Music Reviews
Album Review: Aerosmith - ‘Devil’s Got A New Disguise: The Very Best of Aerosmith’
By Patrick Luce Oct 26, 2006, 14:41 GMT
Although there are already several greatest hits collections available, Aerosmith’s ‘Devil’s Got A New Disguise: The Very Best of Aerosmith’ is a solid single disc compilation of the iconic rock band’s hits that spans from the past to the present.
All of the songs on the CD are instantly recognizable, and the band even threw in two new studio tracks (“Sedona Sunrise” and “Devil’s Got a New Disguise”) as a bonus treat for fans willing to shell out the bucks for another “best of” Aerosmith collection.
The new album is described as the “definitive collection” from one of the greatest ROCK bands ever. Without a doubt, Aerosmith have earned their place in rock history. Much like the Rolling Stones, the group has gone on to inspire many of the new rock bands creeping up today and mimicking their style. There is no mistaking the sound of Steven Tyler’s voice or Joe Perry’s guitar. Add in bass player Tom Hamilton, guitarist Brad Whitford and drummer Joey Kramer, and you have the ingredients for rock perfection.
The album kicks off with “Dream On” (probably the band’s most recognizable hit and their signature song) and keeps the guitar driven rock thumping with other early classics including “Mama Kin,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Back in the Saddle” and “Last Child.”
The CD then moves into the 1980s with “Walk This Way” (performed by Run-DMC with Tyler and Perry), “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” and “Rag Doll.” The collection then heads into the early 90s with several of the band’s hits from their monster albums ‘Pump’ and ‘Get a Grip’ – including “Love in an Elevator,” “Crazy,” and “Crying.”
We then head into the present with “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (the song that makes many Aerosmith fans cringe), and “Jaded” from 2001’s ‘Just Push Play.’ The collection lacks any tracks from the band’s 1997 album ‘Nine Lives’ despite the fact that the album did feature a couple of hit singles – including “Pink” and “Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)."
The album’s two new tracks are a nice addition, but they don’t really merit a real reason to buy the CD if you already have a decent collection of the band’s hits. “Sedona Sunrise” features the band’s signature guitar sound and Tyler’s voice screeching out a quasi ballad. Sadly, “Devil’s Got a New Disguise” starts out as a hard guitar “classic” Aerosmith song, but quickly changes into an up tempo “pop rock” song that is easily forgettable.
While this single disc collection may not be as good as some of the previous “greatest hits” released by the band, it is a nice fast-paced compilation from one of rock’s best. If you don’t already own an Aerosmith collection and are a fan, I would recommend picking up the album.
‘Devil’s Got A New Disguise: The Very Best of Aerosmith’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the music database for more information and a complete track listing.
