Pump is arguably Aerosmith’s tightest album for there isn’t a single filler track to be found and the flow of the album is perfect for Aerosmith’s style. While Permanent Vacation was a great album in its own right, Aerosmith and Bruce Fairbairn took their musicality to another level ensuring that when Pump was released in 1989, it was a stellar release that would not only close out the 80s with a bang but would stand the test of time for this is one album that sounds as fresh today as it did when it was released. 

Pump would ultimately follow my love affair with Get A Grip as it was the logical choice for the new-to-Aerosmith music fan in the 90s. The CD would spend days at a time in my Discman as I simply couldn’t get enough and while I don’t play the album as often as I would like these days, it brings me incredible joy to spin the record. The edition I’m fortunate enough to own, having sold the CD at the height of the MP3 era, is the 2013 Picture Disc Vinyl reissue. Yes, I’m well aware of the stigma relating to picture discs and the suggestion that they are for display not playing purposes. Well, some are and others, such as Pump sound F.I.N.E. The mastering on this release is perfect and while the picture disc format always has an increased noise floor, you can only really hear it at the beginning of each side before the music starts and momentarily between tracks. Bottom line: it doesn’t detract from the music and is so good that I class it amongst the best sounding albums in my collection, proving that audiophile snobbery plays second fiddle to a well-mastered record regardless of picture or colour.

Side 1

Young Lust offers a solid start to Pump and offers a glimpse of what is to come. As a song on its own, I don’t find it to be overly compelling, but Pump wouldn’t be the same without it. 

F.I.N.E. an acronym for “Fucked Up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional” is bloody brilliant! The upbeat rhythm is off-the-charts and the flow from Young Lust is masterful. 

Going Down / Love In An Elevator has always been a favourite of mine and the spoken word introduction is so memorable that I would suggest that Love In An Elevator wouldn’t have been such a fan favourite if it had not had that innuendo-filled introduction. Love In An Elevator, however, is a solid blues-based rock and roll tune that is, in a similar vein to Livin’ On The Edge, timeless. 

Monkey On My Back is brilliantly distorted and has a compellingly addictive rhythm that will see you head-bopping and toe-tapping throughout. 

Water Song / Janie’s Got A Gun is an incredible tune, I’ve always loved it, but I’ve never been blown away by the Water Song introduction as I feel it is superfluous. 

Side 2

Dulcimer Stomp / The Other Side is a great way to open Side 2 and Dulcimer Stomp is an ideal introduction to The Other Side; a song I adore even though it could be argued that it is overproduced.

My Girl isn’t a bad song that could have quite easily been a killer 50s tune, one that would have set many a dance floor alight. 

Don’t Get Mad, Get Even has one of the greatest didgeridoo performances, thanks to Randy Raine-Reusch, that has ever been recorded outside of the Indigenous Australian music scene. Don’t Get Mad, Get Even is a killer tune that my soul instantly connects with. 

Hoodoo / Voodoo Medicine Man is another song whereby the introductory element is somewhat unnecessary and while I acknowledge the aim and that it flows relatively well into Voodoo Medicine Man, the core song is strong enough on its own with an addictive rhythmic vibe, that I simply don’t think the introduction added anything to the song itself.  

What It Takes is, and I make no secret of my love for rock ballads, an incredible vocal driven ballad that will appeal to fans who were captivated by songs like I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing. What It Takes is the perfect closer, compelling me to play Pump again and remain within Aerosmith’s extensive catalogue of music. That is, of course, until the hidden instrumental, played by Randy Raine-Reusch, appears and detracts from the listening experience. I have to admit, hidden tracks are not my favourite ‘feature’ and while there was an initial buzz about listening to the very end, have you ever heard a hidden track that you’ve felt was worthy of inclusion? I likely have, but none spring to mind.

Overall, Pump is sensational from start to finish and is, without fail, one of Aerosmith’s very best recordings, if not their best.