Music From Another Dimension! - Aerosmith
User Score
5.8 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 29 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 29
  3. Negative: 9 out of 29

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  1. mcgrady
    Feb 26, 2013
    7
    There are generally two camps of Aerosmith fans those who like their first five albums, and those who grew up later than that and was exposed to them through MTV videos, Armageddon soundtracks, Guitar Hero, and American Idol judging. I was born and raised right in the middle of the bands transition (the lovely 80's). I tend to appreciate both incarnations of this band. I enjoyed MFAD, but I understand why the reviews are so mixed because the album is. I think the issue for the band at this point is that they've spent two decades surviving on a more pop/rock tongue-n-cheek approach to their music. There is, however, a large section of their fans who have been begging for them to return to their classic 70's sound. We've heard from them on their last couple of projects that they were trying to do that very thing...and somehow they get stuck in this predicament (which I attribute to labels and producers) in that they have to appeal to their ENTIRE fan base. So...what we have hear is a can of mixed nuts. For those of you looking for that stripped-down, edgy sound from the 70's, you'll run across the licks in Street Jesus and Out Go The Lights and find some reminiscence of those days. For those needing their next I Don't Want To Miss A Thing track for your upcoming wedding reception, you have Can't Stop Loving You and a few other ballads to choose from. And in between (and there are several tracks to go through on this one), there are some newer sounds that I've never quite heard from the band before. Some were refreshing, some took some getting used to...but so did some of the things from some of the older stuff for me as well. All and all, I enjoyed the variety but being sensible, I know that not everyone will appreciate the diversity of this album. I would like to see the band get out one last work to remember them by before they inevitably retire. Personally, I'm not so worried about whether it sounds like anything they've ever done before or not. I wish the guys could just have the creative freedom to not worry about what they think the industry wants from them, and to just cut loose with something new and innovative. I know they have that in them. And on a side note they are still one of the best live shows out there! If you've not seen them they are incredible.… Expand
  2. Skydog
    Jan 13, 2013
    4
    Nothing is special about this album, it CANNOT be compared to Toys in The Attic or Rocks for sure. It's not classic aerosmith IMO at all. It sounds like the 90s bubblegum pop aerosmith on the majority of the album with some folk and bluesy songs thrown in, with maybe ONE song that i can see them calling "old school" but it's nothing special at that even.
    The guitar work was just "okay" ,     drums were the highlight for me on a lot of the tracks. I recommend sticking with the older material if your new to Aerosmith (Which i doubt 98% of America isn't)… Expand
  3. Mab_987
    Dec 18, 2012
    7
    MFAD doesn't start on a good note, as both LUV XXX & Oh Yeah are some of the most inane & lyrically uninspired songs I've heard all year. There's some decent riffs/melodies but they're wasted on lyrics that sounds like a band that has absolutely nothing to write about & as a result rely on a checklist of rock cliches. And of course because these songs open the album this is how I thought most of the album would be. Fortunately I was wrong, as Beautiful is full of interestingly jarring style shifts ranging everywhere from rapping (something Steven hasn't done since 2001's Outta Your Head) over slightly dissonant riffs to big anthemic choruses. This is definitely a highlight of the album, as it shows the potential Aerosmith has to not simply fall back on older styles & play it safe. However, keep in mind that it's definitely a grower, & will take a few listens to really "get". Tell Me, the lyrical debut of bassist Tom Hamilton, is a beautifully contemplative acoustic breakup ballad. I hope he does more songwriting in the future, since it's a pretty good first impression. Even though I'm mostly going in order, I feel I need to group together track 5 Out Go the Lights & track 8 Street Jesus in the next few sentences. These 2 songs are nothing short of phenomenal, with infectious hard-rocking riffs & ambitious lengths that are surprisingly welcome considering they don't change pace too much throughout. The overall mood set is simply addictive all-around. To point out more individual traits, Out Go the Lights is probably the most orchestrated of the 2, including a well-placed female choir for most of the song's duration, as well as a snappy & effective horn section that's used a little more sparsely. Also on this track, the lyrics are a bit more