Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Steven Tyler: J-j-jaded

A few weeks into its shelf life, Aerosmith's new album has fallen off the charts without a hit that Columbia Records didn't pay for. None of the shows on their current tour have been selling out. Steven Tyler is reportedly blaming the label, which is easy to understand. He's made bad albums (Just Push Play, Nine Lives) and released overwrought singles before ("I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"), but those have been hits, too. Why not Music From Another Dimension?


(Music that actually sounds like it came from another dimension)

Honestly, it's no worse than the past few Aerosmith albums, maybe even a little better. But for the first time ever, people know that Aerosmith isn't Steven Tyler's top priority. He's been pushing back this album for six years so that he could spent two seasons as an American Idol judge, promote a self-congratulatory autobio, star in a Hilfiger ad campaign and indulge himself with a solo project that was embarrassing enough to include a Pussycat Doll. In the past month, he's flung himself into feuds with Nicki Minaj (presumably for relevance) and KISS (presumably, shockingly, for credibility) to drum up publicity. Maybe these aren't the most egregious acts ever committed by a formerly great musician, but the fact is that they seem like all he's been doing. Now that Aerosmith's first studio album in eight years is finally out, it feels like an afterthought to years of Steven being Steven.

People don't want to listen to Aerosmith if Steven Tyler doesn't act like he wants to be there. Music fans want to know that their artists are putting thought into their work. "Jaded" may be no "Back in the Saddle," but it felt like Tyler giving it his best shot, which is all he really owes us in exchange for our attention. Music From Another Dimension sounds like he mailed in his vocal tracks from Bermuda. As Rolling Stone's critic pointed out, "Sometimes it's easy to hear that Tyler and his bandmates aren't on the same page, or the same planet. When he duets with his fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood for 'Can't Stop Loving You' (rhymes with 'because it's all I wanna do'), it sounds like the rest of Aerosmith is off hiding in the next studio."
(rhymes with "because it's all I wanna do"), it sounds like the rest of Aerosmith is off hiding in the next studio.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/music-from-another-dimension-20121106#ixzz2DR8XXWuo
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
When he duets with his fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood for "Can't Stop Loving You" (rhymes with "because it's all I wanna do"), it sounds like the rest of Aerosmith is off hiding in the next studio.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/music-from-another-dimension-20121106#ixzz2DR8FMj00
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
Sometimes it's easy to hear that Tyler and his bandmates aren't on the same page, or the same planet. When he duets with his fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood for "Can't Stop Loving You" (rhymes with "because it's all I wanna do"), it sounds like the rest of Aerosmith is off hiding in the next studio.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/music-from-another-dimension-20121106#ixzz2DR7MblJt
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on FacebookSo
Sometimes it's easy to hear that Tyler and his bandmates aren't on the same page, or the same planet. When he duets with his fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood for "Can't Stop Loving You" (rhymes with "because it's all I wanna do"), it sounds like the rest of Aerosmith is off hiding in the next studio.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/music-from-another-dimension-20121106#ixzz2DR7MblJt
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
Sometimes it's easy to hear that Tyler and his bandmates aren't on the same page, or the same planet. When he duets with his fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood for "Can't Stop Loving You" (rhymes with "because it's all I wanna do"), it sounds like the rest of Aerosmith is off hiding in the next studio.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/music-from-another-dimension-20121106#ixzz2DR7MblJt
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
Sometimes it's easy to hear that Tyler and his bandmates aren't on the same page, or the same planet. When he duets with his fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood for "Can't Stop Loving You" (rhymes with "because it's all I wanna do"), it sounds like the rest of Aerosmith is off hiding in the next studio.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/music-from-another-dimension-20121106#ixzz2DR7MblJt
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
Sometimes it's easy to hear that Tyler and his bandmates aren't on the same page, or the same planet. When he duets with his fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood for "Can't Stop Loving You" (rhymes with "because it's all I wanna do"), it sounds like the rest of Aerosmith is off hiding in the next studio.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/music-from-another-dimension-20121106#ixzz2DR7MblJt
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

For all his career missteps, Mick Jagger is foremost a Stone. Even Bono has gone on record as saying that his music is more important to him than his philanthropy, which is exactly as it should be. Who would want to listen to the biggest rock star in the world if he'd rather be someplace else? Steven Tyler should ask himself the same question as Music From Another Dimension sinks into America's bargain bins.

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