Musicians
Guitars - Ryan Roxie, Eric Dover Bass - Chuck Garric Drums - Eric Singer Keyboards, Accordion & Percussion. - Teddy Zig Zag Backing Vocals, Theramin -Calico Cooper Saxophones, Clarinet & other instruments - Scott Gilman Additional Guitar on 'Detroit City' - Wayne Kramer
Track listing
1.What Do You Want From Me? 2.Between High School & Old School
3.Man Of The Year 4.Novocaine 5. Bye Bye, Baby
6. Be With You Awhile 7.Detroit City
8.Spirits Rebellious 9. This House Is Haunted
10. Love Should Never Feel Like This 11. The Song That Didn't Rhyme
12.I'm So Angry 13.Backyard Brawl
After experimenting with metal/industrial sounds on Brutal Planet (2000) and Dragontown (2001), Alice Cooper decided it was to time to revisit his rock roots on his 23rd studio album, The Eyes of Alice Cooper.
Under the supervision of Andrew Murdock (Godsmack, Powerman 5000), the album was recorded in a matter of weeks doing all the material live in the studio with minimal overdubs.
Even though the album has a “bare bones” approach to it, the mixing is great: the guitars are loud, the drums are pounding, and the vocals are spot on. The band seems to be on the same page and having a blast on this record, giving The Eyes of Alice Cooper a real band vibe that has been sorely lacking in Cooper’s previous recordings.
If you’re not familiar with Coopers’ writing style it might take a few listens to “get it”, but there is a lot of strong material that keeps revealing itself after every listen.
The Eyes of Alice Cooper has numerous standouts but if I had to choose it would be the following. First up we have the rocking album opener, What Do You Want From Me, a song about a guy who just can’t please his white trash girlfriend. Then we have the semi- autobiographical second track Between High School & Old School ,a song about someone who never really fits in with the status quo. Then there’s the punk rocker Man Of The Year, a tragicomedy based on the button-down-collar types who climb life's ladder only to end up putting a gun in their mouths. Next we have the Cooper modern day classic Novocaine, a twisted love song about being in a relationship and not feeling anything. The album takes a left turn with the creepy/ atmospheric This House is Haunted. Then there’s the fist pumping rocker, Detroit City, where Alice pays tribute to the Detroit music scene. Last but not least, is the heart felt ballad To Be With You Awhile.
The Eyes of Alice Cooper is a solid and enjoyable album that recaptures the “classic” Cooper sound without sounding dated. This is easily his most consistent album in years. So if like Alice Cooper, you owe it to yourself to give this album a listen.