common (mainly in that they refer to sex a lot) but whereas the opening tracks were stale & overly derivative, Out Go the Lights is chock full of masterful swagger & confidence. I don't even like to use that word, but there's no better way to describe it. Street Jesus on the other hand is more interesting lyrically, seemingly describing, as the title somewhat implies, a man who walks the street dressed as Jesus preaching the Gospel. The pace of this song (starting at the first chorus) is a lot more frantic & energetic, while still transitioning into the slightly slower parts with ease by building them up throughout, & is probably the more justified in its long length out of the 2. In my mind this is a modern Aerosmith classic, & easily one of my favorites. Going back a couple tracks for the next 2, Legendary Child was a welcome return as the first single, even if it rips off the cadence of Walk This Way a little (& even directly copies a line). In short, it was everything a fan could've wanted in a comeback single. Unfortunately What Could Have Been Love & Can't Stop Loving You are basically this album's token "power ballads", but whereas previous "commercial" ballads like What It Takes & Crazy had enough personality to not be a complete sellout, these songs are completely sanitized in every conceivable way, blatantly created to chart, which thankfully they haven't. This would definitely explain the Carrie Underwood feature on Can't Stop Loving You. Back in order & back to good songs, Lover Alot (still can't stand that grammatical error) is another straightforward rocker, this time about a guy who's oblivious to a girl's affections for him. This is an interesting song lyrically, as for once it paints Steven as someone other than the main guy in one of these situations. And the melody, while very repetitive, is still quite enjoyable. We All Fall Down is one of a couple examples here of an Aerosmith ballad done right. Surprisingly it's the only song here not written by the band, this one being written by Diane Warren, who also wrote I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing. While the chorus lyrics are somewhat cheesy/sappy, there's still a sense of sincerity throughout. Still, a couple identical rhymes & phoned-in motivational phrases keep it from being absolutely great. Freedom Fighter is 1 of 2 songs here written/sung solely by Joe Perry, & his more gruff & understated voice works well here. I read that this song is a response to Invisible Children's Kony 2012 campaign, & I can definitely see this as a sort of anthem for the organization. While there might be some factual inaccuracies (the LRA doesn't make bombs), his heart is definitely in the right place. Closer is another well-done ballad, & while the lyrics are a little confusing, the instrumental arrangement works wonders. On Something, the 2nd track to be led by Joe Perry, while his vocal delivery isn't quite as strong here (definitely could've used a few more takes), there's still some good lyrics about all those people in life who just love to screw you over. Finally, Another Last Goodbye is by far the most emotional song here, with Tyler screeching his heart out over just a piano. Chilling ballad. Overall score: 75/100.… Expand
  4. leafar0997
    Dec 15, 2012
    6
    I must say that I'm disappointed with Aerosmith. They were my favourite band of all times, I was a lover of the incredible Steven's voice and the great Perry's guitar skills. They still being my favourite band because they have some of the best rock songs ever in history, however this latest album is kind of band. The only two songs that I really like are What Could Have Been Love and Legendary Child. I still don't understand how a band like them is able to create such a terrible song that is Lover A Lot. This album is the worst Aerosmith album till date, but I can't forget the bunch of amazing songs that they made in the past so, I still saying that Aerosmith is a great and stunning band.… Expand
  5. Trevskii
    Nov 21, 2012
    9
    Aerosmith are one of those bands that critics can't cope with. "Where's the originality, the progression, the modernity and the surprise that my heavily worked pallet needs?" they wonder, before they turn away to press play on a gamin duo who fuse the latest synth with sheet metal beating and an experimental wail. Fair enough, each to their own. But to ignore Aerosmith is to say more about us than them. They have defined (and, if you're paying attention, consistently evolved) a niche that screams fun and shamelessly raunchy playfulness. They should remind today's lost, ironic and prohibitively cool guys and gals that, while time is indeed short, the party's waiting if you can just unchain yourself from disinterested disillusionment … Expand
  6. William_Nemo
    Nov 17, 2012
    8
    I honestly do not agree with the vote that critics expressed. This is a great album! the sound is in the back to basics. Last great work of the best hard rock band in the world.
