Article Database

Single Review

Alice Cooper: 'Department of Youth'
(Anchor). ****

From the LP 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. I was out of sympathy, with this until just about the last moment of the fade. The raspy vocals, the teenage rebellion theme seemed too old chapeau and contrived. Mind you, the former Lou Reed-ers who make up the band are good and there were redeeming features in the lyric - 'never heard of Billy Sunday, Damon Runyon' for example - but 'We're the department of youth, we've got the power' chorus, although tongue-in-cheek, no doubt, was just a bit too silly. Until, that is, Alice shouts 'Who gave it (the power) to you?' 'Johnny Otis' comes the reply. I hope I got that right - put the record in a completely different light for me. The 'B' side is for necrophiliacs only.