Artist: Aerosmith
Label: Columbia Records
Released: 1974
Get Your Wings is the second album from the famous Boston hard-rock craftsmen, and unlike their lukewarmly received debut, it marks a more decisive shift toward clearer, and therefore more homogeneous, musical frameworks. The record pulls together a whole gallery of obvious developmental elements from a band on the rise, heavily mixed with the uncompromising nature of every single member, each determined to show off all his musical chops. Add Tyler’s trademark sexology lessons, which our young, unsatisfied front man spews out of his froggy mouth like they’re coming off an assembly line, and while you’re digesting Get Your Wings, you’ve got a seriously worked-up rock ‘n’ roll monster lying in wait, one whose claws will surely leave lasting marks on your virginally untouched skin. Fans of erotic filth and other sexual enthusiasts will find something on every step of the way to satisfy their “sick” desires. Making sure all of these attributes come across convincingly is a gentleman by the name of Jack Douglas, in the producer’s chair for the first time. His hand deserves the credit for the successful moulting of both guitarists, whose cocky swagger seems almost unrecognizable compared to the “aero” debut. That goes especially for Perry. You’ll probably slip up fast on his sleazy guitar playing, especially if you’re of the gentler sex. A little caution is surely not out of place here – that is, if you’re the more timid type. For the rest of us, fans of similar perversions, Get Your Wings remains an indispensable “aero” step on their thorny road to rocker heaven.
Speaking of perversions, you couldn’t wish for anything better than the shamelessly seductive opening blues Same Old song And Dance. Right from the start, Aerosmith manage to capture that essence that separates the great and immortal from the small and fleeting. I’m thinking mainly of a peculiar and totally unique musical form, strongly inspired by the traces of old blues lines, which the guys thoroughly soaked in their own, and most importantly, recognizable interpretation. On top of that, it’s overflowing with youthful playfulness and simple, almost naive heartfelt energy, both indispensable ingredients of any dirty musical kitchen. The peak of this exciting intro is a sharp saxophone solo, which seasons the whole thing with an extra heaping helping of audacity. Simple and shamelessly effective! After such a ruthless come-on, the next track, Lord Of The Things, feels like a scared little boy hiding in the corner of his tiny room, which a moment ago was hosting debauchery of a special kind. It’s a neat but slightly too cautious number, once again stuffed with plenty of interesting interplay between the two guitarists, but precisely because of that caution, it never manages to rise above the level of the debut. No wonder, since the song came about more out of obligation than in some spontaneous creative environment. Its correspondingly nervous character at times is something the more attentive among you will surely pick up on yourselves.
One of the most unusual ideas from the Tyler – Perry duo remains the mysterious Spaced to this day, or, if I may be a little wicked, a sort of poetic rendering of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Tyler’s vision of interplanetary travel, given all the amounts of intoxicating substances we now know the boys were just getting acquainted with back then, doesn’t seem nearly as vague as it first appears. What’s more, on repeated listens the song reveals quite a few of its well-hidden charms. Woman Of The World keeps us in a similarly cheerful mood. A mellow little rocker, in its catchiness it gives no hint of the storm to come, which shakes us up without a shred of politeness with the phenomenal S.O.S. (Too Bad), where for a change the tireless Brad Whitford shines. With his unstoppable energy, the guy marks yet another legendary Aerosmith moment, full of rowdy blues-rock rhetoric. He keeps up this unstoppable march with Train Kept A Rollin’, an old Yardbirds classic, which, unlike its more famous namesake, comes across as much more cohesive in its cold-bloodedness. The track is made up of two very interesting parts: the first a studio one, where Brad Whitford once again spoils us with his tricks, and the second a live one, which, despite the band’s relative innocence, lays bare all the magic and enchantment of Aerosmith live. When the puffing “aero” locomotive finally pulls into the last station, it leaves behind devastation of enormous proportions, and out of that haze the melancholy of Seasons Of Wither slowly but surely emerges. A gorgeous ballad loaded with powerful emotional charge, it opens a new chapter in the book of Tyler’s lyrics. It’s probably one of the best ballads the guys ever recorded. The honest, melodramatic picture created by the soft playing of the whole “orchestra”, together with the pleasant Pandoras Box, convincingly rounds off this convincing display of power from one of the greatest American rock bands of all time, and at the same time proves to be a one-of-a-kind herald of the big things that followed on the wings of Get Your Wings.
Lineup
Steven Tyler: vocals
Joe Perry: guitar
Brad Whitford: guitar
Tom Hamilton: bass
Joey Kramer: drums
Production
Jack Dougls
Tracklist
1.Same Old Song And Dance
2.Lord Of The Things
3.Spaced
4.Woman Of The World
5.Sos (Too Bad)
6.Train Kept A Rollin’
7.Seasons Of Wither
8.Pandora’s Box
Album length: 38:04
