Search - Alice Cooper :: Fistful of Alice

A Great Live Effort

Jonathan Church | Naselle, WA | 08/05/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There are some reviews on here that aren't so flattering regarding this great album. Well, let me be the first to tell you they must be listening to the wrong album. I can only agree that it should have been two discs because he has so much material and that he should've had more new songs instead of the old stanbys, but to say it is without energy and give it a substandard rating is way off. At least he threw in a few songs he rarely does live ("Clones", and "Teenage Lament"). The club atmosphere is perfect and the performace is energetic and in your face. It is better that The Alice Cooper Show by far. It is like two different artists. For a good rockin' time you should buy this import version. The US release is a good time too, but a shorter show."

Two fistfuls would have been nicer

The Holy Ferret | United Kingdom | 06/02/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A fistful of Alice is suposed to be the live album that the 1977 version wasn't. Alice's mistake in his '77 performance was that he sounded....well drunk and rather rubbish. Instrumentals - great, Alice - not so great. So with a collection of newer hits such as 'Poison' you'd think Fistful would be a dream come true now that he's quit the bottle.Recorded in front of a minor audience as opposed to the usual thousands complete with blood-thirsty stage theatrics and over the top guitars, A Fistful Of Alice doesn't have the energy in every track that you'd hope for. Sure when Slash, Sammy Hagar and Rob Zombie appear you get something special, but other tracks are quite run of the mill. 'Poison' sounds just 'okay' compared to the 1989 'Trashes The World' video version and the background vocals on 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' are less than adequate. The guitar's sound too 90's for me and are weak compared to the overwhelming steel present on 'Classicks' or 'Freedom For Frankenstein'.Whilst it contains highlights I would recomend it only for devotees. Those newcomers to the Alice live experience would be better off seeking out the live versions on 'Classicks' or 'Freedom For Frankenstein', which are truly awesome or the live video's/DVD's. It's a good CD don't get me wrong, I love Ryan Roxie's guitar work, but it's not as over the top as you might expect from Alice. I'd recommend it for fans, but not really for newbies to the Alice live experience.What I don't like is the length of it. Alice has enough good material to warrant a double live set like most bands do. But instead we get only a few songs? Why? It could be the club environment this was recorded in, but not including 'Ballad Of Dwight Fry' is just in excusable.Oh by the way, devotees seeking a live version of the song 'Steven' will be pleased to know you get about a minutes worth of it as the intro to 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. Top cuts - 'Schools Out', 'Feed My Frankenstein', 'Welcome To My Nightmare', 'Lost In America', 'I'm Eighteen', 'Only Women Bleed' and 'Elected'. They rock!"