Steven Tyler
We’re All Somebody From Somewhere
Dot Records
2016
After a handful of so & so singles that were released in the past few years, while having some downtime from Aerosmith and a rather lazy album from them Bostonians that really did implode, as it’s single was a left over from back when the band was actually “on fire”… Mr. Tyler is going down on some solo material in the form of an album, a thing he had been “threatening” to do for quite a while… while he was pondering between this and being the “judge” in “reality” TV shows and doing the odd tour, because the money was good.
A couple of lead of singles from this album – really didn’t seem to be all that great with Tyler, who recorded this in Nashville with local musicians seemingly trying to go for the “country” market, a lucrative enough “market”, but not one that easy to conquer.
“Love is Your Name” and “Red, White and You” were both “safe” options, while only the title track felt like a more honest proposition, but I’m not sure how well that might have worked. The variety of co-writers that Tyler has worked with make his solo outing a bit of an odd kettle of fish…
“My Own Worst Enemy” is a bit of an autobiographical number, an acoustic piece with the occasional string that’s divided between a country twang and its “Dream On” aspirations, even borrowing a little, aesthetically from the best known and much loved Aerosmith tune.
“We’re All Somebody from Somewhere” tries to be a “message” for the kids… done again in an Aero-way, but losing its way and going a bit delta, but in its own quirky way. It feels as if someone took an Aero-tune and just left the “rock” at the door. There’s still a ton of Americana, bluesy charm, but… I’m not sure how much of that I can take and there are a crapload of songs on the album…
“Hold On (Won’t Let Go)” is a lot darker, but I have to question the reason to have Tyler’s vocals so effect ridden and compressed. I don’t mind the tune, but I think its production is a little odd.
“It Ain’t Easy” is a nice and simple ballad, with Tyler, offering one of his better and more expressive deliveries in a good while. Beautiful and “traditional” (ie it has fiddles) without sounding cheesy.
“Love is Your Name” is the single, which even features a credit from Giant’s Dann Huff and it’s a nice and safe country rock ballad, with the usual twangy guitars & all… not something to absolutely fall over heels for but, I would not knock the album down because of it.
The intro to “I Make My Own Sunshine” sounds like something you’d expect to hear in a supermarket or waiting at a customer help-line, an almost vomit inducing plucked piece of banjo pop, upon, which Steve-O just offers some more “generic feelgood diarrhea”… he’s a great singer and he can pull it just off, without getting a burger tossed at him, but this is close to where I’d draw a line and then possibly sniff it, too.
“Gypsy Girl” is oddly quite modern sounding, but because it’s quite spartan, it seems to work quite well, heartfelt and authentic.
“Somebody New” has lyrics rhyme on top of the music, quite fluidly, but the whole thing begins to feel a little forced and the whole country touch gets a bit too cheesy on parts of this one.
Another number with a Dan Huff credit is the typical, but nicely enough done rock ballad “Only Heaven” that again has Tyler treading “safe” ground… so as not to estrange his “rock” audience”.
“The Good, the Bad, the Ugly & Me” is a swanky rock n roll number that’s a little too over the top, trying to even fit that mouthful of a title into the chorus and half succeeding, but not without raising an eyebrow or two.
“Red, White & You” is a targeted “single” – bit of pop/rock, lots of country and a lot of references to how great America is, just “because”… catchy, but in a generic way and it only works because Tyler is such a good singer…
“Sweet Louisiana” is a ballad that experiments with quite a few things and comes across rather nicely and without sounding forced.
“What Am I Doin’ Right?” is another “hurt” ballad, with a nifty wordplay about not wanting to fuck things up and coming from a guy with the history of Tyler… that’s quite something.
Just to make sure of luring the “Aero” fans in buying this, a cover of Aerosmith’s classic “Janie’s Got a Gun” is included, a quite darker acoustic version that simply doesn’t repeat much of the chorus’ characteristic vocal melody… a little odd I must confess, but I don’t mind this alternative version, too much.
And last but not least, a cover of the classic “Piece of My Heart” (with The Loving Mary Band), a song popularized by Big Brother and the Holdin Company who featured one Janis Joplin on vocals, but was originally released by Erna Franklin (Aretha’s sister) is another “safe” cover that would definitely get some airplay and that Tyler does very well indeed.
I’d dare say that this hot mess of rock, blues and banjos has a few good songs in there, a few “targeted singles” that are however rather forgettable, and a cover or two just to make sure it gets picked for airplay… not exactly an album that will jumpstart an illustrious solo career, but being in one of the most classic bands of the past four decades, sort of qualifies just fine as a way to make yourself known.
