Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

lots of folks used to call steven tyler the poor man's mick jagger, and aerosmith shameless stones imitators. but I think, listening to their new career-spanning comp o, yeah! ultimate aerosmith hits, I've hit on the one band they safely can be compared to: ac/dc. in that most of the 'smith's albums don't vary a whole lot, hewing to a similar-sounding batch of joe perry unleashed rockers and steve's-real-sensitive ballads. but like ac/dc (and, excepting their mid-'80s flirtation with synths, zz top), they're solid and dependable, like your favorite jeans or a ford pickup. and since when is that such a bad thing when it comes to music? honestly, as much as I might love radiohead or luomo or sonic youth or timbaland, sometimes I don't want to be challenged. I want the musical equivalent of comfort food, and with ac/dc, aerosmith, and zz top, I get it. that doesn't mean they're boring or uninteresting; it means you basically know what you're gonna get: great hard rock, decent tunes, and a distinctive sound. steven tyler's voice is shredded like tattered burlap as the band members all move into their 50s, and that's a positive thing.