Customer Reviews

The Eyes of Alice Cooper

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I am really surprised at some of the venom reviewers are tossing at Alice about The Eyes album. I am a huge Cooper fan, and of course I like some albums better than others, but come on guys!! The Eyes still has a distinctive Cooper sound, not Blink 182 or White Stripes. Songs like Detroit City and This House is Haunted could only be done by the Coop. Alice has experimented with various sounds throughout his career, and as a true fan I really appreciate that. Sure Brutal Planet experimented in nu-metal, but Goes to Hell was disco??!!! Constrictor played with the hair metal scene of the 80's, and I think it was one of the best albums of that era by any band period! The Eyes of Alice Cooper should remind everyone one thing, expect the unexpected from Cooper. I think Eyes has a nice blend of today's sound and a good mix of his own 70's sound. But no matter what Alice Cooper tries I will be there, because musically, all genre's of music are Cooper's turf, and no one can pull it off better than Alice. If you are a fan of Alice, definately pick this up, you won't be disappointed. If you haven't heard Alice since School's Out and Muscle of Love, you will find a couple tracks on Eyes that you like, that are very similar to the old Alice Cooper Band sound. If you found Cooper in the 80's you will still get a kick out of where he takes you on Eyes.
For all of the so-called Alice Cooper "fans" who have ripped Eyes of Alice Cooper apart, give it another listen. Give these songs a chance to sink in and you won't be sorry!

You haven't bought this yet??? Oh, you need a reason for such a bold move? Let me spell it out for you...

"What Do You Want From Me?" - Seething with energy & reckless abandon, this opening track leaps from your speakers & kicks the album off in vintage raw fashion. Vocally, this song is possibly one of the strongest performances by Alice on the album. I haven't heard Alice sing this well since "From the Inside". Throw in Eric Dover's gritty backups & the relentless wailing guitars & you have yourself a future classic. Think "Cold Ethyl" for the nu-millenium. Grade: A+

"Between High School & Old School" - Wow, another pummeling, attitude-laden anthem for disenfranchised misfits everywhere. This is REAL punk, the way Iggy, MC5 & Blue Cheer intended it. Mix in a touch of "Last Temptation" era vocal harmonies & clever start/stop changups & you get the picture. If you didn't know this was Alice Cooper, you'd be completely fooled by the exuberant youthfulness that lies within. Some of the roughest guitar tones since "Muscle of Love". Grade: A

"Man of the Year" - An unusual mixture of nu-school pop punk & classic "Billion Dollar Babies" era backing vocals/lead guitar. This could potentially be a crossover single for the eMpTyVee generation. Alice's vocals are strangely VERY young sounding & his approach overall is like nothing you've heard him sing before. Great song! Grade: A-

"Novocaine" - I LOVE this track! VERY reminiscent of "Nobody's Home", from the "Fistful of Alice" disc. This has HIT written all over it folks. Excellent Hammond B-3 work by ZigZag, perfect harmonies & guitar work that mirrors Glen Buxton's classic style. One of the standouts on the disc. Grade: A+

"Bye Bye Baby" - Whoa! They just keep coming!!! This is prob one of my favorites here. This is prob as close to classic Cooper represented on this album. This would've fit perfectly on "School's Out". Alice sounds 25yrs old again, the horn section is subtle & perfectly interwoven. This sounds so much like the classic lineup, yet not derivative in any way. This one smokes!!! Grade: A+

"Be With You Awhile" - Another track which highlights Alice's flair for singing w/o the infamous sneer we all love. It's familiar & yet like nothing you've ever heard from Alice before. Not a bad song, but prob one of the lower points on the disc, if anything, for a lack of creative arrangement or chord changes. Grade: C

"Detroit City" - As if 1971 were warped into the nu-millenium, this track comes stomping thru the mix with an amazing "Killer" era vibe. Alice's vocal performance on the track is among the highlights of the album. INCREDIBLE chorus, infectious energy, slamming guitars, layers of horns & hey, Alice screams like used to when he was twentysomething! This track is unbelievable!!! Grade: A

"Spirits Rebellious" - Hmmm, pretty groovy dark track here that seems like a castaway from the "Brutal Planet" sessions, though it's clearly not since Eric Dover & Ryan Roxie co-wrote the tune with him this past year. Of course, we've heard this title thrown around since "Last Temptation" was released. I love the verses here & Alice's voice is pretty wicked sounding here, but this one might not fit in well with the general theme of the album. A decent, if unremarkable track. Grade: B+

