Alice Cooper – School’s Out – 1972

I think this Alice Cooper album contains the most worn out title track of all Alice Cooper albums. It’s a good song, no doubt about that but I’m kind of sick of hearing School’s Out. It was a mega hit at the time of course and I don’t think there’s a compilation album out there without it. I’m sorry but I cannot stand it anymore. It’s a rock n roll anthem so successful that it’s no longer a song you can listen to. Think about it. In every situation where school’s I ending. What song do the play?

I have actually never been a big fan of this album. The title track was fine back in the day when you first started listening to it but as I said. It’s too much played these days. The rest of the album isn’t as much rock n roll as the previous Killer either. You can easily hear that the rock that Michael Bruce wrote for the previous album is now replaced by jazzy songs. I think there’s some brass here and there as well. I can’t say that I mind it but it’s not Alice Cooper for me. But if it’s real brass or keyboard adjusted to sound that way? I don’t know.

There are several good songs even if they don’t have the hit quality that the songs from Killer and Love it to Death had. There’s a trilogy of Luney Tune – Gutter Cats Vs. the Jets and Street Fight that are really good and nice to listen to. It doesn’t sound like Alice Cooper though. That’s the backside if it all.

You might argue that this is a reversal to the sound of the first two albums, Pretties for You and Easy Action. The songs are more experimental than the previous two albums. I guess a lot of you like that but I’m not too fond of it actually. The Exception I the song Blue Turk, which is my favorite song of School’s Out. The entire bass part seems to be stolen from Mr. and Misdemeanor from the second album Easy Action. It’s a real top notch song but it’s not enough for me.

Even though it hurts me I can’t really lie to you. I need to reflect my personal feelings in the rating of this album. I feel that it’s an album you could place between brackets. It’s not the most important album qualitywise. Not for me. I think it’s more interesting for those that want to explore everything Alice Cooper’s ever made than something that can represent the Alice Cooper sound.