Alice Cooper: Lace And Whiskey (Limited Whiskey Brown Vinyl)

SKU / Catalogue Number

• Catalogue Number / SKU: RCV1 3027
  
• UPC / Barcode: 603497858835

Alice Cooper’s Lace And Whiskey has never had the clean, untouchable reputation of Killer or Welcome To My Nightmare, but that is part of what makes it interesting. Originally released in 1977, it is a messy, decadent, often very entertaining record that sounds like Alice Cooper stumbling out of one nightmare and straight into a boozy, late-70s Hollywood gutter. The limited whiskey brown vinyl reissue came out through Rhino as part of Rocktober 2018, pressed on 140g whiskey brown vinyl. The US pressing carries catalogue number RCV1 3027 and barcode 603497858835. Rhino also listed it as a limited edition of 3,800 copies.

As an album, Lace And Whiskey is all over the place, but in a way that sometimes works for it. This is not a tight concept album and it is not a pure hard rock assault. It is Alice Cooper leaning into sleaze, character songs, showbiz rot, and late-night barroom theatrics. Some of it sounds like a hangover, some of it sounds like a smirk, and some of it sounds like a guy trying on half a dozen masks in one sitting. That could have made for a complete mess, but Cooper’s whole career has often thrived on theatrical excess and bad taste used with just enough control. On this record, that tension is the whole appeal.

What gives Lace And Whiskey its pull is atmosphere. It feels sticky, jaded, and just a bit ridiculous. “It’s Hot Tonight,” “Lace And Whiskey,” and “Road Rats” set the tone early, and “You And Me” gives the record its biggest obvious hook. Rhino’s reissue notes also point to “You And Me” as the key single, while retailer listings highlight “Ubangi Stomp” and the album’s Bob Ezrin production.

The problem is that Lace And Whiskey is not one of Cooper’s most consistent albums. There are good ideas here, but not all of them land equally hard. A few songs feel more like character sketches than killers, and the whole thing can come off a little shapeless compared with the strongest 70s Alice Cooper records. But even when it drifts, it rarely turns anonymous. There is always some bit of sleazy attitude or overcooked theatricality keeping it alive. That matters. Plenty of more polished records leave less of an impression.

As a review, this one sits in that interesting second tier of Alice Cooper albums. Not essential in the absolute sense, but definitely worth hearing if you like the more decadent, washed-out, lounge-lizard side of his catalogue. It is a record with flaws, but also one with personality, and personality usually wins in the long run. The whiskey brown reissue suits it perfectly too. It is one of those cases where the colour actually feels right for the music rather than just being decorative.