Aerosmith: Music from Another Dimension

Aerosmith
Music from Another Dimension
(Sony Music Entertainment)

The first Aerosmith album to feature all new songs since 2001’s Just Push Play, plus the band’s old time producer Jack Douglas aboard, I had high hopes for Music from Another Dimension. This project was supposedly begun back in 2006, but seeing how much this band enjoys interruptions (injuries and the health of members, “American Idol,” rumors of lead singer replacements, and touring) it’s no real surprise it took this long to see the band’s fifteenth studio album.

Worth the wait?

Who wrote what here is of primary importance seeing that America’s answer to The Rolling Stones has employed outside songsmiths quite a bit as of late. This practice certainly gained the ‘Smith boys popularity, but it muted the talents of the band songwriters (commercial songsters Jim Vallance, Desmond Child and Diane Warren all weigh in with forgettable songs here). Luckily Dimension boasts that old Joe Perry/Steven Tyler combination, on the slightly sluggish yet infectious chorus of opening rocker “Luv XXX” and each member’s writing contributions across blistering rockers like “Lover Alot” (with its low bass grumble), “Street Jesus” and “Beautiful” with Tyler all but rapping on this last one.

“Tell Me” is bassist Tom Hamilton’s acoustic-based love song, showcasing a real mature-sounding Tyler vocal. I love “Something,” with its plodding organ-bleating and Joe Perry vocal. Johnny Depp lends his own voice to the riff-tastic “Freedom Fighter” and the country pop fun of “Can’t Stop Loving You,” with none other then Carrie Underwood singing with Tyler, rounds out this pretty decent release from “The Bad Boys from Boston.”