Freedom For Frankenstein at first sight would appear to be only a best of/greatest hits kind of album and there are tracks like Poison and Wayne's World favorite Feed My Frankenstein on this album. However there is much more. There are several live tracks like an awesome version of Ballad of Dwight Frye among others. Many fans think of Alice as more of a 70's icon but this album also proves that he has made some pretty good music in the 80's and 90's. This album could easily be overlooked at first sight, but the live tracks alone are worth listening too.

This CD was put together by some Alice fan in Australia, and you can tell. This isn't just a collection of singles and commerciality. This is a collection of great Alice Cooper songs.

Any true Alice fan knows his most intelligent stuff came later on in his life. Last Temptation and Brutal Planet are far more conceptual and fluent than any of his 70's pieces (except Welcome To My Nightmare), and this collection of his 80's and 90's work reflects that Alice did not 'sell out' during the eighties, in fact he matured. People who accuse him of producing simple radio rock in the eighties are either hypocrits or too blind too overlook that Alice has always been radio. I mean, 'Under My Wheels' from 1972 might as well have been performed by Aerosmith !

Okay, some of this does sound 80's influenced, but most of the stuff here is timeless. There are so many rare gems here; Bed Of Nails is one of his dirtiest, heaviest and most overlooked masterpieces (witha real cool goth intro to boot!). Great b-sides like I Got A Line On You are also included. In terms of Heaviness ? This ain't thrash, but in terms of hard rock, it don't come much harder. Okay so some might say it doesn't include Snakebite and there's not much stuff here from The Last Temptation which is a shame, but there is so much great stuff here, it's much harder to pick faults with than his studio picked 'Greatest Hits' of the 70's. Plus the fact The Last Temptation is such a conceptual album, few songs would feel right without the whole album on there as well !

The live cuts must be heard to be believed. Alice always sounds better live, Go To Hell and Ballad Of Dwight Fry reflect this. Pure metal, start to finish, thats what Alice has always been about. Ballad Of Dwight Fry is a really insane song (literally) and this live version is probably the best around. This is without a doubt the best representation of what Cooper is about.

Okay there's no Schools Out, but this album doesn't need it. This album was designed to prove he did equally as good, if not better stuff in the 80's than when in his original band. Poison eclipses anythin he did in the 70's in terms of pure rock. So called Alice purists can just, as Alice would say, 'Go To Hell'. But this CD if you wanna know what Alice is about, you will NOT regret! I never give 5 stars to any CD unless it truly rocks, this does not dissapoint...

"FREEDOM FOR FRANKENSTEIN: HITS & PIECES 1984-91"

REVIEW:

In the past 15 years, Alice Cooper's mid-to-late 80's/early 90's output has often been peddled out onto "slapped together" compilation albums. However, 'Freedom For Frankenstein' emerges as the best of the bunch. With eighteen tracks that include some of the best of his work during that era also includes rarities and live renditions of some of his 70's classics. And that is where this album becomes essential for the die hard Alice Cooper fan. The live tracks are indeed excellent (especially 'Dwight Fry') and are a massive improvement over both of his 1977 and his 1997 live albums. Those just looking for the "hits" will also be pleased to see the Top 10 hit single "Poison," as well as the mid-level hits like "He's Back (The Man Behind The Mask)," "House of Fire," "Hey Stoopid," and "Feed My Frankenstein" also being included in this package. However, like most compilation albums, fans will always find a song --- or even several songs --- that are not represented but should be. And 'Freedom For Frankenstein' is certainly no different. But as it stands, it is a welcome addition to your Alice Cooper collection.

NOTABLE ARTISTS / MUSICIANS INCLUDED ARE:

Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Slash, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Joe Perry (guitar); among others.

INTERESTING FACTS:

1. Released on May 19th 1998, "Freedom For Frankenstein" is an Australian release only.

2. The track "I Got A Line On You" was only released as a "promo-only" single in the US and as part of an EP in the UK. The track "It Rained All Night" originally appeared on the Japanese version of the greatest hits package "Classicks".

3. The live tracks "Go To Hell" and "Ballad of Dwight Fry" were recorded on March 6th 1987 at the Cincinnati Gardens for the radio program "Superstar Concert Series". "Sick Things" and the medley of "only Women Blood" and "Wind Up Toy" were from the September 1991 Electric Ladyland Studio recordings done for the Album Network.

PACKAGING:

Cool front and back album covers are complimented by an excellent 16 page booklet covering the history of Alice Cooper and the tracks that appear within. It should also be noted that the CD is a picture disk.

APPROX. RUNNING TIME:

78 min. and 25 sec.

FINAL ANALYSIS:

'Freedom For Frankenstein' makes a great companion piece to his 1974 Greatest Hits album while the die hards are treated with some great rarities and live tracks. **** out of 5.