Toxic Triumphs

5
Great Aerosmith Albums
In light of the recent news about Steven Tyler, 60, it's time to pay tribute to Aerosmith's moments of greatness. A notable exclusion is "Toys in the Attic" (1975). This one has what are arguably Aersomith's two best songs, "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way." But classic rock stations have wrung all the life out of these two songs -- at least for me. What's left are some good "deep-cut" tunes. "Uncle Salty," "Toys in the Attic" and "No More No More" are both rocking and beautiful.
So anyhow, here are 5 great non-"Toys in the Attic" Aerosmith albums:

• Rocks (1976) -- This is their best-arranged '70s album. "Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child" are the hits; "Rats in the Cellar" is the underappreciated deep cut. "Home Tonight" is one of the better metal-band power-ballads, coming from a time before the power-ballad became such a cynical, perfunctory requisite on every metal-band's album.
• Pump (1989) -- Album-wise, "Pump" is probably Aerosmith's signature work. The songs flow, especially with the micro-songs and sound collages that segue many of the tracks. It kicks less arse than the band's best '70s albums -- the price paid for high production and keyboards, which almost always blunt metal.
• Get Your Wings (1974) -- I dug this one out of my CD graveyard a half-year ago; I'd forgotten what a strong overall album it is. The sound is crude (in a different way from how the lyrics are crude), but it still works nicely in sequence as a whole album. There are no throwaway tracks -- I actually think the lone hit, "Same Old Song and Dance," may be the weakest song on the album. "Seasons of Wither," a transcendently sad and beautiful ballad, has gotten some love as the years have gone on; so has "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (though it's neither sad nor beautiful).
  
• Aerosmith (1973) -- Their very underrated debut album. "Dream On" is on this album, so is "Mama Kin." All eight tracks are good, though -- they're raw, and on everything besides "Dream On" they just sound like a great, blues-tilted bar band. "Movin' Out" may be the most underrated song in Aerosmith's quarter-century of existence.
  
• Permanent Vacation (1987) -- This album sounds like a triumph. Like "Pump," it's blunted by heavy production. There's nothing metal about "Dude Looks Like a Lady" or "Angel." But "Rag Doll" is a great pop tune, and the album is bookended by great tracks -- "Heart's Done Time" leads off, and the instrumental "The Movie" brings it to a heavy, ominous conclusion.