islandclaws

Has anyone else picked this up? It's pretty much on par with Dirty Diamonds in terms of song/sound quality. Some of it isn't quite as dark as I was hoping, but Alice fans know he tends to date himself in his lyrics on occasion. I think the only reason I don't love it is because I was thinking we might get something along the lines of a sequel to Welcome To My Nightmare, which this isn't... although "Steven" does make an appearance at the end. Still, it's a good addition to anyone that's collected his prior 25 (!) studio albums. I'm still letting it sink in, so I'm sure I'll love it in no time.

There are also 3 bonus tracks available as itunes exclusives. I dl'd them and they're pretty good. The string version of "Salvation" might be better than the album version.

<img src=http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TSg53cLvL._SS500_.jpg alt=coop

nothingfails

I haven't really followed him since the early 90's, but I respect the fact that Alice keeps on making music and doing his thing instead of just conceding and resorting to playing oldies and relying on the past like so many other 70's rockers do these days. Maybe he doesn't have the following he had 30 years ago but he realizes there are still people out there who will buy a new album instead of just resorting to endless hits compilations and saying the best years are behind him. Keep on rocking Alice!

cactusoly

The album is growing on me. Much better than Dirty Diamonds, which I thought was his worst album in a long time.

As far as the new millenium albums go I rank then as....

1) Brutal Planet
2) Dragontown
3) The Eyes of...
4) Along Came A Spider
5) Dirty Diamonds

I got my front row tix for October

cactusoly

can I get only the bonus tracs fron Itunes?

Rocketdog2000

Well, being a huge Cooper fan since the early days, I'll agree that it's a grower, but I'll still need at least another full week of listening to it to fully digest it. The only negative thing I've got to say about it is that I wish there were more memorable standout "hit" type tracks on it. While I realize that it's a concept album, at least with Alice's past concept records we'd still get some of the type of songs of which I speak.

We do differ, however, on your opinion of the rankings of the new millennium albums. Mine would be quite different, and as follows...

1) The Eyes of...
2) Dirty Diamonds
3) Brutal Planet
4) Along Came A Spider
5) Dragontown

As I said before, being a fan since the early days, the last two albums VERY much appealed to my tastes, because they sounded more like the "classic", old school Alice Cooper Group.

I certainly dig them much more so than I did the nu-metal-esque tones of Brutal Planet or Dragontown. I didn't initially buy either of those albums when they first came out, but have since grown to really like Brutal Planet. The live DVD of that tour Brutal Planet Live is a great show! Dragontown, to me at least, is one of his weakest - simply because it's also one of his most uninspired albums. It's comes off as pretty much what it is, which is mainly just leftovers from Brutal Planet that were rushed out to capitalize on the buzz that album was getting. I think the only song I really liked off of it was "Triggerman".

But, to each there own. Not dissing your tastes, just expressing my own.

nothingfails

does anyone else like the early 80's albums? I know it's hard to find people who appreciate them, but "DaDa" for instance is an excellent album IMO.

Rocketdog2000

Yes, I do, particularly Flush The Fashion. Hell, I even enjoy Zipper Catches Skin, for that matter.

DaDa is exceptioanl, too,- but oddly enough, to me, sounds even more dated because of all the synths and fake drums on it. But it is very much an "album".

tonyc3742

I like ACAS. I like the concept/story albums, especially when I have the time to listen to them and really get into the story. I liked a couple tracks of Dirty Diamonds, but there were a couple I didn't really like. DaDa to me definitely seemed more dated and experimental/"progressive"/arty, which isn't bad, it's just not my thing.
I saw him live a few years back (awesome) and one think I really liked was that he performed a huge range of songs; of course the classics, and things from the newer albums (this was for Dirty Diamonds), but also some from the midcareer, including at least one (Wish I Was Born in Beverly Hills) from one of my favorite story/theme albums.

cactusoly

The albums from Alice's "lost years" :Flush the Fasion, Special Forces, Zipper Catches Skin, and Da Da are just not that good. Alice admits in his book that they were pretty much a blur (they were at the hight of his alchohol addiction) and could have been much better. There are some great songs like Clones, Who Do We Think We Are, Formerly Warmer ect. But there is maybee 1 album worth of good material between the 4

35MM

I'm thinking of picking this up. Enjoyed "Armed Forces" but lost track after that. It's the old school AC for me, "Killer", "School's Out", "Billion Dollar Babies". While rummaging through my vinyl LP's I found the Billion Dollar Babies album (Battle Axe) by his original band. I'll have to give it another spin.

Rocketdog2000

Then as I previously stated, you'd probably be better off checking out The Eyes Of Alice Cooper or Dirty Diamonds, first. In particularly, The Eyes Of..., because it's the closest thing to the old ACG that he's done since those days. The new one has more of the "modern" sound he employed on Brutal Planet and Dragontown, although not as heavy.

Still like the Billion Dollar Babies - Battle Axe album, too. It was good for what it was, but you could tell they still need him, almost as much as he needed them.

For anyone who's never been there, we did a great album by album discussion thread about all of Alice Cooper's (and related) albums over on the Steve Hoffman Music Forums. Check it out, if you are interested.

DRG

Agree with this. I'm a fan of both the old school 70s Alice and the late 80s-mid 90s comeback Alice, but I could never get into Brutal Planet or Dragontown... that electro-sludge style of music is practically unlistenable to me. Eyes and Diamonds were a welcome return to form (for the most part).

So far this one falls somewhere in between for me. Not as harsh sounding as BP or DT, but fewer standouts than DD or Eyes. 'The One That Got Away' is my favorite so far.

islandclaws

Right now, yes. But I heard a rumor that he could do a "touring edition" of ACAS and that it might include the bonus tracks. Personally, I'd just spend the $2.97 and get them off itunes.

After a lot of listening at work this album has grown on me much more. I still think "I'm Hungry" is the weakest track, but there are a couple standouts; most notably "Vengeance is Mine", "Wake the Dead" and "Salvation" which is quickly becoming my favorite track. It has a very old school, almost Easy Action/Pretties for You feel at times.

I'd rank his new millenium albums:

Dirty Diamonds (Some great songs here, pretty solid album)
Along Came A Spider (Still growing on me, could overtake DD)
Brutal Planet (I like this new sound, sludgy as it is. It's a dark album.)
The Eyes of Alice Cooper (I'm not a big fan of his lyrics on this one)
Dragontown (Lesser follow up to BP, but there are still good songs here)

I'm also a fan of his early 80's output, even though he remembers so little of it. DaDa is one of my favorite AC records. I love it's sound and I think it's easily his most underrated work. "I Love America" is one of my favorite tracks. Special Forces and Zipper Catches Skin are not incredibly strong albums, but they do have a handful of great tracks between the two of them. Flush the Fashion is catchy with some good tunes.

nothingfails

Along Came A Spider debuts at #53 this week on Billboard (the last few albums all barely charted in the 170's-190's), marking his highest chart peak since 1991's Hey Stoopid.

islandclaws

I was hoping he'd get higher than the last few albums. It's not that hard these days. #53 with under 10,000 units sold isn't much, but I'm glad to see him get a respectable number. Even more surprising when you consider that the album wasn't very easy to find in stores. Very few BB's had it, CC didn't at all and not sure about Borders. With all the mom & pop stores closing up that doesn't leave many options for fans.