Customer Reviews

Nine Lives

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Could it be that Nine Lives is Aerosmiths most over looked gem in the catolog? Yes it is true this gem is over shadowed by Get A Grip, Pump, and Permanant Vacation when really Nine Lives is better then all three of those albums. You wount find any filler here. Now dont get me wrong I love those other albums but Nine Lives is just better. The first half of the album rocks the hardest with songs like 'Nine Lives' 'Falling In Love' 'Somethings Gotta Give' and 'Taste of India'. The second half of the album is a little less hard but still kicks the [crud]out of most any other album of the 90's. This album does have an unusual amount of ballads, even for Aerosmith but its all good, you wount find a flaw. Steven Tylers voice is the best voice you will ever hear and he shows that of well hear. Joe Perry plays slide on all but to tracks (Nine Lives, Falling In Love) and he pulls it off extremly well, I think he is the most underrated slide guitar player ever. But then I also think Perry is the greatest guitar player to ever pick the instrument up. Brad and Toms rythm is tight as always. Joeys crashing drums are Over The Top as always. Out of all the studio albums Aerosmith has made this is in the top for with Aerosmith, Get Your Wings, and Toys In The Attic. I personaly think this is slightly better then Rocks, and that is saying a whole lot. Get this, play it loud, and sit back and enjoy!

I was one of those Aerosmith fans who were disappointed with GET A GRIP. It had a few good tunes but also had a lot of drivel. However I ended up enjoying two of the 3 songs that came out after that album(Deuces Are Wild and Walk On Water). After hearing the lead off single for this album, "Falling In Love(Is Hard On The Knees)", I was convinced Aerosmith was back to where they should be. And when I bought the album, I was not disappointed. The album felt raw and less contrived for success. The songs were not in vogue with the music world of 1997. No, this was Aerosmtih as they shuold be. Great hard rock n roll. Even the big ballad "Hole In My Soul" was tolerable this time was the vocal performance from Tyler was top notch. Who didnt want to raise a tall frosty one to "Full Circle"? What a great vibe on that tune. "Nine Lives" the song was an instant favorite as well as it just blew right out of the gate as the lead off track. Consequently I never enjoyed "Pink" too much and yet now that seems to be the "hit" from this album. I just never seem to know how to pick 'em. I do think this was a great Aerosmith album in the tradition of their 70s stuff but with the pop sensabilities Tyler and Co. just could not turn off. This album is a masterpiece next to their follow up cd "Just Push Play." I think many people should give this one another try and check it out once more.

So it's taken me a while, but I finally figured it all out: for every new Aerosmith album there is a particular theme that corresponds to it. Their first album has tons of originality to it, while Pump was the album you could use when hooking up with your significant other. Carrying in that tradition, Aerosmith lets lose their musical insanity with Nine Lives. It's bold and edgy and one would think that Aerosmith is high the entire time they're playing (only they're not). Particular songs such as Nine Lives (from which the album derives its name), Full Cirle, Something's Gotta Give, and others are instant hits, and they all suck you into their rhythm within the first few notes. This album is definitely one to count among the shining stars of Aerosmith's career, if not their crown jewel. Ludwig Van Beethoven once said, "Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life." Thanks to Aerosmith, he's right.

This album brought Aerosmith back into both hard rocking and radio pop play. This album, to start with, is one of the heaviest albums they have done. I liked that a lot.
The title track and first song is the perfect begining for what's about to come, screams! The guitars rock hard and the rhythm section drives you in the record.
As the songs go by, the record only keeps getting better, maybe not heavier, yet the songs are catchier. Great job on the oriental sound of "Taste Of India", interesting melodies on "full circle" and great horns section on "Falling In Love". The song "Thorn in my soul" is also another great one, specially in the lyrical section.
The remainding of the songs are interesting yet they didn't catch my attention as much as the first ones. "Crash" is pretty hard rocking. "Pink" is the lowdown definitely. Other songs such as "The Farm" sound more like Aerosmith joking rather than playing songs worth of an Aerosmith album.
Yet, the best is to come, the last song "Fallen Angels" is just masterfull. Great passion into this song. Still has a little bit of that oriental sound that keeps repeating throughout some melodies in the album, which for Aerosmith is a change. yet this song is amazing, and definitely the best of the album.
Gotta get it, it might not be the Aerosmith of the 70's, neither the one of the 80's or the one that followed this record, but still leaves a great record to remember.
Highlights: Nine Lives, Fallen Angels

WOW! this CD is awsome!!! My best friend recommended to me, and I wasn't sure, but this CD is great, specially for hole in my soul and Pink, which are superb!!!

