Published on Aug 6, 2001
The name Alice Cooper hardly needs an introduction by this
point. To say that this genuine pioneer, one of the most
influential forces in rock music in history, is a legend, is truly
an understatement.
Equally notorious for his ghoulish appearance and highly
theatrical stage performances as he is for crafting rebellious
anthems of discontent and surprisingly sensitive ballads, he
continues to remain the master of his genre well into his fourth
decade as a recording and performing artist, as evidenced by his
brilliant 2000 studio album,
Brutal Planet.
Many people may question the quality of several of his studio
albums over the years, and while there certainly are a few weaker
ones (as is the case with anyone), I personally feel that
particular albums have been unfairly maligned; 1977’s
Lace And Whiskey is precisely one of those.
There’s no disputing the impact and influence of the early Alice
Cooper Group records (1969 – 1974); most of them are considered
bona fide classic rock milestones, but it is Alice Cooper’s solo
career (1975 to the present) that has been the subject of much
debate and wildly diverging opinion.
Whereas the early 70’s saw Alice Cooper take the music world by
storm with their shock rock/glam/trash/punk/metal/goth style, the
solo Cooper experimented more with genre hopping (often
mainstream), and injected large doses of humour into his work,
which caused a bit of a backlash. Some of his albums, especially
Lace And Whiskey, were labelled as rather cheesy, and did
not sell nearly as many copies as previous albums.
Speaking from personal experience, the first time I listened to
Lace And Whiskey I simply couldn’t understand how he could
record something so vastly different than the material of only a
few years prior. I was shocked by how cheesy and ridiculous the
whole thing seemed…where was the shock rocker who scared all the
parents?? The album was a huge letdown…one big joke.
Know what, though? Over the years and many listens later, I’ve
come to the conclusion (and I’ll no doubt get many arguments on
this) that
Lace And Whiskey, in its own way, is every bit a display of
brilliant songwriting as the “classic” albums, and dare I say,
probably more entertaining and FUN to listen to…I mean, isn’t
music supposed to be enjoyable??
Cooper sounds like he actually enjoyed making an album this
bizarre and kooky…oh yes, it is bizarre indeed. In terms of
musical genre, it’s all over the place, like smog over Athens. Some
people would say it’s unfocused because of this; I say it’s
interesting and unpredictable, which I believe are two essential
qualities that make the listening experience all the more
intriguing.
In fact, a track by track breakdown is necessary just to give
you an idea of what unexpected sounds lurk behind the jewel case:
“It’s Hot Tonight” is a unique, mid tempo, theatrical sounding
heavy funk rocker, “Lace And Whiskey” has a weird 50’s vibe to it,
engulfed in a 70’s showtune sound (if that makes any sense at all),
and “Road Rats” is more of a straight ahead heavy pop song; very
heavy guitars, catchy vocal melodies, and significant use of honky
tonk piano(!) on those three tracks.
After that however, things really get weird: “Damned If You Do”
is a hyperactive country song (the only one in his career!), “You
And Me” is a soft, melancholy acoustic love(!) ballad which was the
only big hit off the album, “King Of The Silver Screen” is a very
glammy nod to Hollywood, complete with that famous silent era
“creepy” theme (you’ll know what I mean when you hear it), and the
“Battle Hymn of the Republic” theme!
Next up is an infectious 50’s rockabilly cover called “Ubangi
Stomp” (in keeping with the light 50’s influence throughout the
album), then a full out wonderfully cheesy disco tune called “(No
More) Love At Your Convenience” that reminds me of the “Love Boat”
theme for some reason. “I Never Wrote Those Songs” has more of a
sad, reflective feel to it, especially with the weeping string
accompaniment and jazzy sax solo. The track perfectly conveys a
lonely walk in the rain at night on a dimly lit city
street…finally the album ends with yet another musical about
face: “My God”, a Christian rock song! Complete with full church
organ intro! It’s highly orchestrated (no surprise considering the
ever fascinating over-the-top stylings of super producer and long
time Alice collaborator Bob Ezrin), and I’m suprised this song
wasn’t chosen as the theme for the 700 Club!
As ridiculous as that might all sound, it works…against all
the odds, it works. Every single track is a highly entertaining
journey, completely different from all the others, but yet still
very much Alice Cooper. Upon the first few listens it all sounds
like a confused mess, but be patient and you’ll be rewarded with a
very special record.
It works because all the melodies are extremely catchy, Dick
Wagner’s guitar playing is impressively creative throughout, and
Alice’s lyrics are hilarious from beginning to end; his natural
flair for witty humour, sarcasm, and social commentary are in full
force.
In closing, I must say that this is one of Alice Cooper’s
overlooked classics. However, anyone expecting or looking for the
more traditional Alice Cooper style will not find it here…nothing
on
Lace And Whiskey is shocking, creepy, or even remotely
threatening. It is rather dripping with humourous satire, and its
very campy presentation is what drives so many people away without
really giving it a chance. I applaud the man for taking such a bold
step in musical directions that I think people never would have
expected from someone with such a twisted image…how long could he
have continued in his old style before becoming a cliche? Part of
his genius is that he beat everyone else to the punch by making fun
of himself first. It’s very refreshing to see a rock star and
controversial media fixture like the Coop not take himself
seriously at all by directly coming out with an album like
Lace And Whiskey and basically saying “Relax people! It’s
just a show; it’s just entertainment; it’s just fun”.
By all means give the album a chance with an open mind, and
you’re likely to enjoy one of the most amusing listening
experiences you’re likely to encounter this side of Primus.
Novelty record it may be, but I’ll be damned if it ain’t one of
the best novelty reccords ever made.