self-restrained and that gives him more of a power below the surface momentum.
Odd percussion begins “Beautiful.” Tyler is in a funkier delivery mode and sings his street wise lyrics with urban sheik. The song races toward a chasm, pauses, then rocks hard with Hamilton’s bass creating an enticing power center.
“Tell Me,” written by Hamilton, features some of his most tasteful bass work, classy low end holding up an earthy acoustic guitar and a rangy, ballady voice. The two word chorus is hooky as hell. Maybe Aerosmith should have turned the pen over to Hamilton more often. This could be a radio hit.
“Out Got The Lights” makes a slight return to Aerosmith’s 1970’s roots. Shades of the early albums surface when the pushy, bombastic rhythm section shadows Tyler’s raspy aggressive mid-tempo croon. The guest backing vocalists also bring to mind the older sound in their delivery. A little of the Rocks era is present in this number, especially in the soul-rock ride out.
“Legendary Child” finds Perry leading with a fiery guitar line followed by Whitford’s kick ass rhythm snap. A darkness similar to the Rocks albums plays in the backdrop. Tyler is at once accessible and mysterious as his vocal spirals along twisty lyrical rails.
“What Could Have Been Love” is one of Aerosmith’s modern phase power ballad love songs. Tyler’s over the top emotional delivery and the band’s “wall of sound” rock and roll will undoubtedly turn this into a radio hit. It will soon chart in Billboard Magazine and brides to be will be requesting it from their DJs in June.
Moving back into older Aerosmith territory is “Street Jesus,” Tyler’s take on meeting up with his “savior” on a city street corner. From there, Tyler, like a true poet, keeps his lyrics a bit vague and goes for an impressionistic view of modern religion. Vintage Aerosmith abounds in Tyler’s rhymes, speedy vocal delivery, and the band’s racing tempo. The rhythm section gallops. The lead guitar cuts its own path into the groove. Tyler belts his poetry in pure rock and roll abandonment.
“Can’t Stop Loving You” features Carrie Underwood as co-lead vocalist, and no, it’s not a cheesy attempt at crossover success. Underwoods’s rootsie, earthy vocal fits right into what Aerosmith is doing here. Besides, if Robert Plant can make an entire country-roots album with Alison Krauss, then Aerosmith can record a song with Underwood. This song is a slow burning rocker and both vocalists are belty and work well together.
“Lover A lot” feels more like one of Aerosmith’s uptempo modern rockers. It plays out hard and the chorus rocks even harder. Screaming rhythm guitar stuff give it extra edge.
“We All Fall Down,” written for the bad boys by Diane Warren, is the obvious love song ballad intended for commercial airplay. Warren also penned “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” for Aerosmith, which made number one all over the world. Complete with ballady piano and carefully orchestrated guitars, it is similar to “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” in its lofty vocal heights, emotion, and smooth refrains. But hey, it’s not a bad song, even though its purpose is obvious.
“Freedom Fighter” is a Joe Perry written song. Perry’s voice, distinct from Tyler’s timbre, is just as aggressive. The song moves with hyperactive energy. As usual, Perry has come up with a frenetic guitar phrase to lead his song with kick.
“Closer” is another slow song with radio hit potential. Tyler presents a very accessible warmth and the band carefully modulate their hard rock tendencies, like they did with “Dream On,” to build a huge narrative arc.
“Another Last Goodbye,” co-written by Desmond Child, is another obviously intended for commercial radio play. Complete with piano and strings, this one climbs its arc with gusts of belty vocals then tempers it with Tyler’s sweeter, softer timbres. The drama will probably get the song onto a movie soundtrack if not on the charts.
Music From Another Dimension is another hearty effort in the modern phase of the bad boys from Boston. They make some returns to their original glory sound while also playing it safe with some potential hits. If you don’t mind Aerosmith using hit makers like Diane Warren or Desmond Child, then this is a much above average album.
