What It Takes: Review of Pump (1989)
Aerosmith is one of those bands that are heavily debated on how big they really were. Was the band America’s louder, flashier version of The Rolling Stones. Or were they a grade below, a band that churned out some good songs but failed to deliver a legendary album? This is going to come down to preference, but you can’t deny the huge impression Aerosmith made on rock music, inspiring the wave of hard rock bands in the 1980s like Guns N’ Roses with their showmanship and Steven Tyler’s vocal dominance. The band also is one of the few bands that survived almost four decades of the ever-changing music landscape. Becoming big on the scene in the 70s, struggling with relations through the 80s, and staging an unpredictable comeback in the late 80s through the 90s. The band even produced a chart-topping single in the 00s. This alone is wildly impressive and was accomplished through the band’s ability to alter their sound without losing sight of what was at the band’s core; hard, blues-rock. But while many fans consider the albums from the 70s their best, the albums they released in the late 80s/early 90s are debated as being just as good, if not better. And the cream of the crop, commercially, is 1989’s “Pump.
Released near the dawn of the 1990s on September 12, 1989, “Pump” was the much anticipated follow up to the band’s unexpected comeback album “Permanent Vacation”. At this time, the band was sober, Steven Tyler was off the needle, and the band’s laser focus on producing their best music was the goal. Released on Geffen Records, “Pump” produced four hit singles that entered the top 40 of the hot 100. Aerosmith’s music videos for these songs were on heavy rotation on MTV, further driving their popularity among the youth. Aerosmith even won their first Grammy for “Janie’s Got a Gun”. “Pump” eventually became the fourth best-selling album of 1990. But how does it hold up 33 years later?
Kicking off with a fiery opening with “Young Lust”, Aerosmith immediately demonstrates that they are here to take on their hair metal counterparts and remind them who came before them. And they do it convincingly by bringing forth their own twist on 80s hard rock with “F.I.N.E.”, a tune with swagger as Steven Tyler’s attitude bleeds through. Aerosmith immediately kicks it to eleven with “Love in an Elevator”, a MTV staple that is the band’s answer to the hair metal theme of sex and decadence. But make no mistake, the band demonstrates that they still are true to their roots with bluesy, swing-like tunes like “My Girl” or “Monkey on My Back”. The award winning and overplayed “Janie’s Got a Gun” is impressive with its dark themes it portrays. But my favorites are “The Other Side”, which won best rock music video at the MTV VMA’s in 1991, and the excellent power-ballad “What It Takes”, which has an even more impressive live version on YouTube.
1989’s “Pump” has aged well, a glimpse at Aerosmith’s journey further into MTV land and 80s rock with the over-the-top sound and style that radiates from the music. However, you can still hear notes of early Aerosmith that doesn’t offend hardcore fans. The band masterfully figured out a way to make an album that crossed generations, a feat that is rarely successful. It stacks up there with “Toys” and “Rocks”, a great end to the decade of excess and one of the best bands America has ever produced.
Rating: 4.6 out of 5