maniac1075

[Maniac1075]

Ol' Black Eyes returns with what was looking to be one of his best albums in years, with a look that it had "classic coop" written all over it. From the choice of song titles to the presentation there looked to be a theme of horror coming back that had not been seen clearly since, well besides "Brutal Planet", since "Raise Your First" in 1987.

The pattern that had been emerging in recent years for coop was coming out of no where with death rock sounds on the Brutal Planet and Dragon Town albums that divided a lot of fans, and then returning to that Hard Rock sound on the Eyes of Alice and Dirty Diamonds albums.... since the last 2 albums, Alice has been back in force.

Then.... along came a spider.

1. Prologue/ I know where you live
2. Vengeance is mine
3. Wake the dead
4. Catch me if you can
5. (In touch with your) feminine side
6. Wrapped in silk
7. Killed by love
8. I'm hungry
9. The one that got away
10. Salvation
11. I am the spider/ Epilogue

Itunes exclusive tracks (you have to buy and download these)
12. Shadow Of Yourself
13. I'll still be there
14. Salvation (unplugged)



I am writing this review a while after i did my first review on amazon, the day after I got the album. I gave it 4 stars. here
Having given it time to listen to it for a while, my review actually has gone down since then.

Overall, the sound is trying to lean towards something new again, and less hard rock. But the thing still missing from this whole album is catchy riffs and memorable tunes.
Only 1 or two tracks stood out right away for me on the first listen. But they weren't sticking out by a mile, they still left me feeling disappointed with this album when it was over. And still to this day after a few listens.

Tracks such as "I know where you live", Vengeance is mine", "Catch me if you can", "The one that got away" & "I am the spider" are the only decent tracks on this album, and the rest sound like fillers.
However, "I am the spider" seems like the only song on here that is a track by itself. The other songs all sound like they could be chopped up, and mixed together to make a 4 minute remix to sum up all those songs at once.

And it won't surprise me one bit to hear them mixed up on a live show, just like Alice mixed up "Brutal Planet / Dragon Town / Sex Death & Money / Gimmie"
Also after hearing some of these songs played live on recent bootlegs, there not standing out on live performances either, and will not be missed if they get dropped from the set list.



Coop is saying that the tour will be as big as the Welcome To My Nightmare tour of '77, but I somehow doubt he has put 6 months into the pre-production of this one and will come anywhere near as memorable, as the Welcome To My Nightmare album was classic stuff with or without a stage show to back it up.
Recently I discovered 3 more tracks for this album that you could only get through itunes. And again, they sound like the fit on this album perfectly.... meaning, not one of them stands out, they sound just like most of the other songs on this album and there is nothing classic about any of it.

Especially when Salvation unplugged makes it sound like it's a different version, played acoustically... but it is in fact the exact same track with the guitars taken out and left with just the piano and a few tid bits of an orchestra.
I never thought i'd say this about Alice, but I really do not like this album much. I haven't heard an Alice album I have not liked since 1982's "Zipper Catches Skin" that would blow my mind if anyone who is not an Alice Cooper fan had heard of even 1 track from that album here



Along came a spider is no where near as bad as "Zipper Catches Skin", as at least 3 songs are decent enough to listen to again and again... but it is a major downfall compared to the last 9 albums since Z.C.S.

The new spider album can not really be compared to any other Alice album. It doesn't have any tracks that feel classic, or just rock your socks off. I can't imagine any of these tracks being played on the radio, or worth doing a video clip to. Don't expect any classic songs such as Posion or Hey Stoopid, nor anything as deep as "Brutal Planet" or "Wicked Young Man" and the balleds are still there, but not the same.
Overall, I can only give this 3 stars due to nothing being majorly catchy, too much of it sounds exactly the same as the last song, there is too much clapping along with the tracks, and the riffs are easily forgettable.

Along came a spider..... no one really took notice, and so it fucked off and went away.

I hope his next album goes back to the Eyes Of Alice and Dirty Diamonds feel, with fun rock and catchy tunes.
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[MetalMan]

I was good had some good songs but it isn't his best can't beat prince of darkness, killer, brutal planet, dirty diamonds
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