Rocks
Aerosmith
1976
Album Summary
Rocks is the fourth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released in 3 May 1976. AllMusic described Rocks as having "captured Aerosmith at their most raw and rocking." Rocks was ranked number 366 on the updated Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020. It has greatly influenced many hard rock and heavy metal artists, including Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and Nirvana. The album was a commercial success, charting three singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached the Top 40 ("Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child"). The album was one of the first to ship platinum when it was released, and has since gone quadruple platinum.
WikipediaSimilar feelings to my thoughts about the Aerosmith album that I had to listen to the other day. Mostly meh guitar rock with a few standouts.
I'm listening to this hung over as a motherfucker, and all I can think of is that this is, in music archaeology terms, the missing link between heavy metal and hair metal. Last child has quite a funky bassline. Other than that - I got bored of it very quickly.
Always have a soft spot for Aerosmith. Easy to forget the amazing guitar work that's overshadowed by the charismatic vocals, but this is a solid classic rock album that hits all the right buttons for me. Might be my favorite of there's, too.
White boys rarely get this funky, so respect these horny greasers, whose sole purpose is to rivatalise your ass cheeks with the meanest boogie oogie woogie this side of the Stones. Just 35 minutes, but they're so tight--and every lick, riff, break and bridge so lean--that these songs feel like they last forever.
Robert Demery aimant jouer le hipster et fin connaisseur de la musique, ce petit malin s'est contenté de selectionner trois albums d'Aerosmith dans sa liste, dont deux qu'absolument personne ne connait. Néammoins, les chats ne faisant pas des chiens, l'album est evidemment excellent. Le vrai problème vient d'une information qui m'a été succurée a l'oreille par mon camarade l'humble robbouder: cet album n'aura reçu qu'une note de 3.15 de la part des fans, qui ont préféré sauver Quentin Mosimann en appelant au 3640. Une preuve de plus que vous qui me lisez ne connaissez rien à la musique, retournez sacraliser l'orgue inaudible de Manzarev et autres albums moyens qui vous donnent l'impression d'avoir une culture musicale.
Classic mid-70s rock. Don't like it, but cant deny its effectiveness at being what it is
Aerosmith invented Screamo, change my mind. Lots of big yelling, lots of testosterone, and lots of rock. I was taken to an Aerosmith concert when I was younger fully expecting to hate it because it was a dad band, but just like this album I was pleasantly surprised. It isn't necessarily my jam but I can see how in the 70s that this was some serious hard rock. Very entertaining but not really inspiring.
Awesome album. Most of the older Aerosmith stuff I know were the Greatest Hits, so the first two tracks were expectedly great (love the whinnying and clip clops in the opening of “Back in the Saddle”). The rest of the album I wasn’t so familiar with, but I loved it all! The four times I listened to it today had me digging all the songs. It’s Aerosmith. I should have been listening to this album for most of life.
Aerosmith! Yay! I don't know this album. (Is it just me or does the cover look cheap?) I love the build at the beginning of Back in the Saddle and there are some horse noises I've never noticed before...and some yodeling! Last Child is one of the songs that defines Aerosmith for me --- an edgy, hard-rocking blues sound where Steven Tyler gets to sing and screech. The rest of the songs are totally new to me. I do love Combination --- the lyrics have some clever rhymes and the chorus is hella catchy. When Nobody's Fault started, I had to check to see if I was still listening to Aerosmith. It's more heavy metal than blues-rock. Get the Lead Out is fun. (But why are you showing me your fist? is it to show off your new finger tattoos?) I love me a song with some na, na, na's, like Lick and a Promise. Home Tonight is a nice piano-heavy power ballad whose melody made me think of Chicago's Saturday in the Park. This was great fun!
A classic. Their first five albums rank up there with any of the other great bands. They should have stopped recording after Draw The Line. Everything after that fifth album was either passable or recorded just so they could cash the checks.
Очень драйвовый, крутой альбом. Нескучный, местами мелодичный и кайфовый.
