Toys in the Attic features Aerosmith at their absolute best, a stellar album that takes you on a ride through the dirtiest and raunchiest of what rock and roll can offer. It’s raw as hell and features the band firing on all cylinders in a way they never really captured throughout the rest of their career– this was a moment in history when Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones owned rock and roll, but Aerosmith found a way to combine the best of what those bands offered and drown you in sleaze and heavy blues-based rock. It’s a helluva record that sounds like it was recorded at 2am in the studio after a night out. The whole thing has a vibe that is just simply hard to replicate.
Before Steven Tyler sort of became a punch line with “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” from the Armageddon soundtrack (fwiw I do enjoy that song) and “Crazy”, he was an unhinged lead singer fans and media called “The Demon of Screamin’”, which might be one of the better rock nicknames of all-time. His vocal performance on Toys in the Attic is much less refined version of your mom’s favorite Aerosmith song, and the band was better off for it– there’s a real animalistic quality to the entire performance that is appealing. And that carries on to the rest of the band as well. Joe Perry’s lead guitar work on the album is rough and aggressive in a way that cleverly hides his immense technical capabilities– each note isn’t perfect, and that’s what makes it absolutely perfect in a way.
Come for the massive hits “Walk This Way” (pre Run-DMC collab) and “Sweet Emotion”, but stay for the grimy deep cuts like “Toys In The Attic” and “Adam’s Apple”. You won’t be disappointed.
Standout Songs: “Walk This Way”, “Sweet Emotion”, “Round And Round”