"This House Is Haunted" - Though some reviewers might make the "Steven" references on this track, I would liken this more to a cross between "Gail" & "Formerly Warmer". Unfortunately, it's not as immediate or compelling as either of the aforementioned songs. Extra points for clever usage of the clarinet, but the lack of grandiosity & reverb really derail the ominous tone that was intended here. Grade: C

"Love Should Never Feel Like This" - Now THIS is more like it! This is a GREAT powerpop/retro blast of thick melody & harmonies. The chiming guitars & farfisa organs in the choruses really harken back to "Love It To Death" & the solo itself is BRILLIANT. Another standout track. Grade: A

"The Song That Didn't Rhyme" - Ok, the melody/accompaniment is very well written, but Alice's plaintive & wooden vocal delivery somewhat stifles the natural flow of the song. Sporting a mindblowing refrain & chorus, it's a shame to see this song really never progress to some sort of crescendo & resolution. A half-baked great idea that simply falls short of it's potential in the arrangement. Grade: B-

"I'm So Angry" - Holy SH*T!!! Like a trainwreck of "Long Way To Go" & "I Wanna Be Your Dog", this track is on FIRE. Another vocal highlight for Alice as well. I haven't heard him sing with this kind of unrestrained aggression since 1973!!! Chuck's bass work is VERY similar to Dennis Dunaway here also. The ending is EXPLOSIVE. WOW!!!! Grade: A+

"Backyard Brawl" - A sleek & choppy blend of "Brutal Planet" era & the heavier material from "Welcome to My Nightmare". Awesome subtle backing vocals toward the end & punchy guitars all the way around. A vicious way to end the album. This rocks! Grade: A-

It amazes me that a man in his mid-fifties can create such a vibrant, energetic & bombastic collection of tracks. For the first time in thirty years, we've been blessed with an album by the Alice Cooper BAND. The "group" feel of the album is undeniable & would surely make Glen & co proud of Alice's return to form. Make no mistake, Alice Cooper is NOT an oldies act. His creative steam has been building over the last decade & if this is any indication of the future for him, we'll be laughing at naysayers ten years from now, as a sixtysomething Alice is still kicking the a**es of his contemporaries in a true ROCK & ROLL backyard brawl...

Overall Grade: A-

After Alice Cooper finished his Brutal Planet and Dragontown tour, in 2003 he returned to the studio to record his new album. His mind was set on creating an album that none of his fans had ever seen before since the 70s. In Alice's last two albums, he was experimenting with new metal. On this one, Alice turned the clock back and returned to his original rock and roll roots. To do this Alice hired a a whole new line-up of musicians including: Eric Singer (Drums), Ryan Roxie (Guitar), Eric Dover (Guitar), Chuck Garric (Bass) and of course Alice on vocals. When Alice collaborated with these guys, together they wrote some of Alice Cooper's best songs to date. This album, "The Eyes of Alice Cooper" is one of Alice Cooper's greatest albums to date.

The Masterpieces:

1. What Do You Want From Me? - One of Alice's greatest openers to an album. This album is loud, heavy and the lyrics are undoubtably amazing. It's about a man that gives his woman everything and she still isn't happy which Alice explains in his lyircs, "I've given you everything. Baby, What Do You Want From Me?" The song is a: A+

3. Man of The Year - An excellent song and excellently written. The song is very catchy. It's about a guy that is married, has kids and does everything write and never breaks the law, as the lyrics go "Cus' I'm the Man of the Year." The song is even a little humorous where the lyircs go, "I can make Madonna faint. Cus' I'm the Man of the Year." The song is a: A

4. Novacaine - THE GREATEST SONG ON THE ALBUM! This song is nothing short of a MASTERPIECE! I went into Alice Cooper's web-site before the album came out and I heard the song and within the first two minutes, I was HOOKED! I literally love this song. The lyrics are excellent, the riffs and beats are really good. This is one of Alice's greatest hits ever. This song definately is in my Top 10 Alice Cooper hits. The song is a: A+, 5 stars, Perfect 100!

