Done With Mirrors

Done With Mirrors was the return of the mighty Aerosmith. The group had dominated the 1970s with hard rock that never lost its groove and after a lost period where guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford tested out solo careers, the original fearsome five were back in the saddle. Though the album didn't fare as well commercially as subsequent releases, the music here is the sound of an artistically fired-up group. "Let The Music Do The Talking," which had been a highlight of Perry's solo work, sounds even better in the hands of singer Steven Tyler. "My Fist Your Face" and "Gypsy Boots" are classic pieces from the cleaned-up Toxic Twins, Tyler and Perry, who used their newfound sobriety to focus their songwriting. The somber "The Reason A Dog" captures the band at its most reflective, without turning towards generic power ballads. Producer Ted Templeman deserves much of the credit. He secretly recorded the band's rehearsals, knowing the group would be looser if they weren't aware they were being recorded (a trick he also used with Van Halen).