Like his British counterpart/inspiration Keith Richards, Aerosmith's Joe Perry has quietly been the heart and soul of his band for decades, content to give the limelight to an extroverted frontman/creative foil. Recorded at Perry's home studio, this self-titled 2005 album is his fourth solo outing and his first since 1983's ONCE A ROCKER, ALWAYS A ROCKER. Handling all the vocals and most of the instrumentation himself, Perry happily bashes out fat, fuzzy riffs that goose along the runaway opening cut, "Shakin' My Cage," and the equally aggressive strut of "Can't Compare." Utilizing a vocal style that recalls Lou Reed's half-spoken singing, the Massachusetts native is equally at home with slower numbers (a swirling take on the Doors' "Crystal Ship") and Middle Eastern-flavored experimentation ("Pray for Me"). Perry's slide guitar playing is also showcased here, particularly when he serves up Woody Guthrie's "Vigilante Man" as a shuffle that benefits from some righteous fret-burning.