Permanent Vacation (Aerosmith album)


Permanent Vacation is the ninth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released by Geffen Records on August 25, 1987. The album marks the band's shift to a pop-metal sound that they would maintain up to 1993's Get A Grip.
It was their first to employ songwriters outside the band, instead of featuring songs solely composed by them. This came at the suggestion of executive John Kalodner. He also pushed the band to work with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who remained with them for another two albums. It was also the first Aerosmith album to be promoted by heavy music video airplay on MTV. Though Done with Mirrors was intended to mark Aerosmith's comeback, Permanent Vacation is often considered their true comeback, as it was the band's first truly popular album since their reunion. "Rag Doll", "Dude ", and "Angel" became major hits and helped Permanent Vacation become the band's biggest success in a decade.
Permanent Vacation has sold over five million copies in the U.S. In the UK, it was the first Aerosmith album to attain both Silver and Gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry, achieving these in July 1989 and March 1990 respectively.

Reception

The album received mixed-to-positive reviews. In a retrospective assessment AllMusic gave the album four stars, and said "despite the mostly stellar songwriting, which makes it a strong effort overall, some of the album's nooks and crannies haven't aged all that well because of Fairbairn's overwrought production, featuring an exaggerated sleekness typical of most mid-'80s pop-metal albums". Dave Reynolds from Metal Forces magazine called the album "a shit hot album and one I'm gonna play the hell out of". Robert Christgau graded the album a C+, saying Aerosmith were "running out of gas again already".
Loudwire ranked the album as Aerosmith's 6th best album explaining the ranking with, "its lavish '80s production has definitely dated, but 'Permanent Vacation' still ranks among the greatest musical comebacks of all time". Loudwire also placed the album at No. 4 on their 2017 list of the "10 Best Hard Rock Albums of 1987". Loudersound placed the album on their list of the 20 best albums from 1987 and called it a "collection of sublime pop-metal".

Track listing

Video release

A VHS titled Permanent Vacation 3x5 was released in 1988 that is a compilation of promotional videos for "Dude ", "Angel", and "Rag Doll". It also contained behind-the-scenes footage.

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.
Aerosmith
  • Steven Tylerlead vocals, piano, harmonica
  • Joe Perryguitar, backing vocals
  • Brad Whitfordguitar
  • Tom Hamiltonbass guitar
  • Joey Kramerdrums
Additional musicians
  • Drew ArnottMellotron on "Angel" and "The Movie"
  • Tom Keenlysideclarinet, tenor saxophone, horn arrangement on "Dude " and "Rag Doll"
  • Ian Putzbaritone saxophone on "Dude " and "Rag Doll"
  • Bob Rogerstrombone on "Dude " and "Rag Doll"
  • Henry Christiantrumpet
  • Bruce Fairbairntrumpet on "Dude " and "Rag Doll", cello on "The Movie", production
  • Scott Fairbairncello on "The Movie"
  • Mike Fraserplunger mute, engineering, mixing
  • Morgan Raelsteel drums on "Permanent Vacation"
  • Jim Vallanceorgan on "Rag Doll" and "Simoriah"
  • Christine Arnottbacking vocals on "The Movie"
Production
  • Bob Rock – engineering
  • Ken Lomas – engineering assistance
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Kim Champagne – art direction
  • Andy Engel – illustrations
  • Neal Preston – photography

    Charts

Certifications