Nine Lives

Nine Lives is a fulfilling work on which Aerosmith foregrounds thick riffs, loosely bouncing rhythm and Steven Tyler’s unrestrained singing. A record made after the great success of the 1990s, through various changes. Even within the thick sound particular to the 1990s, the band’s inherent sure blues sense and supple rock-and-roll appeal are firmly kept. A record on which more powerful, return-to-origins elements can also be felt. From the powerful title track “Nine Lives” and the popular “Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)” to the moving ballad “Hole in My Soul,” every song is engaging, while the Grammy-winning “Pink” and the exotic “Taste of India” convey the work’s fullness. In particular, “Pink” recorded a big hit. A record on which even longer songs have fine, sure sway, and catchy choruses and rough playing appear in turn vividly. You can savor both the large arena feel and the early dangerous scent at once. A powerful, engaging record showing the sure ability of Aerosmith in its mature period — a record where the band’s fullness shines.