Pump
Having established their reputation as Comeback Kids with 1987'sPermanent Vacation, Aerosmith proceeded to cement it with 1989'sPump. With hit singles like the expectedly raunchy "Love in an Elevator" and the unexpectedly socially relevant "Janie's Got a Gun" (which, unlike most socially relevant songs by hard rock bands, manages to avoid the cheese factor),Pumpwas proof positive that the boys were back. Everything that makes Aerosmith what they are is present here: a solid bluesy base, tight arrangements, sexy rhythms, and a heavy dose of fun. There are some nice touches too; check out the bass line on "Voodoo Medicine Man," or the blues-folk ending tacked onto "What It Takes" that, more than anything else on the album, reveals the band's roots.--Genevieve Williams