Big Ones

By now Aerosmith's story of survival is deeply imbedded in rock mythology. Band reaches outlandish stadium-sized stardom in the `70s; band splinters under the weight of their toxic abuse; members undergo detox; clean and sober band returns to a new apex of superstardom in the `90s: a classic tale of excess and success. It is rock 'n' roll's great American redemption, and BIG ONES is a greatest hits soundtrack to the comeback portion of this story--with two new tunes to serve as an encore of sorts.
BIG ONES also illustrates that the Aerosmith that's come to define current mainstream rock is not the Aerosmith of old. The blues-veined, pocket-Stones sound that introduced white boys to "Walking The Dog" has given way to lascivious arena-metal ("Love In An Elevator", "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)") and emotional power-ballads ("Angel", "Cryin'"). Age has also brought about a change in the topics that the band chooses to address, concerning themselves with child abuse in "Janie's Got A Gun", and morality in "Living On The Edge".
Yet, with Aerosmith what you see is what you get--therein lies the beauty--and even with the mild tinkering of the machinery, BIG ONES proves that their commercial train just keeps a-rollin'.|

Big Ones serves up the hits and nothing but the hits; Aerosmith's excellent debut for Geffen, Done with Mirrors, is conveniently overlooked. So what's left is some of the finest mainstream hard rock of the late '80s and early '90s -- the fruits of one of the most remarkable comebacks in rock & roll history. Unfortunately, there's precious little of the classic Aerosmith raunch; in fact, the two new tracks are the hardest, slinkiest tracks here. Otherwise, the up-tempo tracks bog down in over-production ("Love in an Elevator"), and the frequently embarrassingly overwrought power ballads ("Angel" and "Crazy") dominate too much of the album. So what's left? The band's best stab at social commentary ("Janie's Got a Gun"), a sublime slinky throwaway ("Deuces Are Wild"), deliciously sleazy blues-rockers ("Rag Doll," "[Dude] Looks Like a Lady"), and their best ballads ("What It Takes" and "Cryin'"). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine