Aerosmith
signed a multi-million-dollar contract with
Columbia Records
before they had completed their deal with
Geffen
, which meant that a lot was riding on their
Columbia
debut,
Nine Lives
, when it was finally delivered in 1997. During recording, the band nearly broke up, and they worked with a number of producers -- including
Glen Ballard
, the man behind
Alanis Morissette
-- before settling on
Kevin Shirley
, an in-house producer responsible for
Silverchair
and
Journey
. Perhaps that's the reason why
sounds so calculated, as if it was assembled by a band trying to sound like
. In a sense, it is -- not one of the 13 songs were written without the assistance of professional songwriters. Of course, some of the best moments of
Pump
Permanent Vacation
were also written with professionals, but they had an appealing, slick surface that made them infectious.
, in contrast, is overlabored, with
making a conscious effort to sound hip and vibrant, which ironically simply makes them sound tired. Not only are the performances perfunctory, but the songs aren't catchy -- no matter how hard it tries,
"Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)"
never develops a hook, and it is not an exception. A handful of cuts approximate the raunchy appeal of prime
, but
is hardly the triumphant comeback it should have been. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine