Reviewed by Ian Webber

As the grandfather of theatrical metal and shock rock, Alice Cooper has both a comprehensive back catalogue and a raft of loyal followers. This latest EP demonstrates that he still has the skills to perform tracks to the highest of standards, but is probably more focussed towards his diehard fans rather than a casual listener. The short offering, clocking in at around 22 minutes in total, harks back to an early era in Alice's career and contains several covers that give the impression that he is out to enjoy himself, blending elements of R&B, gospel and rock into one party package. "Detroit City 2020" has a sleazy groove that grinds out to a solid melody before breaking into gang vocals during the chorus. This element also highlights the fact that Alice can still produce a convincing vocal that is not losing any of its power. There is a satisfying overdriven solo in the bluesy "East Side Story", but the stand out track on this offering is the cover of Suzi Quatro's "Your Mama Won't Like Me". With its wah-wah groove and pleasant horn section this builds on the original recording rather than just reproducing a classic track. I am sure that this EP will satisfy followers of this pioneer of heavy rock whilst he works on something more substantial, but for the majority of the recording, there is little that cannot be found elsewhere.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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