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 thoughtMFAD 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