The Definitive Alice Cooper

In 2001, the U.S. received the 22 track Alice Cooper compilation Mascara and Monsters: The Best of Alice Cooper, while the rest of the world got the 21 track The Definitive Alice Cooper. Besides different album cover artwork, the difference between the two releases is minor, as the track listing is similar for the most part (save a few tracks). For a single disc overview of Cooper's career from 1971 through 1991, The Definitive Alice Cooper is a fine set, as all of the original shock rocker's hits are present, as well as a few strong album cuts. Kudos to the gents who assembled this collection for mixing in such underrated early '70s gems as the epic "Halo of Flies" and "Generation Landslide," which measure up nicely alongside such bona fide hits as "I'm Eighteen," "Under My Wheels," "School's Out," and "No More Mr. Nice Guy." The quality of the tunes dips a bit for the last nine songs (due to the fact that Cooper dismissed his original stellar backing band in favor of a solo career), especially when such blah ballads as "I Never Cry," "You and Me," and "How You Gonna See Me Now" are put back to back to back (as well as such latter-day spotty rockers as "Poison" and "Hey Stoopid"). But if you want a collection of Cooper's best known tracks throughout a large portion of his career, The Definitive Alice Cooper is a wise choice.