Review Summary: Instant classics stop this album from being Trash, but lots of dross stop it from being Killer
After 1987s commercially disappointing 'Raise Your Fist and Yell', Alice Cooper wanted a hit, a hit that would properly mark his comeback. So he hired golden touch producer Desmond Child, the musical path traversed was MTV friendly Glam Metal and the result was the hit Cooper craved.
This album features a tonne of guest appearances, including Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Steve Tyler and beefy ex Cooper axeman Kane Roberts. Alas the album does not quite live up to the Atmospheric level of the Cameos. Proceedings are kicked off with the instantly recognisable, and the goosebump inducing, 'Poison' - definitely of it's time and definitely Brilliant. Things continue at this pace with the awesome 'Spark in The Dark' - Sex laden (a running theme for this album, suprisingly...) but still top notch. The album stalls slightly with 'House of Fire' - a number originally penned for Bon Jovi and it definitely shows. 'Why Trust You' erases all memory of the previous song, being fast, moody and magnificent. 'Only My Heart Talking' brings back the decline being 1980s, Glam Metal, Mediocrity sounding heavily influenced by 'Pump' era Aerosmith and funnily enough starring Tyler in back up vocals. It's an 80s album, it has to have the obligatory ballad or two!
Proceedings are kicked back into gear in brilliantly dirty and hard rocking fashion with 'Bed of nails' - my favourite song of the album and it's music video contains sexy girls in leather to boot which is always good. The infectiously catchy 'This Maniac's in Love With You' ensues. Dissapointingly, the album tails off after this, becoming either quite grating ('I'm Your Gun' and 'Trash') or overly saccharine ('Hell is Living Without You')
So a few instant classics in an album which is good but is marred by a lazy finish. With it's downfall being the aim of the album - the search for that elusive comeback hit. His next album, 'Hey Stoopid', see's Alice produce amongst his finest albums and his best Glam Metal album.
