Aerosmith – ‘Rockin’ The Joint’ (2005) – Album Review (The Aerosmith Collection Series)

Back in 2002, the band was towards the end of their Just Push Play Tour and the band played a real intimate show at The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. The band played more deep cuts then normal and recorded the show. The album was finally released over three years later on October 25, 2005 and went to #24 on the Billboard Charts. The band was the still the original guys with Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer…and there was an additional player for this show and that was Russ Irwin on keyboards. The album was produced by Steven and Marti Frederiksen.

The set list for the show was an astounding 26 songs and out of those there were some great deep cuts they hadn’t played in a long while, but the bad thing was the whole show wasn’t released. The album release only had 11 songs and you would get 2 more if you had the Japanese Edition or the Target Edition as well. That is a crying shame and a massive defect with this release. I am not sure I understand why they didn’t release the whole show. Big mistake.

My copy of the album is the Dual Disc version with the CD on one side and a DVD on the other. The DVD side is only the Enhanced PCM Stereo audio of the album on DVD, but not the actual show. It also has 4 Special Live Video Performances and some Exclusive Behind-The-Scenes Footage. There are two exclusive bonus tracks on the DVD that are the bonus tracks on the Target Exclusive Edition of the CD. The case of the CD is shaped a little different than the normal CD. There is a little button on the front that you push to open the disc. It is a cool version to have in the collection.

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My Sunday Song – “Angel” by Judas Priest

For My Sunday Song #297, we are talking about the song “Angel” by Judas Priest. The song is off their 2005 album ‘Angel of Retribution’. I picked another song that wasn’t a single and from an album that a lot of fans might not think about. The album is their 15th studio album and the first since 1990’s Painkiller to feature Rob Halford again on vocals.

The lyrics on this one seem to be really deep. That there is a deeper meaning to them that we weren’t meant to really understand. Is it about wanting to die and be taken to the land of peace with Christ? Is it about longing for a lover that has left and he just wants them back to be whole again? Is it about drugs and wanting to escape in them again where he could stop feeling all the pain this world brings? I don’t really have the answer, I guess you can interpret it however you want and none of it would be wrong. 

“Angel”, I think this might be one of the best ballads they have done. Rob’s vocals on this might be the best off the album as well. His vocals are smooth at times and full of emotion and it is just him and an acoustic guitar for most of the song. It has a very melancholy tone and is actually quite moving with its beautiful soaring vocals and the sweeping music seems to lift you in the sky with the angels. The bass comes in around the middle and then some electric guitars for the solo. The drums come in towards the end and brings the full band in to play. It is a beautifully constructed song and might be the best song on the album…who am I kidding, it is the best song on the album.

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