Article Database

Pretties For You Review

Pretties for You
Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper, vocals and harmonica
Neal Smith, drums and vocals
Dennis Dunaway, bass and vocals
Glen Buxton, guitar
Mike Bruce, rhythm guitar, vocals, piano and organ
Produced by Alice Cooper and arranged by

Alice Cooper, born in 1948, is a reincarnated 13 year old girl, considered to be a witch, who died in 1636. Alice Cooper is half male-half female, wears dresses and pants, rouge and mascara, and sings and plays harmonica in a 5 piece band called Alice Cooper. Alice Cooper performs live on occasion and raucously on wax on an album entitled Pretties For You for Frank Zappa's new Straight records.

Zappa, known for his own musical renditions of America the Ludicrous, has chosen to record a group that accurately reflects our ambiguous country entirely from within the perception of that group's own sub-culture.

The music is totally engrossing. From the standard rock instruments (guitar — rhythm, lead, bass — piano organ, drums, voice), the group creates a sound which is unique — a wall of vivid sound/color fantasies, expressing confusion and noise. They tune in strongly and expertly to the surrounding civilization: jumbled, chaotic, overtly and superficially sexy and chrome-plated. Somewhere there is reality, true meaning and soul.

Expecting merely put-on and shallowness, I am pleased to find clarity and depth of feeling. Alice Cooper's harp solos are especially poignant. His notes are simple and so well drawn out, to the point of stretching the marrow in your bones.

Exactly what is in Cooper's mind I cannot say, but it's this ambiguity that is part of his and the band's character. Reportedly they must be seen to be believed. They perform in silvery metallic outfits before their own light show while jumping around enthusiastically to their music.

Pretties For You is bewitching, bewildering and entertaining. Said the witch at the cottage door, "Come in dearie and be entertained (perversely?) at your heart's delight (fright?)". Is this our civilization, America? Ask Alice Cooper she (he) knows!