Toys in the Attic - Aerosmith (CD 1993)

When I received an e-mail from Aerocat about an Aerosmith write-off, I decided I wanted in. This was one of the bands that rocked my world going back to Junior high school in the late 70s. They were one of the first bands to begin shaping my musical tastes away from bubble gum pop.

I figured that I should write a review on the first Aerosmith album I purchased. I'm old enough to have owned this on vinyl, too. It was my early high school days (or is that daze?) when I chanced to purchase the legendary Toys In The Attic album. I was familiar with Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion but I was unprepared for the delight that awaited me. This is one of the most complete albums in rock history.

To this day, this remains my favorite Aerosmith album. If I were to make a soundtrack of my youth, most of the songs here would be featured prominently. I recall all the parties and hanging out with friends. It is impossible for me to separate this legendary recording from different events in my early life.

The track listing is:

1. Toys In The Attic
2. Uncle Salty
3. Adam's Apple
4. Walk This Way
5. Big Ten Inch Record
6. Sweet Emotion
7. No More No More
8. Round and Round
9. You See Me Crying

This is one of the essential classics that had to be upgraded to CD. I pulled it out during the week to get a refresher listen. I took the CD to work with me and played it on my headphones. Right from the opening riffs of Toys In the Attic, the thrill was back. This is simply one of the very best rock albums ever made. Joe Perry has always been a fine guitarist who doesn't always get his just due. The riff on Toys gets the heart beating at a faster rate.

One of the things that has always struck me about this album is that many of the lesser known tracks hold up as equal or better than the hits. I was always fond of the second and third songs Uncle Salty and Adam's Apple. Adam's Apple is a great unknown classic. I can remember being a high school kid snickering at the underlying sexual content all the while insisting to my elders that it was a religious song. Steven Tyler's voice is in peak form here.

I was already rocked out by the time I got to the fourth track. That would be one of the greatest and most famous rock songs of all time. Walk This Way is still a classic. I'm familiar with the Run DMC version as well as the version with Kid Rock and Run DMC. Both of those versions pale compared with the original. Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer provide a spectacular, driving rhythm section. Brad Whitford is also often unheralded as a fine rhythm guitarist. This is a song that is well worn and overplayed. But that is really a product of being one of the most perfectly realized rock songs ever made.

Then we come to more juvenile snickering. Big Ten Inch Record is really about LP length records, right? Yeah, you go on believing that. Whether Steven Tyler is being truthful or merely engaging in unjust boasting is something I don't know. I don't really care to know either. This is still a fun song that along with AC/DC's song Big Balls was one that always inspired a bit of a giggle.

The second of the classic hits is Sweet Emotion. This is another song that achieved legendary status. I think most rockers that grew up in the 70s and 80s have memories that involve this song. It received a lot of radio airplay and it wasn't hard to talk people into playing the record either.

The last three songs on the album are songs that often get neglected. That's really a shame because all three songs are great numbers. No More No More and Round and Round are both rockers. Round and Round features one of the heaviest riffs Aerosmith ever recorded. It has a slower and more deliberate riff than many of their more famous rockers.

They close things off with the power ballad You See Me Crying. Steven Tyler reveals himself to be a fine singer as well as a great vocalist. This is an early example of the power ballad style. This style would be appropriated by hair bands in the 80s and then later perfected by the Aerosmith boys in the 90s. I have to admit that I was still singing this song a couple hours after listening to it.

I think any true Aerosmith will already have this disc (or record) in their collection. I was amazed at how vital and fresh it sounded. I hadn't played it in awhile but the thrill was still there. There are many albums tied to my youth that merely have nostalgic value now. This one is still exciting to listen to over two decades after I made the initial purchase.

People just discovering the band need to seek this one out. This is an album that rocks from beginning to end. The non hit songs are as strong or maybe stronger than the hits. There is not a weak song on the album. This is an essential classic not only for Aerosmith fans but also for anyone who considers themselves a fan of classic rock music.

For a complete listing of all the participants in this Aerosmith W/O, consult Aerocat's profile page.
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