Alice Cooper 2021.
An unlikely start to a career spanning nearly sixty years was born in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, where the Earwigs first performed in 1964. The unremarkable story becomes much more exciting when the band renames itself Alice Cooper three years later, and completely and definitively in 1973 when it releases its groundbreaking album Billion Dollar Babies. Since 1975, only lead singer Vincent Fournier, who even underwent an official name change for business reasons, has performed solo under the Alice Cooper name, name and brand. Although this American might at first glance seem like a superficially flamboyant clown and buffoon, a closer look at his career reveals not only millions of records sold and hundreds of successful concerts in many countries, but also major awards. Magazines such as New Musical Express, Bravo, Mojo and Kerrang! have placed him at the top of their lists of musical heroes, icons and legends. But Alice Cooper has also received awards for best radio show, best album, documentary and more. After a four-year hiatus, the 73-year-old co-creator of several musical styles, including "shock rock" and "industrial rock", is releasing his twenty-first solo album, Detroit Stories. The fifteen rock 'n' roll and rock songs hit the shelves in February 2021 and didn't cause any fuss. It probably wasn't even supposed to cause one. The album opens with a rock 'n' roll routine called Rock 'n' Roll (written by Lou Reed). Alice sings well, with a drive, and his delivery makes the cover sound good. The stumbling Go Man Go suggests going back in time a bit, confirmed by the marching Our Love Will Change the World (one of the singles). Reminiscent tones prevail in other tracks, sometimes giving a nod to the artist's glam metal period, elsewhere to the good hard rock days. Traditional, previously heard, yet still nice guitar riffs, such as in Hail Mary, Sister Anne, Shut up and Rock and East Side Story (by Bob Seger) make the whole set list listenable. The album is very good sonically, thanks to longtime band collaborator Bob Ezrin, keyboardist, backing vocalist and, most importantly, producer. The main musical parts are played by old standbys Michael Bruce (guitar), Dennis Dunaway (bass) and Neal Smith (drums). An interesting feature is the participation of Joe Bonamassa, both in the opening track, but also in one of the best tracks Drunk and in Love. The appellation tracks Hanging on by Thread and I Hate You sound a bit empty. On the other hand, the eleventh in the sequence Wonderful World is a successful "collaboration". Detroit Stories neither delights nor offends, it is neither more nor less than a reminder of a time when artists like Alice Cooper set trends and made musical history.