 |  | Actually Pretty Good For All The Negative Press |  |
This album is much better then it's lousy reputation and is really pretty enjoyable. When i first listened to it i thought i was in for a train wreck of an album (that would actually be the next album "Rock In A Hard Place")but was pleasantly suprised by it. I think this album & it's predecessor "Draw The Line" suffered negative reviews due to the fact that they're not as good as the two preceeding classic albums "Toys In The Attic" and "ROCKS".It's really hard to fault the band for that too much as it's not easy keeping that kind of pace up.Also the negative state of the band at the time with the constant whispers of Joe Perry's departure and Steven Tyler's drug addled live performances fostered many ill feelings towards the group.In truth some of the songs are very good, the sleazy sounding "Cheese Cake" is a stand out with amazing slide guitar from Perry and a great performance from Tyler that would have been a perfect fit on any of their earlier 70's albums. "No Surprize" is a storming opener with a lyric documenting the band's beginnings & subsequent success to a fantastic riff."Three Mile Smile" is an addictive tune with ultra catchy guitar riffs and vocals. The only songs i really can't recommend are "Remember Walking In The Sand" and "Mia". I think if the band would have included the single "Chip Away The Stone" which was released only months before, then "Night In The Ruts" would have been more favorably reviewed but as it is it's a great treat for fans of early,classic Aerosmith to discover. Check it out.
April 4, 2008Considering the band was falling apart and as Joe Perry put it, they were drug addicts dabbling as musicians rather than musicians dabbling in drugs, this album is a class act.
The state of the band is evident in the cover, but the music is second to none. It starts off with the classic No Surprize, one of Aerosmith's best tracks. There is a tired, ragged, but rich version of Remember Walking In The Sand.
The highlight has to be Cheese Cake, with fantastic steel guitar from Joe Perry who left the band during the making of it. Other very strong songs are Bone To Bone, Reefer Headed Woman and a beautiful song called Mia, written by Steven Tyler about his newborn daughter.
Tom Hamilton and Joey Krammer are as ever the backbone of Aerosmith and are probably responsible for holding them together during the dark times.
Night In The Ruts is highly recommended.
February 4, 2008You know the only problem that I have with this album is the production.
I like the song selection.
I think that it was a good return to the roots of Aerosmiths first album which I happen to think is the bands best.
September 12, 2007Not a bad album at all. Not really memorable though. A few great tracks with "No Surprise" and the cover of a rare Yardbirds b-side "Think About It". The rest is ok but it is clear that the ship was running out of steam at this point.
August 22, 2007| | | It's not as bad as portrayed | |
This album got alot of flak as it was the album that caused the band to break up. However, it does have it's moments, and the first 3 songs were probably the best material to come out since "Rocks". The album kicks off with autobiographical "No Surprize", then it goes into one of the best rockers the band ever pulled off "Chiquita", and finally a rather good version of: "Remember(Walking In The Sand)" it has a dark sinister side to it, but so did the Shangri-La's version. Songs 4-7 to me were rather forgettable; about as forgettable as the recording sessions probably were for this album. It does pick up with thier cover of the Yardbird's song "Think About It", but I found it a little bit too long, finally the band's darkest song ever, and I do mean ever: "Mia". This showed the group at it's lowest, and probably it's least inspired. The drugs weren't doing the magic anymore, and it would tear the group apart as Joe Perry would leave, and form his own band, Brad Whitford would leave 6 months later, and then Steven Tyler would get the double whammy as he would experience a heart attack onstage, and then a motorcycle accident. The 70's ended with a whimper, and that would bring in the uptight 80's.
May 28, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(49 reviews)