search
date/time
Cumbria Times
A Voice of the Free Press
frontpagebusinessartscarslifestylefamilytravelsportsscitechnaturefictionCartoons
Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
10:44 AM 2nd March 2021
arts

Alice Cooper - Detroit Stories (Ear Music)

 
If you are expecting the shock rock metal associated with Alice Cooper you might be in for a surprise with this new album.

Cooper and esteemed producer Bob Ezrin gathered some legendary Detroit musicians in a Detroit studio to record Detroit Stories, his new album that celebrates that spirit for a new era. If 2019’s Breadcrumbs EP laid down the trail to the city, Detroit Stories drives like a muscle car right down Woodward Ave.

As usual Cooper is in bravura vocal and lyrical form, whether rolling over the boozy blues of 'Drunk In Love', rabble-rousing on his hometown tribute 'Detroit City 2021,' playing one of the quintessential Detroit characters with typical humour on 'Independence Dave', or joining his original bandmates, all sounding miraculously ageless on 'I Hate You'.

Covers of the MC5’s 'Sister Anne' (featuring MC5’s Wayne Kramer) and Bob Seger’s 'East Side Story' pay homage while fitting flawlessly into the Alice Cooper legacy.

Even this version of The Velvet Underground’s 'Rock And Roll' is a tribute to Detroit – written by Lou Reed, and famously recorded by Mitch Ryder’s Detroit featuring drummer Johnny Bee and guitarist Steve Hunter, with Bob Ezrin producing – with all three reprising their roles for Detroit Stories, and adding the legendary Joe Bonamassa as a bonus.

Finally, it wouldn’t be a proper collection of Detroit tales if it didn’t include a few songs featuring the original band members, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith.

And look out for U2’s Larry Mullen, Grand Funk Railroad’s Mark Farner, Outrageous Cherry’s Matthew Smith, a surprise guest turn by Sister Sledge, plus current Alice Cooper band member Tommy Henriksen.

Songwriting collaborators with Alice on the album include original band members Neal Smith and Dennis Dunaway, Bob Ezrin, MC5’s Wayne Kramer, and current band members Tommy Henriksen, Chuck Garric, and Ryan Roxie.

He sounds rejuvenated on this fine return.



I rate the album 3 out of 5.