Well, after the long wait for its release, and after many listens... here is my review of Alice Cooper's "Welcome 2 My Nightmare" (W2MN). Alway dangerous to do a sequel to one of your best works, but this is a great album in its own quirky way.
"I Am Made of You" (Alice Cooper, Bob Ezrin, Desmond Child)
Doesn't quite live up to Alice's list of killer first songs in past albums ("Hello, Hooray", "Sideshow", "Schools Out", "Brutal Planet", etc.), but a pretty strong start none the less. Still trying to wrap my head around Alice using autotune. We get to hear the piano part from "Steven" in the intro.... pretty sweet.
"Caffeine" (Cooper, Ezrin, Tommy Henriksen, Keith Nelson)
As a coffee addict, this speaks to me. Great chorus and a rocking number.
Because I realize / If I close my eyes / I'm gonna wake up dead.
"The Nightmare Returns" (Cooper, Ezrin)
Ahhh, here's the Alice sing-song voice we need in a nightmare album. "Years Ago" is still the best of these, but enjoyed this one as well.
"A Runaway Train" (Cooper, Ezrin, Dennis Dunaway)
First song on W2MN co-written with an original Alice Cooper band member - Dennis Dunaway. There are three of these on the album - and all the surviving original band members play on these tracks. Straight ahead rock with plenty of musical elements echoing a train running out of control.
"Last Man on Earth" (Cooper, Ezrin, Piggy D, David Spreng)
Alice as Tom Waits??
Just like "Some Folks" on Welcome to My Nightmare, Alice works in a vaudeville-esque ditty. Heavily features a tuba. Yes, a tuba.
"The Congregation" (Cooper, Ezrin, Henriksen)
Alice as the Beatles?
If Alice had been a member of the Beatles, pretty sure this is what is would have sounded like. Also, Rob Zombie appears on this track. Any song that indicates hell is mostly populated with Wall Street types, defrocked priests, telemarketers, lawyers, pimps, and mimes is OK by me.
"I'll Bite Your Face Off" (Cooper, Ezrin, Henriksen, Neal Smith)
Alice as the Rolling Stones?
Alice has proven he can execute the Stones sound dead to rights with "Sunset Babies (All Have Rabies)" off the Dirty Diamonds album. Eagerly awaiting the opportunity to sing "I'll bite your face off!!" along with Alice next live show I see. Quite catchy. Neal Smith from the original group co-wrote.
She put the whip in the cream
"Disco Bloodbath Boogie Fever" (Cooper, Ezrin, Henriksen)
Alice as a techno/rap guy singing about disco??
Pretty much a comedy/rock song. It is funny. The background singers do sound quite a bit the the Winkies for Wizard of Oz. Not sure how I feel about that. Still, the title (and chorus) of this song make it a keeper.
"Ghouls Gone Wild" (Cooper, Ezrin, Henriksen)
Alice as Dick Dale?
Not sure it was wise to put the two most heavily comedy/rock songs back to back. Fun song, VERY reminiscent of "Summertime Blue" in parts. Mark Volman (of the Turtles) turns in some awesome backgroud vocals.
"Something to Remember Me By" (Cooper, Dick Wagner)
I usually like Alice's ballads, but this one is kind of just "meh" for me.
"When Hell Comes Home" (Cooper, Ezrin, Michael Bruce)
OK, no comedy here. Alcoholic father. Abused mother. Dead alcoholic father. Michael Bruce from the original group co-wrote. A dark, bluesy rock number. Listen close at the end, when the abusive father gets his comeuppance, he faintly yells out "Steven!". You KNEW we would hear from the main character from the original Nightmare.
"What Baby Wants" (Cooper, Ezrin, Henriksen, Ke$ha)
I figured I'd hate this song since it is a duet of sorts with Ke$ha. I didn't hate it, but don't love it either. At least Alice didn't go with Justin Bieber as the devil. I can buy Ke$ha as the princess of darkness.
"I Gotta Get Outta Here" (Cooper, Ezrin, Patterson Hood)
Alice as Dwight Yokam?
Tinges of country creep into the closing number. Alice recaps the stories from the previous songs, then a choir of voices responds with an operatic "What part of dead don't you get?" Alice starts to protest to no avail.
"The Underture" (Cooper, Ezrin, Henriksen, Child, Wagner, Jeremy Rubolino, Kelly Jay Fordham)
Instrumental track featuring songs from both Nightmares. Love it.
Bonus Track:
"Under the Bed"
There are several packages of this album with different extras. Mine had this song. It is a perfect Nightmare song, not sure why it didn't make the actual album.
My cat went under the bed and disappeared
All we found was a tail and a paw, and an ear
