SirAlex's Full Review: A Little South of Sanity [PA] by Aerosmith
Edited on 3-11-00
I bought this album the day it came out mostly because I have every Aerosmith album in my collection. I was happy to see that there would finally be live versions of their more recent songs available. Of course that means that there was going to be an abundance of their ballads on this album. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that their slower songs did seem to have an extra bit of attitude that isn’t found on the studio versions. The first disc contains most of Aerosmith recent hit singles, while disc two is reserved mostly for some of their hits from the seventies. All in all it is a good collection of songs and provides nearly two hours of enjoyment.
The album begins with drums fading in and Steven Tyler doing his rap intro from the Get a Grip album. Eventually the bass comes in and the crowd really starts to get into it. By the time the guitars come thunder in with the power chords of “Eat the Rich”, the live power of the band is apparent. This is followed by a scorching version of “Love in an Elevator”. The famous bridge section where Brad Whitford and Joe Perry jam is recreated here with incredible accuracy. The rocking “Falling in Love” is equally true to the original. Aerosmith reaches deep into their substantial catalogue and play 1974’s “Same Old Song and Dance” next. Hearing such an old song rock as hard next to a song written in 1997 proves that this band has always been incredible.
There were a few surprises on here even to an Aerosmith fanatic. For example, the inclusion of the slide guitar fueled rocker about addiction "Monkey On My Back". This is a little known tune that really adds a spark to the ballad-heavy first disc. The ballads "Hole in My Soul", "Angel", "Amazing", and "Janie's Got a Gun" are all good songs in their own right, but when I'm at a concert I'm expecting energy. However, the songs “Livin’ on the Edge”, “Cryin’”, and “Rag Doll” do add some energy. They aren’t as heavy as the songs that open the disc, but still feature some great guitar work. “Hole in My Soul” is a little weak in this version, but the surprisingly powerful “Angel” makes up for it. As a whole, the first disc does a fine job of capturing the band’s current vibe.
Fortunately, the second disc kicks off with "Back in the Saddle" where Joe Perry's thundering six string bass shows that these guys have become anything but soft. Other classics such as "Last Child", "Walk This Way", and "Mama Kin" keep their fast pace and excitement throughout. They all rock as hard as they did back in the 70s. “Last Child” is especially awesome as it features an instrumental break on the outro that is not heard on the studio album. Joe Perry sings lead vocals on “Walk on Down”, but it’s Brad Whitford’s guitar solo that saves this song.
One of my personal favorites “The Other Side” rocks on this album with ferocious intensity. “Crazy” is one of the band’s weaker hit singles and probably didn’t have to be included, although I prefer this live version to the studio release. Steven Tyler’s voice is in fine form on “What it Takes” and “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)”. The band’s extremely popular hit single, “Dream On” is one of the best songs the band as ever written, although it was originally recorded in 1973. It is even more powerful in its live version. Another 70s hit, “Sweet Emotion” is the album’s closer. This song is also phenomenal live.
The major downside of this album is that it is too much of a greatest hits package. Unfortunately for a band to get any radio play these days they have to write ballads. Some of their better songs from their recent albums, such as “Full Circle”, “Kiss Your Past Goodbye”, “Hangman Jury” and “Shut Up and Dance” are conspicuously missing. I would also have liked to have heard some of their rockers from the late 70s such as "Kings and Queens" and "No Surprize". As Mr. Tyler once sang on "No Surprize", "Play the singles, it ain't me... it's programmed insanity...” However, from the song selection on this collection, it is essentially all of the band’s hit singles. But I’m glad that “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” wasn’t included.
Song Selection:
Disc 1
1. Eat the Rich (original version on Get a Grip)
2. Love in an Elevator (original version on Pump)
3. Falling in Love (original version on Nine Lives)
4. Same Old Song and Dance (original version on Get Your Wings)
5. Hole in My Soul (original version on Nine Lives)
6. Monkey on My Back (original version on Pump)
7. Livin' On the Edge (original version on Get a Grip)
8. Cryin' (original version on Get a Grip)
9. Rag Doll (original version on Permanent Vacation)
10. Angel (original version on Permanent Vacation)
11. Janie's Got a Gun (original version on Pump)
12. Amazing (original version on Get a Grip)
Top picks: Eat the Rich, Love in an Elevator, Monkey on My Back, Cryin’
Disc 2
1. Back in the Saddle (original version on Rocks)
2. Last Child (original version on Rocks)
3. The Other Side (original version on Pump)
4. Walk On Down (original version on Get a Grip)
5. Dream On (original version on Aerosmith)
6. Crazy (original version on Get a Grip)
7. Mama Kin (original version on Aerosmith)
8. Walk This Way (original version on Toys in the Attic)
9. Dude (Looks Like a Lady) (original version on Permanent Vacation)
10. What it Takes (original version on Pump)
11. Sweet Emotion (original version on Toys in the Attic)
Top picks: Last Child, The Other Side, Dream On, Walk This Way
Band members:
Steven Tyler: vocals, percussion, and harmonica
Joe Perry: guitars, lap steel, and vocals
Tom Hamilton: bass
Joey Kramer: drums
Brad Whitford: guitars
Other musicians:
Russ Irwin: keyboards and vocals
Thom Gimbel keyboards and vocals
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