Trash

by

Alice Cooper

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I know it might sound crazy, but I really feel that this is ALICE COOPER'S best work. I love Alice, and all of his work, but this album is so entertaningly cheesy and experimental that it just bowled me over when I finally got it a couple of months ago. The idea of production by Desmond Child (Bon Jovi), made me wary of what he'd make Alice sound like, but what he's managed to do is add the same hooky sing-along sensability that he did for Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. I know that might sound a little wrong for Alice Cooper, but give this album a chance. The big hit, "Poison", is a great, campy rocker, and virtually the entire album is wall-to-wall hooks galore. This album basically reflects Alice Cooper moving to a style somewhere between Motley Crue and Bon Jovi. The songs: "Bed of Nails", "Only my Heart Talking", "Hell is living without you" (a song co-written and backed by Bon Jovi), and "House of Fire" are all amazingly catchy, goofy songs. This album is pure trash (like the title), but trash that is supremely fun and entertaining. As great as all his early stuff is, this is the kind of album that, wall-to-wall, features songs that you will not be able to get out of your head after you listen to them. Trust me. This one may be more for 80's rock fans than ALICE COOPER purists, but anyone with an open mind will find a astoundingly catchy and fun album if they're willing to listen to it.

"Trash" is not Alice Cooper's best but it's immensely enjoyable nonetheless. A reviewer here has pointed to the fact that Mr. Cooper hangs his head in shame on the cover while delivering unabashed "Trash". I find that pretty funny as it may actually contain quite a bit of truth. Alice Cooper is not a very complicated musician lyrically speaking but his endless diversified quest in finding a right sound has produced some very memorable albums. At this point in his career he was having a tough time getting a hit single so he enlisted a hit maker (Desmond Child) to aid him in that respect. Also here are artists Joan Jett, Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Steven Tyler, who by the way had all been a bit influenced by the Coop, helping Cooper get to the top of the charts. IT WORKED.

On this album there are at least two classics; "Poison" and "Bed of Nails". Numbers like "Spark in the Dark", "House of Fire", "Only My Heart Talkin'" and the title track go down really well and overall this is a fine Cooper album, although a bit more shallow than usually.

I treasure this album as it helped the Coop get visible again and he needs not hang his head in shame as far as I'm concerned.