Toys in the Attic (Ms) (Sl)

Japanese Blu-Spec CD pressing of this classic album. The Blue Spec format takes Blu-ray disc technology to create CD's which are compatible with normal CD players but provides ultra high quality sound. Sony. 2009.

Originally released in 1975, this was Aerosmith's breakout recording. Listeners only familiar with their more recent, post-comeback material may be surprised; like their other albums from the 1970s, Toys has a strong blues inflection, as indicated by their cover of "Big Ten Inch Record," which also shows that Aerosmith has never lacked raunchiness or innuendo. There's also the original (pre-Run-D.M.C.) version of "Walk This Way," and the classic "Sweet Emotion." This is classic Aerosmith at its gritty, streetwise best; they may have been derivative, but it really doesn't matter, then or now: it's all in good fun. --Genevieve Williams