Alice Cooper - Dirty Diamonds
Spitfire Records - 2005
7.5/10
Continuing on with alternative ingredients of the prior album, Alice Cooper follows up with one that has his own spin. Dirty Diamonds is hardly derivative stylistically, but the originality of this one certainly eclipses Eyes significantly. You would think that a constant aim for modern rock appeal would only go down in quality, but it really doesn’t. There’s enough standout here to make it more worthwhile than the prior two releases.
In fact, some stuff actually drastically sidesteps the overall picture, and while it may be awkward at times, those are the songs that stand out heavily. “Pretty Ballerina” aims for the softer, eerie influence that was reached for on the prior disc but missed, however actually feels compelling this time. “The Saga Of Jesse Jane” inserts western vibes, perhaps a callback to “Desperado,” and I can’t deny how fluid the verses feel here. Even the title track successfully injects spacey, noise rock vibes with its tones.
The rest of Dirty Diamonds is a more refined version of what Alice has been working with. Some work better than others for sure. “Steal That Car” is so damn catchy with surprisingly strong energy, and it fits the shock rocker’s vibes so well; I’ve loved this one for years, and the riff actually has some mild speed metal hints. Others tone things back, like “Perfect,” acting like one of the steadier Bowling For Soup songs. Similarly, “Sunset Babies (All Got Rabies)” doubles down on the silliness, and “You Make Me Wanna” drills in the sugary chorus under some Beatles energy.
Nothing here is too innovative, and the aging certainly shows. But I have to hand it to Alice, there’s more to this that sticks than there is that doesn’t. A mix of classic rock throwbacks, modern alternative takes, and weird touches of his own make for something decent. Dumb lyrics making their way in? Yeah, that’s been a thing for the past four albums. And there’s certainly little in the way of linear flow. But I may go as far as saying that this one is overlooked, and is on par with School’s Out.
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