It’s been a while since I’ve been excited about a new Alice Cooper record. He’s perched atop the mantle of rock singers who just don’t seem to age, sitting comfortably between Steven Tyler and Robin Zander. Alice still has the voice, the swagger, the humor, and the energy that he’s always had – maybe more – and when I heard his new record would be called Detroit Stories – and would be recorded in Detroit, by mostly Detroit musicians, and consist of songs from and about Detroit, well, I knew then that this was something I had to check out.

The cover is a dark image of downtown Detroit’s famous Guardian Building, one of the focal points of the city’s skyline, shrouded in fog and clouds. Two spotlights shooting into the mist contain Alice’s painted, bleeding eyes. The Guardian is a beautiful example of Art-Deco architecture, once housing the Union-Guardian Trust bank lobby, offices, and safe; a sign of the times when Detroit was the epicenter of U.S. manufacturing and economic growth. After surviving the Depression, a recession, the ‘67 riots, and the “Great-White-Flight” out of the city, it is now a national landmark; a well-maintained collection of shops and offices with the classic Michigan wilderness mural, original basement safe, Art-Deco design and Pewabic tile work still intact. Much like Alice himself, the Guardian is part of the fabric of the city – something residents are proud of when they talk about Detroit, something that makes Detroit special and unique. And like Alice, the Guardian is still there, it’s spot in the skyline secure and established, a beacon of the city’s legacy, and still appreciated by the citizens and tourists alike.

Detroit Stories opens with a cover of Lou Reed’s “Rock and Roll,” but it’s more a take on Mitch Ryder’s version than the Velvet’s. The song kicks off slow and sludgy, almost like a Tool demo…wait a minute – oh snap! The LP’s are pressed at 45 rpm, not 33 & 1/3, hold on – okay that’s better. Now we’re rockin’! Can’t say I think this song needs to be covered anymore than it already has, but Alice somehow breathes new life into it, saving this version from the throwaway heap atop so many previous renditions.

The album traverses a smorgasbord of genres and styles across its four sides – from the garage-punk of “Go Man Go” to the funny, funky-soul of “$1000 High Heel Shoes,” the singalong/arena-rock anthem “Detroit City 2021,” and the dirty blues of “Drunk and In Love.” Respects are paid with covers of the MC5’s “Sister Anne,” Bob Seger’s “East Side Story,” and Outrageous Cherry’s “Our Love Will Change the World.”

The roster includes some faces from Alice’s past, a couple famous Michigan rockers, some new and unfamiliar names, and a couple big-time contributors as well. Original Alice Cooper Band members Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith play on a couple songs. The MC5’s Wayne Kramer and Grand Funk Railroad’s Mark Farner are on several tracks. U2’s Larry Mullen Jr. plays drums on “Shut Up and Rock” and blues-man Joe Bonamassa lends his celebrity licks to a couple songs. Representing more recent generations is Howell, Michigan’s Garret Bielaniec – laying down his winding, melodic Joe Walsh meets Joe Perry riffs on several tracks. The list goes on.

It takes more than some diverse genres and an impressive list of musicians to make a great album, and who better than legendary producer Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper, KISS, Aerosmith, etc.) to make sure the songs flow & breathe, groove & rock, bang & clang – all with the swing, humor, gothic-horror, and deadpan delivery Alice Cooper fans have come to expect. Ezrin has delivered – the album plays like it was recorded live, loud, and late at the end of a dark street in a dilapidated Detroit neighborhood. It’s a teen-party flick and a classic slasher movie, a blues-rock album and a carnival ride soundtrack. It’s 100% Alice.

I’m a huge fan of Love it to Death, Flush the Fashion, and certainly Billion Dollar Babies, Welcome to My Nightmare and the rest of his 70’s output. I’ve dug the occasional song since (“Poison” is a later-era fave), but to be honest, I’m no completist or expert when it comes to his catalog. He was my first concert in 1981 (read about that here) and I saw him again, opening for - and completely destroying – the younger Mötley Crüe with a far superior set (and doing it without the aid of pre-recorded tracks, cough-cough) on their joke of a “Farewell Tour.” Alice still has it, and with Detroit Stories he’s delivered an album that is not unlike Detroit itself – dark, dirty, diverse, loud, and alive. The city is enjoying a resurgence of culture, business, and relevance by celebrating its past and embracing the modern age. Alice Cooper is a part of that past, and now he’s part of the resurgence too.

Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit and fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos. Follow them on Facebook to read his road blog about their adventures on the dive-bar circuit.
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Twitter: @jeremyportermi | Instagram: @onetogive & @jeremyportermusic

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