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The eight years since Meat Loaf's last studio album didn't include any editions of his Bat Out of Hell series, but with a live album and a VH1 Storytellers appearance that relied heavily on Bat material, it sure seemed like it. Maybe that's why Couldn't Have Said It Better feels like the more sure and energetic post-Bat albums (Dead Ringer and Welcome to the Neighborhood) with the singer still sounding ecstatic from hitting a home run. Performance wise, Meat Loaf is in fine form, rocking it out bar-band style and able to deliver the grandiose tongue-in-cheek lyrics with just enough smirk. The material gets divided into two "chapters," splitting the songs into Bat-like mini-operas on the first and turning the bombast down to mere Queen level on the second. Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and his writing partner James Michael contribute the bulk of the first chapter, with songs that betray taste and come right from the hulking Jim Steinman school. Just the right amount of camp keeps the rocking title track in check and Meat's call and response duet with Pearl Aday on "Man of Steel" stands with his finest moments. Chapter two kicks off with the great "Testify," a shimmy of a rave-up worthy of Meat's Eddie character from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was a brilliant move to hire Hedwig and the Angry Inch's composer/lyricist Stephen Trask for the husky "Tear Me Down," and Diane Warren contributes the softer "You're Right, I Was Wrong." The hyper and silly rap on "Do It" is ludicrous even by Meat Loaf's standards, but a chugging version of Dylan's "Forever Young" and the fiery version of "Mercury Blues," hidden as a bonus track, make for a perfect ending. At the time of its release, Steinman was five songs into writing Bat Out of Hell III. If he feeds off the serious competition on Couldn't Have Said It Better, it'll be fantastic.
© David Jeffries /TiVo
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Tim Pierce, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Nikki Sixx, ComposerLyricist - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - James Michael, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Todd Rundgren, Vocal Arranger, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - AARON ZIGMAN, Piano, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Alexander, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Patti Russo, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Producer, Mixer, Drum Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - James Michael, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - AARON ZIGMAN, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Tom Brislin, Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Maxi Anderson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Luis Conte, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Alexandra Brown, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rose Stone, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Lynn Davis, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Jo Davidson, ComposerLyricist - Tom Brislin, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Nikki Sixx, ComposerLyricist - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Drum Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - James Michael, ComposerLyricist - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Tom Brislin, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Nikki Sixx, ComposerLyricist - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Composer, Drum Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - James Michael, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Maxi Anderson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - AARON ZIGMAN, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Alexandra Brown, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rose Stone, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Lynn Davis, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Not Applicable, ComposerLyricist - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Pearl Aday, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Brislin, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Griffin, ComposerLyricist - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Programmer - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Maxi Anderson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Alexandra Brown, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rose Stone, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Lynn Davis, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Tom Brislin, Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Drum Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Stephen Trask, ComposerLyricist - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Pearl Aday, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Brislin, Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Drum Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Diane Warren, ComposerLyricist - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - AARON ZIGMAN, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Tom Brislin, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Drum Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Balsamo, Author - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - John Miceli, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Alexander, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Rick Jude, Composer, Author
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kasim Sulton, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Peter Mokran, Engineer, Drum Programmer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Billy Rankin, ComposerLyricist - Eric Troyer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Noel Golden, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - KENNY ARONOFF, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, MainArtist
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Bob Dylan, ComposerLyricist - Not Applicable, ComposerLyricist - K.C. Douglas, ComposerLyricist - Meat Loaf, MainArtist - Robert Geddins, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Kasim Sulton, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, Sound Editor, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jim Steinman, ComposerLyricist - John Miceli, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Meat Loaf, Guitar, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Pearl Aday, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Patti Russo, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Brislin, Piano, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Damon La Scot, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ray Andersen, Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
Album review
The eight years since Meat Loaf's last studio album didn't include any editions of his Bat Out of Hell series, but with a live album and a VH1 Storytellers appearance that relied heavily on Bat material, it sure seemed like it. Maybe that's why Couldn't Have Said It Better feels like the more sure and energetic post-Bat albums (Dead Ringer and Welcome to the Neighborhood) with the singer still sounding ecstatic from hitting a home run. Performance wise, Meat Loaf is in fine form, rocking it out bar-band style and able to deliver the grandiose tongue-in-cheek lyrics with just enough smirk. The material gets divided into two "chapters," splitting the songs into Bat-like mini-operas on the first and turning the bombast down to mere Queen level on the second. Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and his writing partner James Michael contribute the bulk of the first chapter, with songs that betray taste and come right from the hulking Jim Steinman school. Just the right amount of camp keeps the rocking title track in check and Meat's call and response duet with Pearl Aday on "Man of Steel" stands with his finest moments. Chapter two kicks off with the great "Testify," a shimmy of a rave-up worthy of Meat's Eddie character from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was a brilliant move to hire Hedwig and the Angry Inch's composer/lyricist Stephen Trask for the husky "Tear Me Down," and Diane Warren contributes the softer "You're Right, I Was Wrong." The hyper and silly rap on "Do It" is ludicrous even by Meat Loaf's standards, but a chugging version of Dylan's "Forever Young" and the fiery version of "Mercury Blues," hidden as a bonus track, make for a perfect ending. At the time of its release, Steinman was five songs into writing Bat Out of Hell III. If he feeds off the serious competition on Couldn't Have Said It Better, it'll be fantastic.
© David Jeffries /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 01:08:36
- Main artists: Meat Loaf
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Virgin Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2002 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services ℗ 2002 Star Management, distributed by Virgin Music Label and Artist Services
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