Welcome 2 My Nightmare [Collector's Edition, Extra tracks, Limited Edition]

Just to set the scene, I have been a big fan of Alice Cooper ever since his iconic performance of School's Out on Top of the Pops in 1972. Since then I have purchased every single Alice Cooper Album ( Many are reviewed on Amazon ) and I have seen him live some 15 times down the years.

I tend to feel like like many long term Alice fans that his very best work was done in the early days with the original Alice Cooper group ( Bruce, Buxton, Dunaway, Smith ). In my honest Opinion the first seven albums where the best ( Pretties for you Through to Muscle of Love ) with a few ( Killer, School's Out, Billion Dollar Babies & Muscle of Love ) being absolute classics.

After Alice went Solo I felt that nothing really quite rivalled these early classics. That Said, obviously Welcome to My Nightmare was a brilliant album albeit with a totally different feel to the earlier albums. Then down the years a number of albums stood out to rival the early work. From The Inside, A brilliant and classy Concept album about Alice's stay in the sanitorium, Da Da a very dark and underrated concept album was a bit of an overlooked classic, Hey Stoopid was a pretty good album it's own right and I thought The Last Temptation was brilliant and was the first solo album to truly compare with the early classics.

In recent years Dragontown and Dirty Diamonds were both pretty good albums. So, why am I saying all this ? Because I reckon that Welcome 2 my Nightmare represents his very best work ever. As a long time fan I was stunned by just how good this album is.

The opening track, I am Made of You sets the scene with the first notes culled from Steven on the 1st Nightmare album. It's also a ballad ( I don't think Alice has ever opened an album with a ballad before ) and a classy one at that with a top drawer guitar solo from original nightmare collaborator Steve Hunter.

Caffienne is a straight ahead rocker followed by the Nightmare Returns, a short piano piece that sends shivers down the spine half way through as the notes from Steven Dramatically reappear to set the scene for the nightmare.

This is followed by A Runuaway train, co written with Dennis Dunuaway and Bob Ezrin this is a briliant throw back to the old days. Performed with the original band it reminds us what an outstanding drummer Neal smith is and what a great rhythm section he formed with Dennis Dunuaway. Mike Bruce's guitar actually sounds like a train whistle in this fast paced but melodic rocker.

Last Man on earth is a brilliant vaudevilian style number reminiscent of Crazy Little Child from Muscle of Love with Alice trying to imitate Tom Waits with some great piano and Banjo work. The Congregation features a great accoustic and organ intro before building into a great drum driven rocker with some outstanding guitar work and Rob Zombie commentary.

I'll Bite your face is penned by Neal Smith and performed by the original band and could have come straight off Killer. Disco Bloodbath Boogie Fever and Ghouls Gone Wild are linked and are both great. The first having disco undertones and the second with a great Chorus with handclaps and a nod at doo wop.

Something to Remember Me By written with Dick Wagner may well be the Best Ballad Alice has ever done. It's amazing with a tremendous vocal performance from Alice. When Hell Comes home is the third song performed by the original band and written by Mike Bruce. Very Heavy guitar sound, pounding drums and Bass at a slow tempo with brilliant lyrics. Again this could be on any Early Alice album.

What Baby Wants is a brilliant collaboration with Ke$ha of all people, but it Really rocks with another great Chorus. I gotta get Outta Here is another great song with great lyrics and melody with the Ambiguous finish ( What part of DEAD don't you undrstand ). It sounds a little like 'It's Much to Late' on Dragontown.

The Final track The Underture is a kind of Labour of Love from Bob Ezrin. It's a band & Orchestra collaboration mixing many of the tunes from the original album and the new. It's great and a fitting Finale to this Nightmare sequel.

I think that the return of Mike Bruce, Neal Smith and Dennis Dunaway with a really on Form Alice and Bob Ezrin have contributed to this being the best Alice Album ever. Plus if you are an Alice Fan you must get the Ltd edition with the Classic Rock magazine. It's a fantastic read and a great collectors item with the mask and the School's Out Tie Pin.

