The Collegian Wednesday, October 11, 1989
Entertainment
Aerosmith pumps out a
response to multitudes
by Robb Frederick
Entertainment Editor
Throughout the recent
resurgence of heavy metal
music, a legion of cloned bands
have swamped the airwaves,
with Little response from the
influential groups who helped
inspire this new generation of
rock musicianship. Recent tours
by rock dinosaurs the Who and
the Rolling Stones, however,
have sparked a rebirth in the
bands of old, resulting in a hard
hitting celebration of the
raunchy, blues-oriented sound of
Aerosmith.
Pump, the latest step in
Aerosmith's calculated return to
form, proves that the bands of
today still have a lot to learn.
These veteran rockers fuse their
talented musical abilities and
bad-boy undertones to produce
an updated block of music
governed by the classic sound
that catapulted them to stardom
during the 1970'5.
The 1987 release of
Permanent Vacation returned
Aerosmith to the star status
which they had vacated for so
long. Following a band break
up which began in 1979, the
grouP hadd - entered a period of
inactivity, which was broken
only by the unworthy Rock in a
Hard Place and Done With
Mirrors. Personal differences and
drug abuse continued to haunt
band members, and the
possibility of•future recording
success remained dim.
Through detox programs and
internal concessions, however,
the members' of Aerosmith
reunited forces to record
powerful singles such as "Dude
(Looks Lace a Lady)" and "Rag
Doll." Heavy rotation on AOR
radio and MTV bicought the band
a new generation of fans, and
Aerosmith again departed on the
road to success.
While Permanent Vacation
returned Aerosmith to . the public
eye, the album's sound remained
subdued and almost
commercialized. the rebirth of
the band's raw style 'is what
propels "Pump" beyond any of
the groups other recent works.
From the beginning guitar
thrash of "Young Lust," the
band forewarns listeners of the
music to come. This song
instantly picks up momentum,
and the remainder of Pump
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rarely backs down. The ever
present driving guitar of Joe
Perry, complemented by fellow
guitarist Brad Whitford,
energizes the refined
performances of bassist Tom
Hamilton and drummer Joey
Kramer. Vocalist Steven Tyler
appears in prime form as his
effective vocal range leads
listeners through the ten
versatile tracks present on
Pump.
Songs like "Don't Get Mad,
Get Even" and "My Girl" stand
as typical rock songs graced
with the superior touch of
Aerosmith crunch. The band
continues to hammer away at
their desired sound through the
blistering "Voodoo Medicine
Man" and the frantic "F.1.N.E."
"Love in an Elevator," the
first single released from Pump,
combines searing fretwork by
Perry and abrasive, overtly
offensive lyrics from Tyler. The
elaborate layering of sampled
vocal passages madly increases
before Tyler's a capella ending.
This song should keep
Aerosmith on the airwaves and
continue the band's commercial
comeback.
Pump may stand as
- Aerosmith's most impressive
work of late, but the release is
not without problems of its
own. The musicianship of the
band members proves to be
much higher than the current
standard, but the group can not
seem to rise above the
stereotypical imagery of sex,
girl problems, and outright
defiance of authority.
This shallowness can be
forgiven, however, considering
the market Aerosmith is aiming
for.. The band members do
attempt to bring lyrical meaning
to their work, as seen on
"Jamie's Got a Gun," which
briefly tackles the issue of child
abuse.
Another problem present on
Pump involves the occasional
lack of original creativity. Many
of the rock industry's newer
groups have blatantly expressed
the influence of groups like
Aerosmith on their work, so
any lack of originality by a
group of ,this caliber conies as a
disappointment.
On "Dulcimer Stomp,"
exotic percussion closely
mirrors the style of
"Continental Drift" by the
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comeback in
of new bands
Roiling Stones. The . guita r
work for "Monkey on my Back"
replicates AC/DC's "Given the
Dog a Bone" with an almost
flawless perfection.
These trifle slips may be
frustrating to diehard Aerosmith
fans, but the remainder of Pump
contains enough unique material
to justify forgiveness.
The band receives a boost
by recruiting producer Bruce
Fairbain for Pump. Fairbain's
lavish production slickens the
feel of this release without
softening the blows of this hard
edged band.
Fairbain molds the inspired
performances on Pump into a
slick, respectable release. The
glut of new bands may have
achieved temporary success on
the music industry's ever
rotating turntable, but the
members of Aerosmith have
once again proven that they are
here to stay.
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Entertainment Briefs
Godfather sequel prepared
Director Francis Ford Coppola is set to begin filming of
Godfather 111. Shooting begins November 15 in Italy, ande
several original cast members including Al Pacino, Diane Keaton
and Talia Shire will return to their roles.
Premiere lists top films
Premiere magazine will soon release its list of the Ten Best
Movies of the 1980's in November's issue. Leading the pack are
Martin Scorses's Raging Bull (1980), Steven Spielberg's E.T.
(1982), and David Lynch's Blue Velvet (1986).
Graham to get star
Evangelist Billy Graham will receive the 1900th star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. Graham, who has preached his gospel
to over 100 million people, is the first clergyman to be honored
with a star.
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