Band:	Alice Cooper
Album:	The Eyes Of Alice Cooper
Style:	Hard rock, Heavy metal, Glam rock
Release date:	2003
Guest review by:	ScreamingSteelUS

01. What Do You Want From Me?
02. Between High School And Old School
03. Man Of The Year
04. Novocaine
05. Bye Bye, Baby
06. Be With You Awhile
07. Detroit City
08. Spirits Rebellious
09. This House Is Haunted
10. Love Should Never Feel Like This
11. The Song That Didn't Rhyme
12. I'm So Angry
13. Backyard Brawl

The Eyes Of Alice Cooper is a wonderfully refreshing album. It is very much a return to the style of the original Alice Cooper band; it sounds like a bunch of guys just jamming in someone's garage for a while and recording themselves for the hell of it. This album is simple, rough, and punkish, veering away from the dark and sadistic direction Alice had previously taken.

Although "This House Is Haunted" takes a reprieve to explore some classic, creepy Alice Cooper horror, even this typical song comes with a different twist. Most of this album is dominated by a very old school rock and roll approach; it is positively dripping with Iggy Pop and MC5 influence. "Detroit City" is an apt tribute to the Detroit music scene, which included the aforementioned bands, and features the MC5's Wayne Kramer on guitar. "Man Of The Year" and "I'm So Angry" imitate the Ramones impeccably, while "Between High School And Old School" bears some resemblance to Nirvana and AC/DC. This is a stripped-down rock and roll album with no frills, no gimmicks, and no-holds-barred punk attitude. Yet another experiment pays off for Alice, who sounds right at home snarling and screaming these simple songs.

There are a few slower songs, like the Wilco-esque "Be With You Awhile" and "The Song That Didn't Rhyme," which still sound very much like heartfelt ballads played in someone's basement rather than the generic, overproduced "power" ballads that Alice might have released in the late '80s. This album has soul and spirit that very few other Alice Cooper albums possess; the rawness and simplicity convey a genuineness that makes hearing this album a rewarding experience. The production isn't nearly as professional or clean as anything Alice did from the demise of the original band up to this point, and that is the best possible sound for The Eyes Of Alice Cooper. The groovy bass and occasional saxophones help solidify the classic rock and roll aesthetic.

It had been a long time since Alice Cooper released anything in this vein. Standouts like "What Do You Want From Me" and "I'm So Angry" are just the kind of loud, abrasive, fun music that the original punk bands used to play in the '70s. The lyrics to "Detroit City" truly embody the nature of this album; it's a "shock rock choppin' block, songs to make your heart stop." It's a shame that so much of Alice Cooper's catalog gets overlooked, because The Eyes Of Alice Cooper is an excellent album.