13 June, 2013

265. Alice Cooper | School's Out (1972)



Tracks
  1. School's Out
  2. Luney Tune
  3. Gutter Cat Vs. the Jets
  4. Street Fight
  5. Blue Turk
  6. My Stars
  7. Public Animal #9
  8. Alma Mater
  9. Grande Finale

School's Out is a daring album. The music is hard rock. And more! With the West Side Story elements in Gutter Cat Vs. the Jets and in Grande Finale, this is hard rock-cum-musical. Although, the story is elusive. There's also a sampling of nightclub music with Blue Turk.

With the mix of styles, I'm not sure who the audience is that Alice Cooper is trying to reach—Theater-going types who think they're missing out on essential rowdiness and mischief or young, blue-collar, beer-drinking men who realize they lack refinement? 

I think this is an entertaining album. And it's also likeable. Unfortunately, I don't think it succeeds in whatever it was meant to achieve.  It doesn't fail because of the concept; it fails because it's incoherent. So, it's worth listening to at least once, and it does improve the more times it's listened to. However, I don't think it deserves to be on the 1001 Albums list. If the concept had been clearer it certainly could've been a timeless classic.

All the songs are excellent. The stand-outs are: School's OutLuney TuneBlue TurkMy StarsPublic Animal #9 and Grande Finale.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

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