What is left to say ? Two things. First I really hiope Alice does a major tour with this album and plays all the songs along with some from the original Nightmare. Second can we please have an album to follow with just Alice, Bob, Mike, Dennis and Neal. Although this is an impossible act to follow.

Went and bought the pack as i am a life long fan of alice since 1972 and just had see what it was like BOY was i shocked he is back to his best {remember the coop}
sort of killer/love it till death/schools out ect with a touch of welcome to my nightmare you seem to know what to expect after the first song dont get me wrong there is one dodgy track disco bloodbath. but overall this is a good album one track sounds like sympathy for the devil by the rolling stones and one sounds a bit like oasis yes i did sey OASIS but it is a dam good tune see if you can spot them but the stand tracks are with the old band they are mean and tight and shows just what alice was about back in the 70s. For me this his best album for a long time but you will just have to judge it for yourself.
WELCOME BACK TO OUR NIGHTMARES ALICE AND SEE YOU IN MANCHESTER IN OCTOBER

Thirty six years after the original classic, comes this much hyped and highly anticipated sequel. So, does it live up to expectations? Read on........
The album opens with the familiar piano riff from `Steven` and leads into the opening ballad `I am made of you`. What Ozzy would`nt give to have this on his CV (it could easily have been written for him), but with that classic piano riff running through the song, this is unmistakeably Alice and a great start.
`Caffiene` could have come from the `Lace & Whiskey` period of Alice`s career and, whilst it`s a good song, not sure if it slots in at this point on the album and at the expense of others (more of that later).
After the interlude of `The nightmare returns` the listener is carried away on `A runaway train` , an almost rockabilly / country ride into the concept of the nightmare.
`Last man on earth` is the `Some folks` of this sequel and you can already picture Alice in his top hat and tails. The variety and contrast from the previous track is a strong signal of the album`s strength.
`The congregation` sounds almost Oasis-like, and none the worse for it, and looks set to become a crowd favourite and a staple part of Alice`s set list for years to come.
`I`ll bite your face off` speaks for itself. Not only does it have a classic Alice title, but has the makings of an instant classic too.
Then the fun starts in `Disco bloodbath`. Yes, it`s a disco song (and one in the eye for Lady Gaga) that will have you smiling at the lyrics. It continues straight into `Ghouls gone wild` ...just imagine hells version of the beach boys and you`ve got the picture.
Then comes the compulsory ballad `Something to remember me by`. It`s more a `How you gonna see me now?` than `Only women bleed` and the lyrics can be openly interpreted to fit in with the album`s concept.
`When hell comes home` sees Alice back in sinister mood with a dark song about domestic violence and the album moves swiftly upbeat with the following track `What baby wants`. It`s very rare to hear Alice record a duet (with Ke$ha in this instance)but he makes it sound like he`s been doing it all his career and this is arguably the best song on the album.
`I gotta get out of here` can be easily compared to `Escape` from the original as Alice recounts his nightmare. It ends in typical Alice style with the backing singers turning against him and I`ll leave you to laugh at the twist at the end.
`The underture` is an instrumental piece with references to both albums and one can`t help but think that the next natural step will be `Welcome to my nightmare - the musical!`
So why only four stars???
Well, this review is for the collectors edition (excellent value and highly recommended). This version contains the extra track `Under the bed` (and a live version of `Poison`). I cannot understand why this track was left off the main album!!
With the lyrics `save me / it`s happening again / i`ve had this nightmare before and I know how it ends` and the constant musical nods to the original album throughout the song, it`s a perfect opening track for this sequel. This could have been included at the expense of `Caffeine` which, although a good song` is slightly misplaced and against the grain with the albums concept.
A trivial point maybe, and just my opinion, but it`s what stops me giving it five stars, and making the album a triumphant sequel that stands up there alongside the original classic.
Nevertheless, a hugely enjoyable album and good to see Alice back to what he does best.... looking forward to the tour!