It's truly unbelieveable when a band with its singer dying,their guitarist completely broke,and the entire band split in half comes back and blows everyone away(like standing in a hurricane)and sells as much in one album as in their entire career.But boy,Aerosmith did it,and did it well!

While Nine Lives was not where it began all over again,it was still an amazing album that sold well and had several great tracks on it.Now some,when they heard "Angel" (from "Permanent Vacation")totally shunned Aerosmith from then on.Those people will probably never get to hear Nine Lives and will be seriously missing out.As for the songs themselves...

This is certainly not the hardest rock album ever.That is not to say you won't get to bang your head alot;it's just that with five ballads(you heard me:FIVE)you might think that it's just a little slow.In my humble opinion,this is one of the best Aerosmith albums to date.
"Falling In Love(Is Hard On The Knees)"is one of the best songs they ever wrote,"Taste Of India" is totally rocking,filled with cool riffs and harmonious melodies.Yes,there are head-banging rockers too."Crash","Something's Gotta Give",and "Attitude Adjustment" are about as hard-rocking as they're gonna get.The ballad "Full Circle" is one of the most swinging songs Aerosmith ever wrote.

To sum up the album,I must say,that Aerosmith truly outdid themselves here.Aerosmith is and will always be around and rocking because they really do have nine lives(pun intended).While Rolling Stone may hate them and others may hate them too,I certainly don't;and will keep being a fan while and after that train keeps a rollin' down the tracks. And
remember:"Nine Lives,live for Ten!"

Steven Tyler and Joe Perry have done it again. The two of them writing songs together is the best combination in rock and roll. My favorite songs off the album are "Hole in my Soul", "Full Circle", "KISS your Past Goodbye", "Fallen Angels, "Taste of India". Steve is one of the best songwriter's to walk the earth. If you're an Aerosmith fan this is the next album.

Well first i am a huge Aerosmith fan. So i am a bit biased but i do know when music stinks and this album doesnt have one horrible song on it, just a couple of dissapointing ones that have potential and miss it. So here's my review
1. Nine Lives: Aerosmith really knows how to start off albums with a bang ( ie Toys in the Attic, Rats in the Cellar, Draw the Line, Young Lust and Eat the Rich) This one is no different. Sure the cats meow at the begining can get a bit annoying but when you get passed that its a incredibly good and hard rocking song with some great lyrics and great guitars. Its a shame they dont throw this in live still. 10/10
2.Falling In Love Is So hard on the Knees: A typical Aerosmith song with sexual ennuendo. A great video accompanyed this single. Great riff and a really good song. 9/10
3.Hole In My Soul: I am not one for the "softer" side of Aerosmith as much as some so this song dissapoints me a bit, however as far as ballads go this one has a deep feel to it. You can relate to the meaning of the song. But its not the same as What it Takes and the trio from gag. It just doesnt have that same feel to it. No wonder y they pulled it from the set pretty fast. 6.5/10
4.Taste of India: The first time i heard this song i loved it and for a while it was my favorite off the album. But the more i listen to it the less i am into it. Its a little different sounding but in a good way. I just cant get into it as much. 6/10
5.Full Circle: A good song could have done more with it though. 7/10
6.Somethings Gotta Give: I love this song. Its got a really fun vibe to it. And has a definte Aero feel to it 8/10
7.Aint That A Bitch: In my opinion this is one of their few true masterpieces since pump. Such an underated song. 30/10
8.The Farm: Another song that is underated it is very rocking song that always gets me going. 10/10
9.Crash: I like this song but not as much as the others. Just doesnt seem to move me to much. Not bad but not great either. 6/10
10.Kiss Your Past Goodbye: I think this is a great song that should still be played in their sets sometimes today. 9/10
11.Pink. I think this song is okay. Nowhere near how good alot of people think it is. It was one of their biggest hits in the 90's. It is better live than on cd. 7/10
12.Attitude Adjustment: This song has it all great guitars good drumming and great lyrics. Should be played live. 10/10
13.Fallen Angels: I happen to think this is a great song with good lyrics my only problem with this song is that aerosmith made it. I think it is to sappy and poppy for them. Its an okay way to end an album but still shouldnt be an aero song. 5/10

Favorite Tracks. Nine Lives, Aint that a bitch , Attitude Adjustment
Least Favorite. Taste of India, Fallen Angels

Aerosmith has always been one of my favorite groups, and this cd was no dissapointment. Taste of India is a great song, defintely worth listening to. Hole in My Soul has awesome lyrics. The first time I listened to that song I was amazed. The entire cd is worth it!

