Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 07/17/2001
Big Ones serves up the hits and nothing but the hits (
Aerosmith's excellent debut for
Geffen,
Done with Mirrors, was conveniently overlooked for this collection). So what's left is some of the finest mainstream
hard rock of the late '80s and early '90s; the fruit of one of the most remarkable comebacks in
rock & roll history. Unfortunately, there's precious little of the classic
Aerosmith raunch; in fact, the two new tracks are the hardest, slinkiest tracks here. Otherwise, the up-tempo tracks bog down in overproduction (
"Love in an Elevator"), and the often embarrassingly overwrought power ballads (
"Angel" and
"Crazy") dominate too much of the album. So what's left? The band's best stab at social commentary (
"Janie's Got a Gun"); a sublime, slinky throwaway (
"Deuces Are Wild"); deliciously sleazy
blues-rock (
"Rag Doll" and
"[Dude] Looks Like a Lady"); and their best ballads (
"What It Takes") and
"Cryin'"). [Also available as an expanded edition.]
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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