Alice Cooper

Detroit Stories

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Genre: Rock.
Released: 26/02/2021
Via earMUSIC

Album Review: Alice Cooper – Detroit Stories

The legend himself Alice Cooper is back with ‘Detroit Stories’! His successor to 2017’s ‘Paranormal’ album is finally here for fans to get something new from the rock icon. Featuring 4 of the songs from his 2019 ep ‘Breadcrumbs’, fans have already had a taste of what is to come. Following the release of ‘Rise’ with Hollywood Vampires, Cooper will be hoping to ride that momentum train and deliver another smash hit record for himself. I’ve had the privilege of receiving a review copy of ‘Detroit Stories’ and I could not wait to hear what it had in store. So here are my honest thoughts on the new album!

Straight of the bat, I was overjoyed to be greeted with ‘Rock and Roll’. A cover of Lou Reed’s infamous song is a great way to kick off the album.  The song is exactly what the title says it is and it’s one hell of a ‘Rock and Roll’ track! Cooper knows what he’s good at and he delivers it in a way that only he can. A true Detroit rock feel encompasses the song from the harpsichord to the cowbell, everything just works so well. It’s very clear as to why this was the first single to be released. It sells the album perfectly and delivers some of that old school Cooper feel. Moving onto the first song from the ‘Breadcrumbs’ EP we have ‘Go Man Go’. A highly energetic rock n roll track that’ll have you booging along to the ridiculously infectious beat. An absolutely killer guitar solo tops this song off as one of the best songs on the record without question.

Up next is the anthemic ‘Our Love Will Change the World’. Alice Cooper has been doing this for a long time and this song sounds like it’s fresh out of the ’70s. A purely old school rock’n’roll song that even your dad will want to listen to! The repetition of “Our Love Will Change the World” paints an optimistic image for the future and is a much-needed splash of joy in what are truly gloomy times. In contrast to the positivity from the previous song, ‘Social Debris’ explores the reality of being as famous as Alice Cooper is. A powerful insight into the effect of what constant attention can cause delivered by a man who has had it since 1969.

Now its time to let loose and what better way than the raunchy ‘$1000 High Heel Shoes’. The song has a contagious swing to it that’ll have you feeling like it’s the 80’s again. A look into what the Detroit adult entertainment industry has to offer – in the form of the song – is exactly what I’d expect from an album telling the stories of the city as intended. Not wanting to damper the mood, ‘Hail Mary’ is all about that ‘one girl’ you want to make all yours for one night only. A seedy song accompanied by some sleazy vocals from Cooper really make you feel like you are in a seedy Detroit back alley on a Saturday night.

Here’s one for you die-hard Alice Cooper fans! ‘Detroit City 2021’ is the second re-write of ‘Detroit City’ off of 2003’s ‘The Eyes Of Alice Cooper’, following ‘Detroit City 2020’ off the ‘Breadcrumbs’ EP.  I’m glad to say that the song still holds up to this day. I’m not surprised Cooper has decided to add another rendition of this song to his homage to his hometown of Detroit and it fits perfectly. It was already a classic and this version just cements its legacy that much more. How do follow up an old school fan favourite? ‘Drunk and in Love’ is Alice Coopers answer. Unfortunately, I felt that the song really lacked the charisma and passion that is featured so prominently throughout the album. The harmonica playing is definitely a highlight from the song, however it isn’t enough alone to redeem the song. Let’s hope the album can get back on track.

Did I say “back on track”? Well, I meant to say let’s hope the album gets propelled into the stratosphere! ‘Independence Dave’ is a bombastic song that just does its job brilliantly. The highly energetic song flows well and Cooper’s vocal delivery is top-notch. Hard to believe he’s 73 years of age and still able to delivery diverse vocal styles as well as pump-out captivating music each time he releases a new album. Continuing down the album, ‘I Hate You’ is a short comical song that feels like it wouldn’t work in any other album except this one.  A musical depiction of a stereotypical Detroit war of words is definitely a tale that needed to be told in a rock’n’roll Style.

Slowing the tempo down, ‘Wonderful World’ is a more unique blend of the rock’n’roll style that has featured so heavily on this record and some old school synth music. A fairly self-centred look at the world today with Cooper stating “It would be a wonderful world if everyone was just like me”. The narcissistic tone really captures the arrogant persona Cooper is trying to pursue in this musical story. A great piece of music is a breath of fresh air!  Speaking of a great piece of music, Coopers cover of MC5’s ‘Sister Anne’ is the third song from the ‘Breadcrumbs’ EP to be featured on this record. The inclusion of these covers from Detroit based artists really help to paint the entire picture of what the city has to offer. A great way for Cooper to pay homage to his home city and some of his personal favourite musicians to stem from his hometown.

The final song of the album ‘Hanging on by a Thread – Don’t Give Up’ is an extremely powerful song that explores the thoughts of suicide and how powerful togetherness can be in an attempt to fight back against mental health issues. This is a song that didn’t have to be here and Alice Cooper could have kept the album more light-hearted, but his decision to include such a meaningful and emotionally driven song is an incredible one. The song even ends with him saying “This is Alice Cooper in Detroit, let’s keep fighting, don’t give up Call the Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255”. If you are struggling with similar thoughts or worries please do not be afraid to reach out for help, (UK) call the samaritans on 116 123, or get in contact with them here, (US) Reach out to 1-800-273-8255, or get in contact here, for help in other regions find your local service here.

After what was a truly powerful song, I was treated to 2 bonus tracks. ‘Shut up and Rock’ is here to lighten your spirits. An upbeat tune that’ll have fans dancing to their heart’s content in no time. It’s a really impressive penultimate song that helps to get you pumped for the finale of what has been an impressive album thus far, and what better way to end the record then a cover of Bob Seger’s ‘East Side Story’. The final song on the album was also featured on the ‘breadcrumbs’ EP. You don’t get more Detroit than Bob Seger and Alice Cooper does an incredible job of making the classic tune his own. A wonderful way to wrap up the stories of Detroit.

Despite being in the business for 52 years, Alice Cooper is still able to release a superb album! His charisma alone is enough to make you crave for more so with the addition of an incredible band to back his musical vision, Cooper may be unstoppable. This album will without a doubt please Cooper’s fans and may even garner the rock legend a fair amount of younger fans to boot. What an album!