Just when the music climate started to become a conglomerate of intangible tunes of gloom, Aersomith breezes back to Earth, sucker-punching the world with their newest release, Nine Lives. It's been four long years since the public has heard some new noise from the Boston Bad Boys. The wait may have been a long one, but the rewarding end result has been sweet.
Nine Lives begins it's musical journey with a meow (literally). The heavy-hitting, ass-kicking, Aerosmith-licking title track sets the stage for what's left to come. The first single, Falling In Love (Is Hard On The Knees), a rocking number jammed packed with plenty of amusing, tongue-in-cheek lip, follows. Things slow down a pace with Hole In My Soul, an aesthetically written ballad with a haunting, splendid melody, hearkening to the more classical-sounding Aero ballads of yesteryear.
Next up at the plate is the rhythm-grooving tune, Taste of India (and Mr. Tyler ain't talking about the country, folks). With it's funky, driving beat and hypnotic lyrics, this one proves to be a unique gem. Full Circle, a swing ballad-type, is brimming with clever sing-along lyrics that you can easily sing to while sitting around a campfire, chugging a brew. A cool-sounding drum beat opens Something's Gotta Give, a hard-rocking tune that jams ("Does the noise in my head bother you?"). Ain't That A Bitch starts out slow and mellow, kicking into a straight ahead upbeat song, full of clever hooks ("Love is like the right dress on the wrong girl").
A bit of experimenting on the next two songs, The Farm and Crash, end in pleasing results. The Farm starts out with bits of dialog from The Wizard of Oz, providing a whimsical touch, telling a tale of jest (and it's not Kansas). A bit different, but easily likable. Crash is a furious-sounding, fast-paced rocker with an awesome harmonica and drum solo that totally jams.
Two more ballads, Kiss Your Past Good-bye and Fallen Angels, add to the collection of ballads on this album. Kiss Your Past Good-bye has some well-penned prose, making it one of the most meaningful songs on the album. The song starts with simple vocals and guitar, and the melody builds with euphonious keyboards and some beautiful guitar work. Fallen Angels, the finale, sounds much like the ballads from Get A Grip, with the exception of the instrumentation at the beginning and end of the song. Tin-sounding drums, tambourines, a flute, and some other horns supply a vastly cultural sound to the song. Lyrically, it's one of the deepest songs on the album, which makes up for a drawn-out ending that could have been a tad shorter.
Pink and Attitude Adjustment are sandwiched between the last two ballads, continuing the well-planned song placement on the album. Pink is extremely sexy, with it's playfully seductive lyrics. It has an almost country-rock flavor to it, peppered with some mean harmonics and acoustics, and complimented with a steady drum beat. Attitude Adjustment is an upbeat, fast-paced, in-your-face, guitar-laden rocker with inventive lyrics.
Not able to take Nine Lives out of my CD player, the wait seems well worth it. Nine Lives should not disappoint fans, old or new. The album flows from one song to the other, providing a nice mix between ballads and rockers. The lyrics are so cleverly penned: From the songs that go straight-for-the-heart, to the ones that go straight-to-the-groin, to the ones that make you chuckle, to the ones make you think. Musically, the band has never sounded better. You can hear tones of classic Aerosmith, mixed with the modern sound they have adopted in recent years.
All the same -- it's still Aerosmith. It's easy to see why the band has lived within the hearts of their fans. Aerosmith, after all of these years, can still rock your bootie off or touch your soul with their own brand of hard-hitting, funky-rhythm, blues-flavored music that's exciting, sexy, sincere, and full of balls.
As an added bonus, for the computer-geek generation, there's a free Music Media game that can have even the most intelligent scratching their head with frustration.
Nine Lives will disappoint very few who still believe in the power of real rock n' roll. Nine lives and twenty-plus years later, the Boston Bad Boys can still kick the spunk out of the younger, trendier bands of today. Thank God for Aerosmith -- someone needs to show `em how it's really done.

© By Diane Trautweiler. Written April 1, 1997.