If you thought you heard all AEROSMITH, you better keep reading. We already featured at plotn08 all AEROSMITH classic first era albums in its Japanese Blu-Spec CD2 pressing, the best sounding version you could get… until now.
Those Japan releases used the 1993 remastering job, which are good, but wait to listen to this new 2023 CD release of AEROSMITH‘s seventh studio album ”Rock in a Hard Place” featuring a new remaster – this simply blows out of the water anything you heard before.
Housed into a transparent jewel case and discrete artwork – poor, if you ask – oddly, the back cover art states this is the 1993 20-bit remaster. Someone must have forgotten to scrub it before it went to the printers.
Anyway, what matters in this fresh 2023 release of “Rock in a Hard Place” is the defined, pristine warm sound of this CD. You’d never heard this album so good. And it isn’t ‘quiet’ at all – it’s potent yet not distorted.
So yes folks, this is the definitive version of the underrated “Rock in a Hard Place”, featured in exclusive at plotn08.
”Rock In a Hard Place” is considered by some to not be a “real” Aerosmith album because it is the only one to not include the ‘fab five’ members. I have a hard time concurring as this has been one of my favorite Aerosmith albums for close to thirty years. It is a strong, edgy, and (most importantly) unique effort that captures a lot of dynamics surrounding the band’s situation perfectly.
Though, many fans and critics lamented the departure of guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford and claimed that the band’s traditional chemistry was not present on this album. Perry left the band abruptly while in the middle of recording the previous album, Night In the Ruts and went on to form the Joe Perry Project. Whitford was still with the band at the beginning of this album’s sessions in 1981 but departed after recording just one track.
Of course, the music still sounds like Aerosmith because of the presence of Steven Tyler. But Tyler’s voice is strained throughout the album, something that may otherwise be a liability, but surprisingly this adds to the overall air of desperation throughout the mixes.
It also adds to the feel that this is a straight-forward, no bullshit rock jam album.
Perry and Whitford were replaced by guitarists Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay (who actually does not play on the record). Crespo is a great axe-slinger, and brought a unique yet hard-rockin’ edge. Crespo, co-wrote many of the songs on the album.
Also, drummer Joey Kramer plays especially well on this album, holding together some of the looser compositions with a strong and steady rhythm.
The album starts in a frenzy with “Jailbait”, a collaboration by Tyler & Crespo. The song seems to be linked in many ways with third track “Bitch’s Brew” as it explicitly refers to it, is composed in a very loose lyrical fashion, and the subject matter seems to very similar – seduction and sex. Of these two, “Bitch’s Brew” is a lot more interesting due to its odd arrangement and Tyler’s vocals, which are particularly strained throughout.
A slow, synthesized string introduces “Lightning Strikes”, a song co-written with longtime band collaborator Richard Supa about gangs and gang fights. This is the only track to feature Brad Whitford, who left the band during its recording in 1981. Whitford, who was a founding member of Aerosmith, is billed as simply an “additional musician” in the credits. The band created one of their earliest actual music videos for MTV.
“Bolivian Ragamuffin” is a heavy blues composition similar to the band’s material on Draw The Line. Crespo wails on a crying, slide electric throughout and this song seems to be the band at its most intense jamming on the album. A cover of Arthur Hamilton’s “Cry Me a River” lightens the mood a bit with a soft, jazzy, night club intro and opening verses. However, the song does explode later into a full-fledged strong rock interpretation while maintaining the basic, moody vibe.
The second side starts with, perhaps, the oddest Aerosmith song on record called “Joanie’s Butterfly”. Kicking off with a “Prelude” that includes a highly synthesized, barely audible, spoken voice above a chorus of quasi-Eastern chants by Tyler, the song proper breaks in with a more straight-forward, Eastern-flavored rhythm, with a strummed acoustic, layered percussion, a dulcimer, and more layered vocals. At about 1:45, the song breaks into a more rock-oriented arrangement with some really nice sonic changes straight through until the long ending crescendo with violin and various other string instruments.
The song was co-written by producer Jack Douglas.
The album finishes strong with three well-produced rockers. The title song, “Rock In a Hard Place (Cheshire Cat)” is a fine rocking song featuring the strongest performance on the album by bassist Tom Hamilton and more great guitar work.
“Jig Is Up” is one of the great forgotten classics of Aerosmith, with a solid rock sound not heard from the band since 1976’s Rocks, and a lyrical theme similar to the Stones’ “Brown Sugar”.
The album closes with Tyler’s “Push Comes to Shove”, a completely undecipherable screed by the singer that is reportedly about his then girlfriend and future wife, but who knows to what end. Nonetheless, it is a pleasant listen in the Aerosmith-blues style and features some good piano by session man Paul Harris.
Panned by most critics, some fans, and even band members themselves, 1982’s ”Rock In a Hard Place” may well be an underrated gem in the long career of one of America’s most storied bands.
Still, purists lament that it is the only release which deviates from the five man lineup that was the band before and would be the band again. In 1984, Aerosmith embarked on a reunion tour which brought Perry and Whitford back into the fold and the band would achieve international stardom in years to come.
Highly Recommended
You’ve seen it first at anywhere
01 – Jailbait (Remaster)
02 – Lightning Strikes (Remaster)
03 – Bitch’s Brew (Remaster)
04 – Bolivian Ragamuffin (Remaster)
05 – Cry Me A River (Remaster)
06 – Prelude To Joanie (Remaster)
07 – Joanie’s Butterfly (Remaster)
08 – Rock In A Hard Place (Cheshire Cat) (Remaster)
09 – Jig Is Up (Remaster)
10 – Push Comes To Shove (Remaster)
Steven Tyler – lead vocals, keyboards, harmonica, percussion
Jimmy Crespo – guitar, backing vocals
Tom Hamilton – bass
Joey Kramer – drums
Brad Whitford – rhythm guitar on “Lightning Strikes”
Paul Harris – piano on “Push Comes to Shove”
John Turi – saxophone on “Rock in a Hard Place (Cheshire Cat)”
Reinhard Straub – violin on “Joanie’s Butterfly”
John Lievano – acoustic guitar on “Joanie’s Butterfly”
Jack Douglas – percussion, producer, additional engineer