Saturday supplement
I like blogging on Saturdays. Back when I was at my other home (now sadly but sensibly archived offline), I used to spend most Saturday mornings blogging the week in the kitchen listening to, and most times commenting on, the album releases of the week. Things have changed around here. I think these days, because I’m writing every single day, it’s not such an outlet which is a bit of a shame - but we shall write all the same.
What kind of Saturday would it be if we didn’t include some Doctor Who artwork? Well it would be the kind of Saturday that turned into a Monday when I wasn’t looking for a start, but don’t hold it against me.
This one nods its head at last weeks Night Terrors:
Smooth - and I thought that was going to be it, but moments later, I came across this great photograph of Karen. I don’t know where it’s from though. if anybody knows, let me know because I can always use somebody who takes pics this damn good…
On the shopping list this week was Alice Cooper and his Welcome 2 My Nightmare release. I wasn’t sure what to think about it when I knew it was happening but hadn’t heard it and now I actually have it, I’m even less sure. It comes down to a couple of really important things:
1. Those are big shoes to fill. Welcome To My Nightmare isn’t a scratchy stand-alone slice of greatness from back in the day anymore - it now has a story that comes after. That’s not always a good thing. One should never go back.
2. This second slab is tres-moderne in its production. I guess that can’t be helped as it’s 2011 but why not call it something else? I can’t be the only one who thinks this is an incredibly bad idea.
All of which really culminates in how I approach it and not what it really is. Back then, Alice was weird, Alice was dangerous and Nightmare was out on the furthest limb I could find. I’m not a big fan of sequels because inevitably they hardly ever work.
The cover of the original Nightmare (below) was so off-kilter it worked as a freak-out all on its own. The new one (above), not so much… too obvious for my liking. It’s almost like the record company figured Alice fans might not get it, but Alice fans are among the smartest in the world. We’ve worked with his subtleties for years on end and happened to enjoy every single one. Even the one about the sawdust and the teddy bear.
What we should really be talking about is the music though. Except I can’t really find any to hang my hat on. It all seems a little contrived for my liking. There’s some good songs for sure but none are particularly memorable, which is not the case on his four previous albums. Truth be told, Welcome 2 My Nightmare is not a sequel at all - it’s a tribute album to the original. There’s even an instrumental montage at the end of all the great bits of the first one to remind us.
Or have I simply missed the point. I might have to come back to this but as a long-time and hardcore fan, my disappointment is probably obvious.