6. Be With You A While - Another Alice Cooper ballad. This a pretty good ballad and goes right along with Dragontown's "Every Woman Has A Name." This song is about a man that will do anything to make the woman he loves happy and now she's gone. Some of the lyrics go, "I just wanna be that someone you were looking for. Cus's I can Be With You A While." The song is a: A-

7. Detroit City - A real heavy peice. This song is great. It's very heavy with an array of instruments mixed in with the guitars and drums. The lyrics are also excellent. This song goes right along with KISS's "Detroit Rock City." The song is a: A-

9. This House is Haunted - A scary song but also a perfect Halloween song. The way Alice sings the lyrics is very similar to Brutal Planet's "Pick Up The Bones." You got to hear the lyrics on this one. They are freaky but definately says Alice Cooper. The lyircs are as scary as those on Billion Dollar Babies, "I Love The Dead." The song is a: A-

10. Love Should Never Feel Like This - Excellent song. The song is extremely catchy and the lyrics are genius. It's about a guy that broke up with a girl and he still loves and he can't eat, he can't sleep and he's so weak. That's where the lyrics fit in with "Love Should Never Feel Like This." The song is a: A

13. Backyard Brawl - Excellent closer to an excellent album. The song is fast and real heavy. Of course the title explains that it's about gang fights. It's the perfect gangster song or anyone who likes getting into fights. The chorus line is very catchy without a doubt. "Backyard Brawl, backyard brawl. I like the Backyard Brawl." The song is an: A

Alice Cooper: The Godfather of Shock Rock has done again! This album contains some of Alice's greatest songs ever written. Alice made the right move when he chose to stop experimenting with new metal and just go back to his original roots. This album is a must buy in your Alice Cooper collection. After listening to it once you'll be hooked on "The Eyes of Alice Cooper."

Wow -- I really am surprised; it's a pleasant return to form that I wouldn't have predicted. Alice has shaved off most of the dull excesses of his past 15+ years (painfull overproduction, nods to modern slick metal, etc) & finds us with a foot in his Rock & Roll roots -- and it actually sounds like he's having fun again! It's not all perfect (the opener has some dorky lyrics for example), but plenty of songs play like revved up rockers that the original ACG (or hell, even his original garage 60's band the Spiders) might've worked their way through. There are catchy punky movers like "Man of the Year" & "I'm So Angry", an attempt at channeling some of the magic of "Welcome to my Nightmare ("This House is Haunted" which misses the mark but has it's blackened heart in the right place) and a light smattering of horns here & there a la "Killer" or "Schools Out". Other standouts include the oughtta-be-a-hit "Novocaine", the showtune-styled "Detroit City" (with plenty of namechecks & some hot guitar work from brother Wayne Kramer), the self referential "Between High School & Old School"... I could go on but really there are plenty of other greats. Amazing to me that in 2003 Alice has decided to pull back from the overwraught excesses of his recent career & return to simple Rock & Roll songwriting with a sneer in his voice & some loud rocking guitars behind him. While I'm sure it will confuse many folks w/o much of a sense of where this is really coming from (and will want to try & place it within a more modern context -- I think one other reviewer could only relate it to modern LA rock, which is pretty far off the mark), speaking as someone who's been waiting for Alice to strip it back down to the sound that made him so exciting in the early 70's (and yet understanding that he'd like to keep as many of his more recent fans as possible) I really couldn't ask for much more. It's so good to see you again Alice Cooper! Welcome back.

The first time I remember hearing Alice Cooper was in 1972 while playing pool in my basement. The song, "School's Out," was the favorite of every kid that year. Wow, so long ago...

Jump ahead 31 years to 2003:

I couldn't wait to hear this album when I heard about it. Then I bought it the day it came out and have been enjoying it ever since. It's certainly more along the lines of his "classic" period - certainly not as dark as the excellent "Brutal Planet" or "Dragontown." Even though I give this 5 stars I can't hold it as close to my heart as "Billion Dollar Babies," "Goes To Hell" or "Killer." But, as it stands it is Alice in 2003...it isn't 1973 anymore.

There is a lit of every Alice here to please just about any fan. "What Do You Want From Me?" gets things off and running, and has a more modern appeal. That's followed by the "Constrictor"-like "Between High School & Old School." Both straight ahead rock with that Cooper twist.

I particularly like "This House Is Haunted," which I believe sounds the most like old school Alice such as the "Love It To Death" period. "Detroit City" reminds me of something from "Billion Dollar Babies" era...nice tribute to Iggy & The Stooges and the MC5. Then I hear the excellent "Spirits Rebellious" and realize it could be a "Trash" track. "Bye Bye, Baby" will bring images of "Welcome To My Nightmare" and "Goes To Hell" period Alice...horns included!

