Rock In a Hard Place

With the departure of guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, Aerosmith soldiered on with its first studio album in three years. Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay filled in admirably, considering the shoes they were stepping into, but it’s singer Steven Tyler who holds this collection together. It’s his voice, after all, that gives Aerosmith its identity, even though it’s the band’s rhythm section of bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer that ensures these songs swing. “Lightning Strikes” is the clear winner here, with a seductive rumble that gives the track a pure appeal. “Bitch’s Brew” is a close second, showing Tyler’s ability with a mid-tempo track that’s neither too hard nor too soft. The cover of “Cry Me a River” puts Tyler unexpectedly in the lounge with the boozy-woozy blues. “Joanie’s Butterfly” is a great song moving from psychedelia and experimentation to hard rock, suggesting where Aerosmith could’ve gone if it had never gotten the original band back together.