A bit on the fence over this, but if you’re a fan, it’s likely you’ll be landing inside the “Avant Garden” (pun intended)…
A couple of lead of singles from this album – really didn’t seem to be all that great with Tyler, who recorded this in Nashville with local musicians seemingly trying to go for the “country” market, a lucrative enough “market”, but not one that easy to conquer.
“Love is Your Name” and “Red, White and You” were both “safe” options, while only the title track felt like a more honest proposition, but I’m not sure how well that might have worked. The variety of co-writers that Tyler has worked with make his solo outing a bit of an odd kettle of fish…
“My Own Worst Enemy” is a bit of an autobiographical number, an acoustic piece with the occasional string that’s divided between a country twang and its “Dream On” aspirations, even borrowing a little, aesthetically from the best known and much loved Aerosmith tune.
“We’re All Somebody from Somewhere” tries to be a “message” for the kids… done again in an Aero-way, but losing its way and going a bit delta, but in its own quirky way. It feels as if someone took an Aero-tune and just left the “rock” at the door. There’s still a ton of Americana, bluesy charm, but… I’m not sure how much of that I can take and there are a crapload of songs on the album…
“Hold On (Won’t Let Go)” is a lot darker, but I have to question the reason to have Tyler’s vocals so effect ridden and compressed. I don’t mind the tune, but I think its production is a little odd.
“It Ain’t Easy” is a nice and simple ballad, with Tyler, offering one of his better and more expressive deliveries in a good while. Beautiful and “traditional” (ie it has fiddles) without sounding cheesy.
“Love is Your Name” is the single, which even features a credit from Giant’s Dann Huff and it’s a nice and safe country rock ballad, with the usual twangy guitars & all… not something to absolutely fall over heels for but, I would not knock the album down because of it.
The intro to “I Make My Own Sunshine” sounds like something you’d expect to hear in a supermarket or waiting at a customer help-line, an almost vomit inducing plucked piece of banjo pop, upon, which Steve-O just offers some more “generic feelgood diarrhea”… he’s a great singer and he can pull it just off, without getting a burger tossed at him, but this is close to where I’d draw a line and then possibly sniff it, too.
“Gypsy Girl” is oddly quite modern sounding, but because it’s quite spartan, it seems to work quite well, heartfelt and authentic.
“Somebody New” has lyrics rhyme on top of the music, quite fluidly, but the whole thing begins to feel a little forced and the whole country touch gets a bit too cheesy on parts of this one.
Another number with a Dan Huff credit is the typical, but nicely enough done rock ballad “Only Heaven” that again has Tyler treading “safe” ground… so as not to estrange his “rock” audience”.
“The Good, the Bad, the Ugly & Me” is a swanky rock n roll number that’s a little too over the top, trying to even fit that mouthful of a title into the chorus and half succeeding, but not without raising an eyebrow or two.
“Red, White & You” is a targeted “single” – bit of pop/rock, lots of country and a lot of references to how great America is, just “because”… catchy, but in a generic way and it only works because Tyler is such a good singer…
“Sweet Louisiana” is a ballad that experiments with quite a few things and comes across rather nicely and without sounding forced.
“What Am I Doin’ Right?” is another “hurt” ballad, with a nifty wordplay about not wanting to fuck things up and coming from a guy with the history of Tyler… that’s quite something.
Just to make sure of luring the “Aero” fans in buying this, a cover of Aerosmith’s classic “Janie’s Got a Gun” is included, a quite darker acoustic version that simply doesn’t repeat much of the chorus’ characteristic vocal melody… a little odd I must confess, but I don’t mind this alternative version, too much.
And last but not least, a cover of the classic “Piece of My Heart” (with The Loving Mary Band), a song popularized by Big Brother and the Holdin Company who featured one Janis Joplin on vocals, but was originally released by Erna Franklin (Aretha’s sister) is another “safe” cover that would definitely get some airplay and that Tyler does very well indeed.
I’d dare say that this hot mess of rock, blues and banjos has a few good songs in there, a few “targeted singles” that are however rather forgettable, and a cover or two just to make sure it gets picked for airplay… not exactly an album that will jumpstart an illustrious solo career, but being in one of the most classic bands of the past four decades, sort of qualifies just fine as a way to make yourself known.
A bit on the fence over this, but if you’re a fan, it’s likely you’ll be landing inside the “Avant Garden” (pun intended)…