Gems - Aerosmith (CD 1993)

In 1988, one year after Aerosmith re-emerged commercially on Geffen with Permanent Vacation, and two years after they had a smash hit with RUN-DMC with the re-make of the 1976 hit Walk This Way, Columbia records decided it was time to assemble a sequel to 1980 s Aerosmith s Greatest Hits. Aerosmith were big again, and Columbia wanted to cash in. Gems proves to be quite a catch for fans who want to try out Aerosmith s 70s material without having to buy each release. And to Columbia s credit, when Aerosmith perform their live shows, the 70s portion of their setlist are the songs that appear on Greatest Hits and Gems. Gems , however, does a better job of letting the listener catch a glimpse of what Aerosmith were up to in the mid-to-late 70s than Greatest Hits ever could. Aerosmith released seven albums on Columbia from 1973 until 1982. Presented here is at least one gem from each of those albums . . .


(This is not sequential as they appear on the CD, but rather by the year they were released.)

01 - 1973 Aerosmith s self-titled debut: Mama Kin
Mama Kin is an upbeat Aerosmith rocker about living life too wildly and losing touch. (See Aerosmith circa 1977.) I've been dreamin - Floatin' down the stream n' losin' touch with all that's real. Joe Perry s guitar is the centerpiece musically, but piano and saxophone fill the empty spaces nicely as Joey s drums and Tom s bass keep the rhythm. Perry s guitar and Tyler s vocals perform a nice call-and-response during the chorus: Keep in touch with Mama Kin - Tell her were you've gone and been - Livin' out your fantasy - Sleepin' late and smokin' tea. This song is possibly the best constructed blues-rock song on this disc. The guitar licks and the rhythm section are untouchable. It s very impressive that this comes from their first album.

02 - 1974 Get Your Wings: Lord of the Thighs, Train Kept a Rollin
Lord of the Thighs begins with a lone beat introduction reminiscent of the famed Walk This Way . The guitars on this track are very eerie which helps to give Tyler s vocals a mysterious lift. You must have come here to find me - You've got the look in your eyes - Although you really don't mind it - I am the lord of your thighs. The lyrical content of this song, would make its presence stronger as Aerosmith, um, matured, but its always meant in good fun. (See 1989 s Love in the Elevator .) Lord of the Thighs exercises minimal production in that a lot of space is left open in order to allow each musician to freely express their sounds without interruption or crowding. The song eventually swings in the direction of grandiose production, but still maintains the minimal approach to recording. Tyler s vox show true range, but never strays from the song s arrangement. (I digress: The Breeders cover of Lord of the Thighs is worth checking out if you haven t already.)
Train Kept a Rollin is the popular Yardbirds cover that was prominently featured in Aerosmith s live performances in the 70s. This song serves as a classic opportunity to pay homage and salute their influences (primarily British Blues-Rock). The song is a playful and memorable rock-n-roll song that eventually segues into one of their live performances of the song. The band emulates a train leaving the station, complete with Joe Perry s guitar imitating a train whistle. The song stops to an erupting audience, capturing the indispensable essence of 70s Aerosmith.

03 - 1975 Toys in the Attic: Adam s Apple, Round and Round
A favorite of mine: Adam s Apple is Steven Tyler s playful adaptation of Adam and Eve . It s another tale of lust, but from the female s perspective. So the story goes but you see - The snake was he and she just climbed right up his tree. Featuring Joe Perry s bluesy-rock riffs alongside saxophone: it s an unforgettable song that plays third chair to this album s Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion , but it s the sound created on Adam s Apple that Aerosmith would carry with them into the late 80s (with great success). And on Round and Round, Aerosmith made a 180 turn and recorded one of their darkest songs ever. Seemingly influenced by Black Sabbath, Joe Perry trades in the bluesy swagger for gloomier riffs. Tyler s lyrics reveal uncertainty: Now everything changes, ain't nothin' the same - I'm gettin' the strangest feelin', I can't remember my name. Kramer s drumming pummels while Hamilton s bass rumbles. Whitford s guitar travels down the same sinister path, never revealing the hope or braggadocio of Aerosmith s usual performance. Then, as the song spirals down, the band sings in haunting unison: And round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round . . .