Alright I love this album and have listened to it heaps of times. Will listen again tonight and rate. Great
This has been one of the more surprising listens so far. I apparently judged Aerosmith too harshly based on their later pop rock popularity, so I’ve slept on these early rock albums. After one listen, this is one of my favorite rock albums.
Top to bottom a fantastic record. For me, it's just behind Toys in the Attic.
Had expected either Toys in the Attic or Rocks or perhaps even both. The former album might be a bit stronger overall, but of course both are proper Aerosmith classics. Compare this to Pump (also in the 1001 list but just a solid rock album) and hear the difference!
Very happy about this one. First Aerosmith project i’ve heard but it kept me wanting more. Packed with very solid riffs and vocals, the album doesn’t really have any downs. Will definitely check out more of their discography.
Yes. Now we're talking. Aerosmith. And this is a good album. No massive scene stealing songs, but all of them just rock.
"Rocks" is the fourth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith. This album is known as a highlight of their career and capturing the band at their most raw and rocking despite their heavy drug use. It is without doubt a most rocking album. At the time, it received mixed reviews but later very positive reviews. And, it was a big commercial success in the US going quadruple platinum (4,000,000 copies). The album begins with the slow, creepy guitar build-up in "Back in the Saddle" which ends in a Steven Tyler scream. A bad-ass groove. Chunky guitar. Whips, clicking spurs and galloping horses. You can't go wrong singing about cowboys and sex. The first single "Last Child" opens with a classic heavy metal acoustic guitar. It transitions to a more rockin' sound. Tyler struttin'. Great guitar solo. "Rats in the Cellar" was their answer to "Toys in the Attic." This is harder and driving. Great layered guitars by Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. It's real life as things are coming apart within the band. "Sick as a Dog" is the most straight-forward rock song on the album. Catchy vocals and guitar chorus. A deeper cut and my favorite song on the album. "Nobody's Fault" is the band's favorite song on the album. It's heavier. Gun 'N' Roses were in the room and actually were quite literally as Slash cites this album as one of his inspirations. The album ends with the ballad "Home Tonight." Piano. Lap steel guitar. Foreshadowing of what was to come a decade later? This is great album. Focused. Rocks hard. Melody hooks. Great layered guitars. A tight, tight band despite what state they might have been in. I had to listen to "Toys in the Attic" again to verify but, without question, "Rocks" is their best album and a hard rock classic.
Lidt mere klassisk Aerosmith, dog uden hits. Men god album og masser af power
Back in the Saddle is a jam. I've never listened to a full Aerosmith album, and this was enjoyable for sure. It did feel like a stereotypical 'rock' album, for better or for worse. It did feel sort of like I've heard some of these songs before even though I haven't. Overall fun and would listen to again. Would probably give a 3.5, but rounded up.
I was expecting to dislike this a lot more than I did. I have some premeditated distaste for Aerosmith, as cheesy bad rock. But I think that must come from distillations of late success band, Steven Tyler being weird, etc. this album rocked hard I loved the clear bluesy licks and rhythms. Still not a fave, but a clear step towards hard rock of the later 70s and 80s that I am more fond of. Way to prove me wrong, Aerosmith!
Great album, though I would put Toys In The Attic well ahead of this one.
This is one of the Aerosmith albums I'd never listened to before. This was pretty rocking. I liked it more than most of their recent stuff and better than their first two albums. Very short at about 30 mins so it's a quick listen. There's some tracks I'd be happy to listen to again. Nobody's Fault is a song I'd never heard before. The closing solo is good. Not the best guitar solo I've ever heard but good for them.
Many of these songs were staples of my HS years - especially “Back in the Saddle” which was mandatory pre-game fire-up music for our SW conference football games. “Last Child” was another mixtape favorite. The rest of the album is pretty solid 70s rock n roll: “Nobody’s Fault” - great tune - although “Combination” and “Get the Lead Out”are pretty forgettable tracks. Gotta love the guitars and the plaintive wail of Steven Tyler’s voice on Home Tonight (which was probably the inspiration for “Home Sweet Home” by MogleyvCrue. Anyone else contemplate how “Rats in the Cellar” seems to reference Splinter from the TMNTs?
