AEROSMITH – Night In The Ruts [Blu-Spec CD2 remastered]

One of you asked for the best sounding-reissue AEROSMITH albums, especially from the first era. Now here’s “Night In The Ruts“, and I think this recent Japanese release on Blu-Spec CD2, remastered, is the best you can get.

American hard rock institution Aerosmith grudgingly acknowledged the dire state of affairs within their operation with the title of their sixth studio album, Night in the Ruts, which arrived on Nov. 1, 1979, like some kind of condemned spirit of good times past, returning to haunt those left behind.
If anything, it was no small miracle that Aerosmith — overworked, overtired and over-drugged — had even managed to keep their leaky ship afloat that far. The already trying conditions surrounding 1977’s Draw the Line and the grueling tour regimen that interrupted the recording of “Night In The Ruts” finally pushed guitarist Joe Perry over the edge.

By the time the shambles that was now Aerosmith reconvened in late summer of ’79 to complete “Night In The Ruts”, Perry was gone. The remaining guitar workload had to be shouldered by his six-string partner Brad Whitford, plus session hires Richie Supa, Neil Thompson and Jimmy Crespo (who later became Joe’s official replacement).
And still, many songs convincingly sound like vintage Aerosmith, namely the rambunctious opener “No Surprize,” “Three Mile Smile” and eventual concert favorite “Bone to Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy).”

And this album includes a great cover, the Shangri-Las’ “Remember (Walking in the Sand)”, one of my favorite songs from first-era Aerosmith.
But while Aerosmith went on to pull a Kiss-type, “No, Ace Frehley is still in the band, seriously” ruse by placing the already departed Perry on the “Night In The Ruts” cover photo, their charismatic guitarist and songwriting force was as good as gone, and his former guitar foil, Whitford was soon to follow.

Despite its recording troubles, “Night In The Ruts” is a surprisingly coherent and inspired album. Although it’s not up to par with such classics as Toys In The Attic or Rocks, it was definitely focused, rocking, and very well produced.
This Japanese reissue features the album’s Nineties remaster, but as happens with all Blu-Spec CD2 pressings, all sounds more defined.
Highly Recommended

Sony Music Japan ~ SICP-30373 【ＢＳＣＤ２】

01 – No Surprize
02 – Chiquita
03 – Remember [Walking In The Sand]
04 – Cheese Cake
05 – Three Mile Smile
06 – Reefer Head Woman
07 – Bone To Bone [Coney Island White Fish Boy]
08 – Think About It
09 – Mia

Steven Tyler – vocals, keyboards, harmonica, piano
Joe Perry – guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals
Brad Whitford – guitar
Tom Hamilton – bass
Joey Kramer – drums
additional musicians:
Mary Weiss – backing vocals on “Remember (Walking in the Sand)”
Richie Supa – additional guitars on “No Surprize” and “Mia”
Jimmy Crespo – lead guitar on “Three Mile Smile”
Louis del Gatto – baritone saxophone on “Chiquita”
Lou Marini – tenor saxophone on “Chiquita”
Barry Rogers – trombone on “Chiquita”
Neil Thompson – guitar on “Chiquita”
George Young – horn, alto saxophone on “Chiquita”

BUY IT !
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/SICP-30373
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