Toys in the Attic [SACD]

1	Toys in the Attic 3:05
2	Uncle Salty 4:10
3	Adam's Apple 4:34
4	Walk This Way 3:40
5	Big Ten Inch Record 2:16
6	Sweet Emotion 4:34
7	No More No More 4:34
8	Round and Round 5:03
9	You See Me Crying 5:12

Barnes & Noble

It's easy to forget that Aerosmith once typified everything that was good about '70s rock 'n' roll. Their particular blend included strong, heavy guitar riffs, imaginative arrangements, and witty lyrics, as exemplified in this 1975 classic. From the crescendo of the cymbal swell in the opening title track to the orchestral bravura of the album's finale "You See Me Crying," the hard-rockin' quintet from Boston not only continues the legacy of blues-inflected rock 'n' rol but transcends it. "Walk This Way," an indelible part of the rock repertoire, is driven by the funky guitar playing of Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, as Steven Tyler precedes modern rap with his rhythmic diatribe on school-boy sexcapades. Perry's playing is reminiscent of be-bop and the blues, and on the stunning solo that closes the song, Tyler -- the master of lyrical innuendo -- is in top form. This is rock 'n' roll, as Aerosmith deliver undeniable grooves and simple, rich hooks ("Sweet Emotion"). Combined, these elements make TOYS IN THE ATTIC a seminal album -- quite possibly the zenith of Aerosmith's long and successful career. Steve DeLuca

All Music Guide

After nearly getting off the ground with Get Your Wings, Aerosmith finally perfected their mix of Stonesy raunch and Zeppelin-esque riffing with their third album, Toys in the Attic. The success of the album derives from a combination of an increased sense of songwriting skills and purpose. Not only does Joe Perry turn out indelible riffs like "Walk This Way," "Toys in the Attic," and "Sweet Emotion," but Steven Tyler has fully embraced sleaziness as his artistic muse. Taking his cue from the old dirty blues "Big Ten Inch Record," Tyler writes with a gleeful impishness about sex throughout Toys in the Attic, whether it's the teenage heavy petting of "Walk This Way," the promiscuous "Sweet Emotion," or the double-entendres of "Uncle Salty" and "Adam's Apple." The rest of Aerosmith, led by Perry's dirty, exaggerated riffing, provide an appropriately greasy backing. Before Toys in the Attic, no other hard rock band sounded like this. Sure, Aerosmith cribbed heavily from the records of the Rolling Stones, New York Dolls, and Led Zeppelin, but they didn't have any of the menace of their influences, nor any of their mystique. Aerosmith was a gritty, street-wise hard rock band who played their blues as blooze and were in it for a good time; Toys in the Attic crystallizes that attitude. [The SACD edition boasts multichannel stereo sound.] Stephen Thomas Erlewine