Album Review: Alice Cooper - School's Out

Alice Cooper - School's Out

Warner Bros Records - 1972

7.5/10

Following a two-in-one year for fantastic records, Alice Cooper would jump in with a mild change to a formula that still ultimately holds the general hard rock appeal. Having School’s Out being named after what’s arguably the band’s biggest hit to ever come out, the rest of the record is vastly different from the radio accessibility of the rock anthem. This isn’t to say that none of it’s digestible, as there are plenty of chops to go around. But I’d hardly call anything else the same, nor does it really touch the previous albums’ darker feelings.

Unfortunately, this allows just a bit too much room for unevenness. Shifts within may have been executed wonderfully before, but I think getting a bit heavy-handed got the best of them. No doubt, there isn’t a song on here I’d really call bad, but the flow feels very awkward sometimes, particularly in the back-half. The jazzy/swingy smoothness of “Blue Turk” and the lo-fi charm of “Alma Mater” are done plenty well, and I always look forward to them. But I can’t overlook the fact that they somewhat reek of random ideas thrown onto a platter; they luckily just stuck well. The prog-esque outro “Grande Finale” really couldn’t save it, either.

On the other hand, as I mentioned, the songs themselves are mostly pleasant. Something I’d describe as top heavy, the second and third songs are on par with some of Alice’s greatest work. “Luney Tune” and “Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets” are as silly as they are fantastic. Both also invoke some of the best Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith bass/drum combos in the entire band-era career. Catchy choruses, suspense, and chaotic emotion play a role here too. If the whole album held this kind of momentum, it would have been as strong as Killer.

Despite some of its errors, I still thoroughly enjoy School’s Out, and probably revisit it nearly as often as the other early classics. This isn’t anything I’d call transitional, just a stronger aim at switching things up within the same formula a bit, without being entirely sure how to yet. If you can get over the jarring contradictions, you’ll do just fine here.