My favorite song, however, is the overlooked "The Song That Doesn't Rhyme" - which is an excellent surprise just like "I Never Cry," "Only Women Bleed," or "How You Gonna See Me Now" were on their respective albums. I love the hard-as-nails and morbid Alice as much as anybody, but this is just one of his best songs that just gets into your head and stays there.

Overall it's certainly an excellent addition to Alice's ever expanding catalog. He REFUSES to be a nostalgia act and I respect him a lot for that. Face it, he never gets much airplay or recognition by the mainstream, but then again who cares??? What do they know?...they're too busy gushing over untalented flavors of the month to give any attention to a true talent like Mr. Cooper.

Give this one a try...Raise Your Fist And Yell: "The EYES Have IT!" Enjoy...

One of Alice's strong points is that he tells a story through his music, complete with characters that the listener can relate too. The opening track "What Do You Want From Me?" tells the comical tale of a lovesick boyfriend pleading for his girlfriend's love. He claims to have given up the habits and distractions that he cherishes just to be with her. However, some of his possessions and habits aren't so wholesome. "Man of the Year," a simple guitar driven track, boasts the main character's flawless life; perfect grades, perfect job, perfect family. In true Alice Cooper fashion, the final verse contains an ironic twist. "Novocaine" the CD's first single, is the most melodic and radio friendly song. The catchy chorus drives this number, which is about when Alice's woman touches him. He feels no pain. The trademark ballad shows up with "Be With You a While." This one's more in step with Alice's early ballads "You and Me" and "Only Women Bleed."

The hard-rocking "Detroit City" is where Alice pays homage to his fellow hometown rockers and takes a few shots at the new breed; Ted and Seger were burnin' with fever/ And let the silver bullet fly / The Kid was in his crib / Shady wore a bib. On "This House is Haunted" the creepy mood is set with chamber-like music, as our central character speaks of a lost loved one. Did he kill her? Was it an accident? Either way, he'd rather have her haunt him than have to live with her. The lyrics on "The Song that Didn't Rhyme" are well written, as they completely contradict the way the song is arranged. It's about a bad song. My favorite line is the last; A three minute waste of your time / No redeeming value of any kind / but thanks for the $12.99 / On the song that didn't rhyme. The question I have for Alice is, "Can you tell me were I would find a CD for $12.99?"

Bottom Line:

Alice continues to please his fans on this latest release. This is classic Alice Cooper! It's got gritty guitars, memorable rhythms, and entertaining lyrics. I've seen a few negative reviews about this CD because of its stripped down, garage rock sound. In my opinion, the intelligent songwriting makes up for the lack of high production. It's refreshing to hear that Alice and company can still just plug in and rock.

As an Alice Cooper Group purist, this record is the best thing Alice has done since the original group's swan-song, "Muscle of Love". Like one reviewer said here, this is as close to the "old school" sound of the original band as AC has come since he got the "solo" bug and just kinda left the original Cooper boys scratching their collective heads way back in '74-'75. Rocking tunes, clever lyrics & lots of attitude - kudos to Ryan Roxie & Eric Dover for playing some real sweet rock & roll guitars throughout (no "metal" riffs here, folks) - special thanks to Eric Dover for the very "Love It To Death" pose on the record's inner sleeve, SG & all! If anything, this album is simply refreshing in its gutsy, almost "punk" sound & production (Alice was definitely one of the original punks, for sure). The record has a real "band" feel to it (AC shares writing credits with both aforementioned guitarists, and bassist Chuck Garric as well); there's truly not a bad track on the record (13 of 'em, of course), from the hard & heavy numbers to the almost "Beatley" ballads - I find myself going back and high-lighting a different stand-out track with each listen - when's the last time you did THAT with a record?! The only thing better would be a follow-up featuring the talents of Michael, Dennis & Neal (G.B. we miss ya)! My vote for one of the year's best!

No, honestly, it's scary that Alice Cooper can still do this. After being hoodwinked by the subpar Kiss' "Psycho Circus" and other GREATS still making records, I was skeptical of buying one of the GREATS' new CDs. I must confess, I went to see Alice here in Atlanta 2 years ago (my first time) and was blown away by how he still rocks!

So, here comes a new Alice Cooper CD and I feel the urge to just buy it. Whoa!

