Pump

Pump is a fulfilling work on which Aerosmith bound its bluesy groove and the big, glossy sound particular to the late 1980s with extremely high precision. A record representing their mature period, making the revival of the previous Permanent Vacation sure. The powerful riffs Joe Perry’s guitar carves and Steven Tyler’s unrestrained singing radiate an extremely strong presence even within the refined production. From the opener “Young Lust” and the momentum of the all-too-famous signature “Love in an Elevator” to the tension of “Janie’s Got a Gun,” treating a social theme, every song is engaging, while the moving ballad “What It Takes” and a cut like “The Other Side” convey the work’s fullness. In particular, “Janie’s Got a Gun” won a Grammy. A record on which the songs, while catchy, by no means become monotonous, drawing the listener with their rich expression. It powerfully sounds the great momentum of the revival period as the band’s sure character, by no means ending as mere commercialism. A powerful, engaging masterpiece showing Aerosmith’s mature ability — a record where the band’s fullness shines.