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The first two albums by Alice Cooper. It's difficult to contextualize them within Alice's discography, but it is also difficult to throw them to the wind. Because, mind you, if we manage to thoroughly examine this record along with its predecessor, which is also the artist's debut—I'm talking about Pretties For You—we might find something good. More than something.
Everyone knows Alice Cooper, as well as his musical approach. But few actually know that at the beginning of his career, in the first two albums, the band leaned towards a progressive/psychedelic rock typical of the late '60s. Why so? Partly the Zappa-like production, partly the historical context, have led us to have today two albums that I consider great if clearly decontextualized from the others, which are the first and this one Easy Action. The musical shift that Alice Cooper would make from 1971 with Love It to Death towards a very Glam Hard Rock and a precursor to Shock Rock is well known to everyone.
1970, a great year for Rock, dominated by Hard Rock and Proto Metal bands like Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, the bluesy incursions of Led Zeppelin, and lots of prog to complement, not forgetting the impact that a live performance like Live at Leeds by Daltrey & Co would have.
Who would have ever had half an hour to listen to Easy Action? Meanwhile, without innovating anything, Alice Cooper churns out this album from nowhere, featuring distorted appearances and a rather unsettling cover. The music is at times prog and at times psychedelic, with great pieces within the album, like Shoe Salesman, Mr. and Misdernamor, and the almost entirely instrumental Lay Down And Die, Goodbye.
If it wasn't clear, the intent is not to raise the album to unimaginable levels, nor to embody Alice Cooper within these two fragmented discs. The intent, if it wasn't clear, is to shed light on two forgotten albums, and, if they weren't forgotten, to give a different light to these, in case the roots of a great like Alice Cooper were forgotten.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Shoe Salesman (02:39)
I know a shoe salesman
He's an acquaintance of mine
One day he showed me some
Marks on his arm in a line
I did not know what to say
"Do you think those freckles will stay?"
I need a popsicle
Do you want lemon or lime
I've got a special today
If you've got the time
Winking, she poked me in the side
"Well, we could go for a ride"
I did not know what to say
"Do you think those freckles will stay?"
Well, you think that she will see
I don't think she will see
Yeah..
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