In 1972 the original Alice Cooper band released its fifth studio album: School's Out. The title track School's Out is of course the album's most well known track that is still a staple in Cooper's live sets as well as played on the radio and used as a down with the establishment anthem to this very day. School's Out as a whole is a concept album that centers around the idea of trying to make your way through the struggles of academia and overbearing authority figures while also dealing with the pains of adolescence.
School's Out showcases the original Alice Cooper band at their most experimental. It features a variety of musical genres from hard rock, to jazz, to western, to even Broadway show tunes. Studio musicians such as the band's producer Bob Ezrin, Dick Wagner, and Rockin' Reggie Vincent were also brought in to add extra tonal layers to the music and make the record that much richer of a musical experience. If you're willing to listen to more than just the title track you're in for quite a unique treat.
School's Out is one of the most iconic songs in rock n' roll. It says everything that the genre was ever about. Who as a kid didn't cherish the idea of on the last day of school just absolutely trashing the place, defying all of the teachers and principals, and then never returning ever again? Musically the song is pretty simplistic but in this particular case it doesn't need to be anything more than what it already is. If anything, its simple yet impacting punch makes the point of the lyrics come across that much clearer and stronger to the intended audience.
Blue Turk is one of the most under rated songs in the Alice Cooper catalog. It is a rather jazzy/swingy mid-tempo kind of tune with a delectable bass line. One of the crown jewels of the song however is the trumpet solo. It is mildly mournful but at the same time it has a smooth sweetness to it that envelopes you in this cool relaxed lounge state of mind. It's the kind of song I would expect to hear if I were going to an old school New Orleans jazz club late at night. Blue Turk isn't exactly the kind of song you would expect to hear on a rock n' roll record, but it is a pleasant surprise nonetheless.
I actually would not consider School's Out to be a rock n' roll album. Instead, I consider it to be 40 minutes of musical exploration and diversity that has all songs built around the same concept and working to further it in a variety of ways. Odds are not every track will necessarily be to your liking, but if you give it a fair shot you will probably end up finding a handful of unexpected gems nonetheless. This really is Alice Cooper and his original band at their most inspired and through the hard work they put in it really shows.
School's Out, by Alice Cooper receives 3.75 out of 5 stars.
Track List:
1. School's Out
2. Luney Tune
3. Guttercat vs the Jets
4. Street Fight
5. Blue Turk
6. My Stars
7. Public Animal #9
8. Alma Mater
9. Grand Finale
Buy the album on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Schools-Out-Alice-Cooper/dp/B001HADE0U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1431059576&sr=8-2&keywords=School%27s+Out
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