Tag: Chip Away the Stone

Aerosmith – ‘Made in America E.P.’ (1997) – Album Review (The Aerosmith Collection Series)

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic13 Comments

I haven’t added anything new to my Aerosmith collection in a long time. The last post was over 19 months ago, but thankfully that bleak emptiness of a streak has come to an end. While I was out looking for music, I found this E.P. from Aerosmith that I did not have in the collection. It is the E.P. ‘Made in America’ which was released by the label on March 18, 1997. Which is the same day as the release of their album ‘Nine Lives’. This E.P. was exclusive to Wal-Marts across the U.S. and Canada and was purposely released to coincide with the new album.

The E.P. contains 6 tracks, 5 of which are basically studio album tracks. The song on here to get is the final track which is “One Way Street” (Live) as it hasn’t ever been released any where else. At least I don’t think it has. So, let us walk our way through the tracks and see what we have.

The album kicks off with the song that kicks off the album ‘Rocks’ and that song is “Back in the Saddle”. The song has a slow build with the drums and guitar and includes a wicked bass line from Mr. Hamilton and then explodes into a heavy rocker. The song includes a whip sound and some clanking spurs that were fastened to Tyler’s boots with the help of New York Dolls frontman David Johansen. If you were expecting the Gene Autry song, “Back in the Saddle Again” you’d be disappointed, but otherwise you love this song that kicks start the album and includes so many double entendres and even a quick yodel. What a way to kick off the album.

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Aerosmith – ‘Gems’ (1988) – Album Review (The Aerosmith Collection Series)

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic43 Comments

Back in 1984, Aerosmith left Columbia Records and signed with Geffen. The great thing for Columbia was that despite them leaving the label, the new deal with Geffen still allowed the release material as they still had control of the bands earlier work. They took full advantage of that by releasing ‘Classics Live!’ in 1986 and ‘Classics Live! II’ in 1987. Then the bands new found fame was with the song “Walk This Way” and their smash album ‘Permanent Vacation’, Columbia records didn’t miss another opportunity to capitalize on that success. This time around they went for another greatest hits compilation package called ‘Gems’ which was released on November 15, 1988.

The great thing about this greatest hits compilation is that there are no repeats from the band’s first Greatest Hits album from 1980. Columbia purposefully delivered a much heavier set of songs that were extremely popular with fans even though they might not have all been huge hits. They were “gems”. All but one song on the release are basically the album cuts so no real reason to buy except for one. The album contained the studio version of the song “Chip Away The Stone” which had never been released prior except as a live version on ‘Live! Bootleg’. That gave reason enough for the serious fan to grab hold of this release. It didn’t do that great, only going to #133 on the Billboard Album Chart, but it has since been certified Gold.

The first track, “Rats in the Cellar” (off ‘Rocks’), was Steven’s answer to the hit song “Toys in the Attic”. The song was frantic in pace and was pretty much about the disaster of the band that was going on behind the scenes with the drugs and arguing as well as it being inspired by the death of their drug dealer. The song is a total blast with its maddening quick tempo and then Kramer’s drumming was incredible on this one as well. You get a harmonica solo and a full on jam section. It is the closest thing to heavy metal you are going to get from the band.

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