Alice Cooper has stated that this album would be stripped down to the bare bones and just rock. Well, he ain't no liar as rock it does! The nearest sound to his classic 70's period that he has produced and every track is a gem (bar the last track 'Backyard Brawl' that lets the side down). Long time cohorts, drummer Eric Singer and guitarists Eric Dover and Ryan Roxie are joined by bassist Chuck Garric and keys man Teddy Andreadis.

Stripped back rockers include 'Detroit City', a nod to Alice's heritage and featuring MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer. Then there is 'Man Of The Year', driven by a fast riff and Alice sounding very different vocally, less menacing than normal. But those lyrical couplets are intact, best here is 'My prostate is a jewel'! Bits of embellishment are in evidence via the horns on 'Bye Bye, Baby', a possible single contender. The horror side of Alice is still beating strong on 'This House Is Haunted', as the title suggests it's a slow, creepy number that Alice excels at. The song of the album? A tough call but for me its 'The Song That Didn't Rhyme', a touch of humour and a sly dig at the music business at the same time, plus could this be the only Alice song to feature an accordion?

Alice Cooper is certainly enjoying a purple patch, both with his recorded output and live shows and long may it continue. Buy with confidence!

****

Review by Jason Ritchie