Aerosmith - 1971: The Road Starts Hear (2022)

Ultimate manna for labels trying to hit the jackpot without having to look any further than in sometimes dusty archives, the compilations of first recordings made by artists at the very beginning of their career are capable of delivering the worst as well as the best. In addition to the question of the sound, more or less well captured at the time and the remastering work carried out, it is of course necessary to deal with the level of the group and its mastery of its repertoire during the passage in the studio. In this little game, Aerosmith comes out with the honors. Recorded two years before the release of its first album (which bears the name of the group), the songs of 1971: The Road Starts Hear are those found mainly on Aerosmith. What is surprising in the first place is the color given to certain songs, more than the unfinished side to which we thought we were entitled.

The combo is not yet this huge machine capable of mixing hard rock, soul spirit and groove in one piece. The general rendering seems closer to the work of Anglo-Saxon groups then essential, from Led Zeppelin (certain accents of Movin’ Out) to the Rolling Stones (the cover of Walkin’ the Dog by Rufus Thomas). A very spontaneous content as a whole, accentuated by the live effect that emerges from these recordings with a very garage sound in mind, but with a real charm on arrival. And while Dream On is still green and somewhat floaty, Mama Kin already has that rawer, more direct face. Seven songs (if we exclude the dispensable Intro supposed to plunge us into the bath) thus delivered, it may seem short. It's much more interesting and catchy than a long list of unfinished tracks. Because once you've finished listening, you want to put a layer back on it to better appreciate the period vibe. It's so much more fun than not going to the end of a so-called new but often too busy compilation.

Tracklist
1. Intro (1:59)
2. Somebody (4:35)
3. Reefer Head Woman (5:38)
4. Walkin’ The Dog (4:53)
5. Movin' Out (5:54)
6. Major Barbara (5:10)
7. Dream On (4:34)
8. Mama Kin (4:54)