Editoral Review

2002 compilation featuring 30 tracks from their years with Columbia & Geffen. Hologram cover. 2002. Over a remarkable 30 years, Aerosmith has delivered near-perfect hybrids of rock and balladry, converting generations of listeners into devout fanatics. O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits drives chronologically through 30 of their best songs, providing a tour of the construction process. And what a process! Listen to "Mama Kin" and you might not recognize Aerosmith at all--here is a young Tyler, before finding his distinctive gritty wail, fronting a simple blues-bar band. But the phenomenal energy and synchronization that developed between Tyler and Perry starts here, and is followed up by successive wonders. "Dream On" captures plodding despair; "Last Child" bears witness to Tyler's mastery of harmony and shriek; "Back in the Saddle" explodes with swagger. Built from the low-end up, Aerosmith's heavy kick, driving bass lines, steady rhythm guitar, and blaring exclamation-point horns create a perfect foundation. And the dirty, harmonic souls of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry do what they do best--put on an over-the-top, flawless show. --Laura Etling