Enjoyed this way more than I expected. Aerosmith usually has hits and shits on their albums. This was pretty solid all the way thru.
Enjoyed this. Good fun. Back in the Saddle and Sick as a Dog standout tracks.
Very classic rock sound but doesn't really feel like Aerosmith until the last few songs. Overall enjoyable with a strong first half.
Really enjoyed this. Could tell how they've influenced a hole genre since. 4/5
Of course I've heard their well-known hits plenty of times, but I never listened to an Aerosmith song outside of their hits before today. Turns out it's a lot better than I would have expected! Easy 4
Buen album de rock. A pesar de no ser gran fan de Aerosmtih, es un álbum bien balanceado.
Great rock and roll album! Much better than the pop-rock they produced in the 90s.
Aerosmith has an unmistakable sound and this album show cases it very well. Each song stands alone but contributes to the whole seamlessly. There were more than a handful of times during this album listen that made me perk up and got my attention.
This one really does rock! Good hard punches without overdoing it and some great solos. Rats in the Cellar and Nobody's Fault stand out.
Wow, I've never considered myself an Aerosmith fan, but I've got to hand it to them here. This is a solid album, full of fun, bluesy, dirty little rockers. It's the stuff the that made Aerosmith famous and is still totally playable today. Perry's licks are perfection and you can feel Tyler's charisma coming right through your speakers. There's a reason these guys have lasted so long. "Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child" rock, full stop, a perfect pair to start this album with. "Nobody's Fault" is surprisingly heavy (both musically and lyrically), love it. "Home Tonight" is a sweet way to close it out, and hints at those juggernaut pop hits we would get from the band in the 80s and 90s. Fave songs: Back in the Saddle, Last Child, Nobody's Fault, Home Tonight
More fun and funky than I was expecting. Sounds late 80s so well ahead of it’s time
The same guy that named the Tesla’s S, 3, X and Y must’ve named this album. I get it, Aerosmith Rocks, you are so clever. Unlike the Tesla models, the album name is accurate. Say what you want about Stephen Tyler’s lips, but they breath some great sound into this album that’s otherwise filled to the rim with smash-it-all, balls-to-the-wall rock and roll guitar. It’s hard to identify another mid 70’s alblum filled with so much losely tied cacophony in one spot. In fact, I think this was the last great rock album before the music industry fell in love with glam rock, poodle-heads and power ballads. Though this isn’t a daily listen album, I truly enjoyed the truth in advertising.
I hadn’t heard any of the tracks before but it was classic Aerosmith and thoroughly enjoyable !
Just a solid rock record. I enjoyed this one more than "Toys in The Attic". I feel like you can trace the lineage from Led Zepplin to Guns 'n' Roses through this record. Favorite tracks: "Back In The Saddle", "Last Child", "Rats In The Cellar", "Home Tonight"
So this is how they rocked before I was born eh? Well, went into this with all kind of biases (blame Love in an Elevator for that) but this is a great album, full of actual rock music rather than screaming anthems. Top stuff.
This album definitely rocks and a lot better than I expected. Not a favourite as the middle of the album dips in quality, especially Nobody's Fault. But the bookends of this (first three, last three songs) were fantastic. Back in the Saddle and Home Tonight were my favourites.
Fuck me! Aerosmith are a lot older than i realized. Although it seems time hasn't improved their sound. This is actually really decent classic rock. Like the Bluesy rock guitar licks a lot. Less cliched then their later stuff and Tyler's vocal doesn't dominate as much. A surprisingly high 4/5
Nostalgic. Prefer greatest hits albums for Aerosmith. Back in the Saddle is a good opener with a high-tempo glammish sound. Last Child has a really kicking bass rhythm and the vocals, whilst not as impressive as some songs, give it that typical Aerosmith. Rats in the Cellar could be a Guilty Gear BGM. Goods: Back in the Saddle, Rats in the Cellaer Bads:
Like the Aerosmith album… I really like this. My impression has been stained by those awful ballads. This is good straight up rock with tunes!
I am familiar with Aerosmith, but not this album. I don't believe that I had heard any tune on the album previously. It did sound like Aerosmith...no surprises... Although I don't find myself seeking out an Aerosmith album for a listen all that often, there are a some songs that caught my ear and I am likely to revisit the album in the future.
Again, I'm learning how much more I seem to enjoy classic hard rock than I thought. "Back in the Saddle" is an awesome triumphant anthem. I love the teasing intro, the growly bass line, and Steven Tyler's yodeling. "Last Child" gets bluesy and funky, and rhymes "south Tallahassee" with "sweet sassafrassy." You know we got "Rats in the Cellar"? This one is rockin' and chaotic. I like the duet of voices in "Combination." And the rest, as the title says, Rocks. It feels like rock 'n' roll oughta.
80. Rocks - Aerosmith 9 tracks. Considering this goes back to 1976 it's no surprise that it's quite raw, (in a good way). It's punchy as you would expect, but you still see glimpses of Tyler's slowed down vocals/hook that they used to great effect later on. Very good. 👍 4/5
A genuinely high quality rock album throughout. I can see why many artists were influenced by this album. Favorites: "Last Child", "Rats In The Cellar", "Nobody's Fault"
Back in the saddle is fun enough. Aerosmith have a better ear for funk and soul type rhythm than most heavy rock bands. Rats in the Cellar is a fun Thin Lizzy style stomper. After these two though, it's not the most exciting album. I feel like Aerosmith are another singles band. The rest of the album is far from bad, but not that exciting.
So many great guitar licks, iconic baselines, Tyler's patented wail, double entendres... 70's rock at its finest. A welcome break from the last few very intellectual albums I was served up. You don't have to think about Aerosmith, it just grabs you and drags you out to have a good time.
Back in the Saddle - Classic. Last Child - Absolutely slaps. Solid drum groove, amazing intro, allman brother style guitarmony, amazing vocals (obviously). Rats In the Cellar - Really driving beat. Killer guitar. New York City blues. Combination - Love the ride cymbal and fuzz guitar. Sick As a Dog - Nobody's Fault - Not super into it, big ol guitar solo fade out. Get the Lead Out - Syncopation to rock the nation.
Some good songs on here. Opens with a banger and steadily chugs away. 1 or 2 shitters but what can you do. Not amazing as it’s a bit cheesy for me but it’s still not bad
Obožavan šta rade s gitarom! Ovaj mi nije najdraži njihov, al ne mogu se zasitit tog rock-a 70-ih
Hearing full albums & not just the singles has really added to this 1001 journey. Not every Aerosmith song is a classic, but they're pretty consistent. Lyrically, always great.
Classic. My best friends mom had this album and I remember being introduced to this, toys in the attic, and Lucky Lager.
It's been a long time since I really listened to this band, and I'm very glad I gave this album a complete and thorough listen. I was already familiar with most of these songs, but hearing each track without distraction I am reminded what a great rock band Aerosmith is, and this album is fantastic. Such rockin' energy and creativity and each musician is superb. 70s rock, classic rock, blues rock, and all that, sure, it's a super-crowded space and it was almost all I heard for years growing up in the 70s and 80s -- plus, these days I listen to a much wider variety of music -- but this album still stands out. Very impressive.
Well, wasn't that a surprise. Aerosmith does indeed Rocks. I'll be honest, I only really knew the band from their 'MTV-years' and never really had taken the time to listen to their back catalog because of it. Something I wished I knew before I was in my 40's
Nothing revolutionary and album lacks real highlights but If you break it down it still remains a well done rock album
I enjoy the mellow production especially given its a hard rock album. Guitar parts are awesome. Lacks big songs, but enjoyable for a fan of rock music.