04 - 1976 Rocks: Rats in the Cellar, Lick and a Promise, Nobody s Fault
Three songs come from what is arguably there best album. Rats in the Cellar is a straight-forward Aerosmith rocker that pleases from beginning to end. The rats are presumably Aerosmith rockin in a New York basement as they were known to have done from time to time to get away from the studio atmosphere. From the cellar to the spotlight, Lick and a Promise tells of a Johnny-Come-Lately:
Loose change grubber in his early, early years - Had his poor mama pacin' the floors.
He grabbed a guitar and a couple a beers - Now the crowd keeps screamin' for more.
Nobody s Fault features fateful lyrics and outstanding production. Whitford s guitar whips up his darkest guitar playing ever and leads the song into the shadows.
Man has known - And now he's blown it - Upside down and hell's the only sound,
We did an awful job - And now they say it's nobody's fault.

05 - 1977 Draw the Line: Critical Mass
This one is a bass-heavy rocker featuring backward guitars and arcane verbiage:
Arriving in boats black hooded coats - Tormentors climbed into my room,
I crawled under my bed covered my head - But they're flushin' me out with a broom.
It s a fun song that shows Aerosmith s experimental side. Harmonica and organs fill the inbetweens and add to the confusion. Kramer s vigorous percussion is the only thing to pull you out, but his playing complements the atmosphere just the same.

06 - 1979 Night in the Ruts: No Surprize
No Surprize seems to reflect Aerosmith s humble beginnings. The lyrics are somewhat abstract but the sentiment is conveyed very well. The lyrics appear to explain the ignorance of a young band entering into the shady world of the music bizness.
You ASCAP if BMI
could ever make a mountain fly-
If Japanese can boil teas
then where the f ck's my royalties?
The ability to express fairly bitter feelings towards the recording industry is what attracts me to this song. Not the best song on this CD of greats, yet it shows Aerosmith at their finest. This song is sandwiched between two of my favorite Aerosmith songs, Mama Kin and Chip Away The Stone , and is partly the reason for my last comment. On its own merit, No Suprize kicks a s.

07 - 1982 Rock in a Hard Place: Jailbait
The excessive rock-n-roll lifestyle had more than taken its toll by the time Aerosmith s seventh album, Rock in a Hard Place was released. Guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford had since departed to separately form The Joe Perry Project and Whitford-St. Holmes respectively. Aerosmith s future was already in question. This album saw the lowest low for Aerosmith (commercially and, more importantly, musically) before Aerosmith s original lineup would reassemble and triumph in the 80s, but Jailbait is indeed the diamond in the rough. It starts off with Steven Tyler s world famous screeching bark:
Take me take me - Take me outside and maybe - Baby take me - Take me take me take me.....aaahhh!
Kramer s drumming exudes pure energy as the guitars sing along with Tyler s vocals. Guitarist Jimmy Crespo fills Joe Perry s shoes admirably. There is a noticeable difference, but it may be due to the fact that the song isn t exactly a characteristic Aerosmith song (except for Tyler s exceptional vocal work). The song features a crafty if somewhat creepy angle when putting to mind the idea of obsessing over someone underage. The theme almost sounds like it would fit better on AC/DC s Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap than on an Aerosmith record. All in all, it is a rockin number and rightly deserves a place on this collection.

Chip Away at the Stone (written by acclaimed songwriter and Aerosmith co-conspirator Richie Supa)
Chip Away at the Stone first appeared on Aerosmith s 1978 Live Bootleg release, but the previously unreleased studio version is featured here, an effort to possibly lure in Aerosmith fanatics. This one is a favorite among favorites. Joe Perry and Brad Whitford s guitars emphasize Tyler s I won't stop 'til your love is my very own. This is a very catchy rock song. You can sense the pleasure Aerosmith had when producing this cut. The rhythm struts its stuff as the guitars melt in your ears. Tyler s piano playing during the chorus is irresistible. Perry s guitar solo sizzles and never outstays it s welcome. This is Aerosmith at their best.
Even a rock will crumble if you strike it night and day,
If hammer I must, I'm gonna get through your crust - Gonna chip that stone away.

GEMS is the perfect assemblage of Aerosmith songs and functions as a great CD without the mention of it being a collection. These aren t presented here because they were radio hits or platinum-selling singles, but rather because they became songs fans fell in love with. Sure, there are some songs from the era that are missing from Gems , but once you listen to this you ll just end up buying all the original albums anyway.