When they were on the money, Robert Christgau rightly placed the Alice Cooper band in the tradition of one-shot, rebel-yell garage bands like The Count 5, the Standells, and the Music Machine. The evidence of that is everywhere on their alb...ums, with tremendous distortion punching up guitar riffs that grabbed you by the neck, tersely alienated lyrics, relentless backbeat. The band, especially Alice, though, loved spectacle as well and committed themselves to extended psychodramas that teased the edge of Jethro Tullish plod -and- thump. Those pieces are not rock and roll and, we may note, are generally not discussed, let alone played. But mention this tune, "I'm Eighteen," "Under My Wheels," "Be My Lover," or "Elected," then an enthused bull session ensues. At their best, they were among Detroit's.
Best.
