"Bright Light Fright" & "Kings and Queens"

Although I think "Combination" is the better tune, it's hard to argue with the energy of this Joe Perry-led outing. Of course it's one of the best guitar tracks on the album. Of course it's brash and energetic. Of course its lyrics sum up, better than any other song on here (except the title track) the band's state of mind at the time: this time in relatively positive light: it's a pretty awesome ode to a hangover, and Joe was pretty pleased when he came up with that title phrase. He turns in an okay vocal, and it only sounds better when Steven joins in.



As we know by now, every album has at least one or two songs where Steven Tyler's weird fascination with other cultures, time periods, dimensions and ways of thinking comes out to play. It has informed some of the best songs, and is their best weapon when attempting some big elaborate setpiece - their ability to commit and make it work keeps a song like this from being a plodding, pretentious mess.

Between this and "Bright Light Fright," there could not be two more different songs. One is a fast-paced, nearly punky rock jam about the consequences of a night out, the other a highly crafted medieval melodrama. I don't dislike this song, but it's such an oddball on this album, so much more bombastic and elaborate. It's meticulous, where the other songs seem to be "chuck it all in." It sits like a rock in the middle of the album (opening side 2 on vinyl) chucking out the streetrat imagery of the album for proto heavy metal fantasy.

Tom Hamilton is the unsung hero of this album. His name is in the credits more here than any other album, probably because songs were more and more originating from jams between him, Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford - as a result, his bass is often more prominent than the lead guitar, tugging the song along, and on this track being a key instrument in its success.