You’d think Alice Cooper, at 75, would be resting comfortably in his armchair, proudly contemplating his legacy. For nearly sixty years, Vincent Furnier has been performing and wowing fans with eccentric horror shows and crazy costumes, becoming the precursor of the shock rock that would inspire Ozzy Osbourne, Marilyn Manson and many others. But the showman has no intention of enjoying a well-deserved retirement - on the contrary.
After his last studio album Detroit Stories, released in 2021 as a tribute to his hometown, he presents to us his new project Road. The album is clearly a return to Cooper’s former identity, and will not disappoint long-time fans. Produced by his long-time collaborator Bob Ezrin, Road is the first album to be recorded without his usual studio band, but instead with his loyal live and touring colleagues. They include Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen and Nita Strauss on guitar, Chuck Garric on bass and Glen Sobel on drums. “For Road, I wanted the band to be involved in the creation of all the songs,” explains Cooper. “I only see the guys when we’re on tour. So I wanted them to play together for the show as well as for the new songs. When you have such a great band, you have to show it, and this is my way of doing that.”
Road is a cohesive yet diverse record reminiscent of Alice Cooper’s 1970s albums. While the production feels contemporary, the album’s tracks are all radio-ready, spanning energetic rock tunes like “Welcome to the Show” and “Big Boots” to heavy metal tracks such as “Dead Don’t Dance” and “The Big Goodbye,” with a stadium anthem in “All Over the World.” The album also showcases Cooper’s tongue-in-cheek humour in songs like “Big Boots” and “Go Away.”
This album proves that this legendary rocker still has plenty left in the tank, and we can’t wait for his spectacular tour.