I'm giving it 5 stars because no other rockers from the 70s are willing to put their verve back into what made them famous in the first place- darned good rock and roll. While Steven Tyler is busy writing pop radio ballads and Gene Simmons is brushing his hair-plugs and counting his money, Alice Cooper is rocking harder than ever.

Song for song, this is the most complete "Alice" record since "From The Inside". Yeah, yeah- all the metal-heads loved the "Hey Stoopid" etc. era , but remember- Alice Cooper was a pillar of the weird with Frank Zappa. He's returned to the weird.

"Novacaine", "What Do You Wnat From Me", "Detroit City" are excellent rockers. "Bye Bye Baby" sounds like an outtake from "Billion Dollar Babies". "This House if Haunted" is just downright fun. "Backyard Brawl" is more raunchy stupidity than the Ramones could've ever thought of. All in all, this record sounds like reverberations of Alice's entire 30+ year history. I love it to death.

I guess getting older in Rock and Roll doesn't mean you have to fade away. Turn it up instead! Thank you Alice.

I purchased this CD a little more than a week ago, and I'm happy to say that "The Eyes of Alice Cooper" is quite good to listen to. With the Godfather of Shock Rock shedding away all of his theatrical personas, he manages to come full circle in a band that electrifies the 1970's fist-pumping rock scene of Detroit. While under the production of Mudrock (who worked with Godsmack and Powerman 5000), the music of this CD includes raw guitars, a tambourine, a saxophone, a tiny brass section and (most importantly) Mr. Cooper's wisecracking lyrics. Also, because the band didn't intend to create a retro album, some of the tracks are heavily inspired by today's MTV bands (Sum 41, White Stripes, Blink 182, etc.)
I would now like to give you a few highlights. "What Do You Want from Me" is a hilarious song that's heavily inspired by "The Man Show." It asks this question: How cheap does a boyfriend have to be to take his date to Target for a birthday meal?! "Between High School and Old School" is a post-millenium anthem for misfits and loners. My most favorite tune, "Man of the Year" concerns a married man who kills himself to escape America's pre-fabricated image of the perfect businessman. This tune will shock you because you can hear the loud clicking of a trigger! "Novocaine" is a potential single that's laced with black, violent humor; it will definitely leave you with stitches and bruises! "Be With You Awhile" is a charming love song that changes the album's mood. With a slowly played piano in the foreground, this track's rhythm wafts like smoke billowing off a candle. Another favorite of mine, "Detroit City," celebrates the rock scene that once thrived in Mr. Cooper's birthplace. While praising pioneers like Iggy Pop and MC5, Alice also comments how HE was making music years before Eminem, ICP and Kid Rock learned to walk! "This House is Haunted" is a sad and creepy ditty where Cooper mentions the ghost of a dead lover. While hearing a sobbing clarinet in the background, I myself envision him as a lonely old man rocking in a wheelchair; he's alone on the front porch of his abadoned house. "The Songs that Didn't Rhyme" is also quite funny. It's basically about a rock singer suffering a HORRIBLE case of writer's block! Finally, the hammering "Backyard Brawl" is a clever anthem for hardcore wrestling, a controversial sport where chairs, thumbtacks and barbed wire are legal weapons!
I decided to rate this album 4 stars because I personally felt that there wasn't any real musical breakthrough. Some of the songs didn't sound like original pieces, since they often recycled what Cooper tackled years before (teen angst, rock rebellion, violence, etc.) Still, I recommend this album to anyone NEW to Alice Cooper's 30-year career; any average buyer who has never heard his previous material.

This is a great Alice Cooper Cd. (I just give it 4 stars cuase, to me, nothing beats the cds Brutal Planet & The Last Temptation). Again, my fav drummer Eric Singer (of KISS), drums on this cool Alice Album. Unlike Brutal Planet, It's not a heavy, heavy record, but has a twist of old school rock Alice from the School's Out & Billion Dollar Babies Days mixed with the newer rock sound. A tad poppy, but it certainly screams ALICE. Alice maybe older, but with lyrics on the songs What Do You Want From Me, Man of the Year and Novacane, Alice shows he knows whats going on in society and reflects angst and humor in these great songs. Other cool songs are Detroit, Back Yard Brawl and the Horror-esque This House is Haunted. If you want a fun rock album in your collection by the Horror Music Legend, pick this one up!! It's worth it!!