It could be argued that the very best that Aerosmith ever threw at un unsuspecting audience from a great distance was back in the late Eighties with their explosive albums, 'Permanent Vacation,' (1987) and 'Pump.' (1989) Since the days of the ugliest band in rock, they seemed to have parted company with their dirty trainers and leopard skin effect shirts and decided to tread the unforbidden path of movie soundtracks. Sucked in deeply into a vat of unprofessionalism the same as Bon Jovi and Def Leppard, Aerosmith have seriously, had their day. I'm prepared now to take you on a journey back in time, when hairspray and back combing ruled and Westlife would have been shot.

Perhaps listening back to it now, whilst I write, it appears a little dated, set in time like a fossil set in stone. I do believe Steven Tyler could actually sing then instead of wail like a murdered banshee as he appears to do today. With a face that allows even Mick Jagger to look devilishly handsome, there was nothing, on the outside, that was attractive about this messy bunch of long haired thugs from New Hampshire, U.S.A. Since the drunken days of 1970 were the world was still in shock for two reasons, 1; the sixties were over and 2; The Beatles had just split up, it was hardly the time (but certainly the place) for a rock band to crawl out from under the floor. Built with rock hard bricks, Tyler and the legendary Joe Perry grabbed a handful of others by the balls and created yet another wholesome band who practically sweated the American dream.

Now before some of you decide to flick over to another review due to lack of knowledge about this band, I will tell you that you do know one of their songs. That catchy number from the scene that had us all in hysterics in 'Mrs Doubtfire,' where the unbelievable Robin Williams is jumping around, dancing in the kitchen, is the very same band. 'Dude (looks like a lady)' was their first UK single release in October 1987. The fact that it failed to even reach the top forty has never put us off cricking our necks to ever since.

It has to be said that if you have ever wanted to dip your toe in rock music but were afraid that you wouldn't like it or that it would scare you half to death, then this album , I do recommend. It is an easy going album with out complicated lyrics about death (you can find that in the Metallica section) and at least this is rock music with a tune. All the usual tracks you could expect to find are all here like faithful puppies all lined up looking neat and well groomed. The perhaps, one and only price you may have to pay for owning such a gem in you record collection is the track, 'Angel.' A rock album can never be complete without a regular, out of tune, whining love song about slaughtering you girlfriend because you were afraid she's been looking up your best friend (Oh no, wait a minute, that's Motley Crue.) have no fear, we don't live in an age anymore where we have to sit ever so close to the cassette recorder like a professional safe cracker trying to perhaps use some sort of psychosis to decide where the next song starts. Remember what I said in another review about metal albums creating an album based around just one song, well, the next track with make a whole lotta sense and relieve all the stresses and strains like a dose of Lithium.

There are, a couple of hastily thrown together tracks on 'Permanent Vacation.' 'Simoriah,' being one them. It's too thrashy and uncomfortable on the ears. It appears to make no sense and perhaps may be only listed as a squashed Satsuma would be as a stocking filler as so does 'Girl Keeps Coming Apart'. 'St.John' adds to the bluesy rocker feel and it a genre that, surprisingly, Aerosmith appear to pull off rather well. It's probably due to the vocal range of Tyler. Just his tone makes any blues track sound more than significantly interesting. 'Hangman Jury,' on the other hand should, by all accounts be a little more inspiring than it sounds. A camp fire track that would fit at home either around a roasting fire out in the dessert of with guitar across lap and a harmonica in hand rocking gently on a veranda. With lyrics such as 'I swear I didn't know that 45 was loaded, in fact my memory ain't to clear..' is all very humorous and adds to the story of the track where upon, imaging Tyler standing, with hands tied behind his back, pleading for his life, makes the song al the more inviting.

It will pull out all the stops on forcing me to recall all sorts of things (the back cover shows the band behind bars, and a perfect idea of the album and it's content, I, personally was never behind bars..) so in that respect I believe it to be a classic album, but in the consumer view?