  7. dallasc
    Nov 9, 2012
    7
    It's definately over hyped, but still ok. After several listen throughs, it got better. Still, not one of their best works. I think they should retired instead of putting out mediocre tuff like this.
  8. jessman
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    I will be the first to admit that at first I was disappointed with this album, but after multiple listens and the wonders of the digital age I realize that it's brilliant. See when I noticed how many tracks were on this I wondered how it could stand up to other Aerosmith records. An Aerosmith album should be short hard hitting and to the point ie Toys, Get your Wings, Rocks, Pump as opposed to the bloated long plays like get a grip and nine lives. Now I start to see the reasoning behind the mass amounts of tracks the band wants to appease ALL their fans, so you jerks who all bought the armageddon sound track and all their greatest hits albums you get no less then 2 syrupy ballads to weep queitly in your snuggies to, and yes the band plays them well ( 3 if you count the much better Another Last Goodbye) and the hopeless American idol groupies will no doubt like Can't stop loving you with Carrie Underwood well performed, but why? So for those of us that want loud guitars and that Aerosmith groove and soul + the experimental Aero weirdness and psychedelic sounds, we get some of the best stuff they've done since Pump. I made a playlist and it's getting heavy rotation in my car and pad. It's the album minus the fat, and without the aforementioned ballads I am quite satisfied. The band sound like they are all playing together in the same room and the guitars playing is some of their best in a long time Steven Tyler's voice sounds as good as it always has just with more natural rasp. I just wish they would release a high def version of this because I don't think cd or mp3 does this justice. Here is my playlist Luv XXX, OH Yeah, Beautiful, Tell Me, Out Go The Lights, Legendary Child, Street Jesus, Lover A lot, Freedom Fighter, Something, Another Last Goodbye.… Collapse
  9. knoxvox
    Nov 7, 2012
    3
    Let's face it. Aerosmith only made 1 truly amazing album. It's called Rocks. If you don't know/own it & are looking at reviews for this album, get THAT one. Regarding THIS album... I love how hyped it is (they're back!) & how truly awful it is. Are we the fans accepting this as a gooood album? The basement ceiling gets higher (& w bigger names down there!) Really, I don't know what the f is going on in this band. I think all the guys (other than Steven Tyler) deserve more. Joe Perry is great. Look up Combination on youtube. And Jack Douglas... smarten up! You can do better!… Expand
  10. Bookmaster
    Nov 6, 2012
    8
    If according to the critics liking this album is wrong, than oh boy do I not want to be to right. With a new delicious dose of spectacular Aerosmith jams, this should hold us over until some sort of musical deities swoop us away, and take us to a contemporary land where music reins supreme and no one thinks Nicki Minaj is a good singer anymore. Aerosmith's well preserved sound serves to be a fresh injection of genres we almost forgot exists. Now we aren't gasping for breath with too many dance tunes, with the current toppers being as far from the common fare as possible by our slanted views, it certainly is a much appreciated breath. This album isn't perfect, and that's for damn sure. At times I feel Steven tries a bit too hard to appeal to what the common day folk consider to be the listen worthy, but he defiantly doesn't conform. And truely, you can't complain about it being cheesy, because what else could we expect? Steven Tyler: Touch my Body and Pound the Lazy Song Style? He is his own thing, and rather you like his flare or not, he's going to pertrude it other your way, like a grizzled **** So, rather you're a long time fan who heralds his return, or a new age song snob snapping your fingers to another tune, I find it to be a very acceptable set of tunes. Just listen at your own discretion. Seriously, if you normally don't like this sort of thing, you're screwed.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
54 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 22
  3. Negative: 4 out of 22
  1. Kerrang!
    Dec 10, 2012
    60
    When it good, Music From Another Dimension! captures Aerosmith in all their shiny, glittering glory.... However, at over an hour in length, the party begins to sag after a while. [3 Nov 2012, p.52]
  2. Mojo
    Nov 21, 2012
    60
    While some of this uneven material has been reheated from past writing sessions, Aerosmith are genuinely fighting to reclaim their soul.
  3. Spin
    Nov 9, 2012
    60
    Overall, Dimension has some solid moments and no outright duds, but it works better as the basis for a playlist than as a start-to-finish album.
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