Easy Action
Alice’s sophomore album Easy Action starts to show a little of Alice’s writing and growl that we all come to know. Also it shows their influence of a TV generation. There are quite a few good tunes on this lp. Released 1970 but recorded in 1969 this was pretty much the last album from Zappa’s exclusive Straight Label even though Warner Brothers Records was their distributor. Produced by David Briggs who produced Neil Young records this was a strange collaboration. But Briggs seems to keep the band from doing too much of their experimental music that was on the first album.

The first track “Mr & Misdemeanor” shows their penchant of Broadway musicals and will show more on this album as well as others down the road. I like “Shoe Salesman” which if you listen to just the melody it could be from any 60’s band but the lyrics shows the band darker side.

I know a shoe salesman
he’s an acquaintance of mine
one day he showed me some
marks on his arm

“Still No Air” gives us the bands love for musical "West Side Story" which they repeat again in “School’s Out” album.
The "Easy Acton" title of this album comes from a line of the musical.
"Action" was the nickname of one of the Jets gang members.

Easy Action
got a rocket in your pocket
when your a Jet your a Jet all the way
from your first cigarette to your last dying day

“Below Your Means” is more listen able instrumental which starts off by the lead vocals of Michael Bruce. Michael will also sing lead on “Beautiful Flyaway”

“Return of The Spiders” is getting closer to the Alice sound. Spiders a tribute to one of Alice Cooper Groups previous band names from their High School days. This song was dedicated to Gene Vincent the artist who sang “Be-Bop-A-Lula.”

A returning theme “Refrigerator Heaven” is about cyber cryonics. Alice would write another song about this in 1975

I’ve been admitted to refrigerator heaven
until they find a cure for cancer

Last song “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye” sounds like a title from a James Bond movie. It also has the intro spoken by Tom Smothers from comedian team The Smothers Brothers who I believe isn't credited on the album. Then Alice sings about four lines in an almost Jim Morrison tone which leads into another instrumental. It starts out pretty organized but later they get caught up in their Pink Floydesque phase. This was probably a tune that didn’t make it on the first album.

Artwork: The cover predominately red color has a 5x7 inch picture showing the backs of the five topless long hair band members who are still unknown. With the band named Alice Cooper they play on the band’s moniker. The back along with the credits an song listings of the album shows the band in full glam wear. Neal Smith pulls off the androgyny attire as Alice, Michael & Dennis give us the Glam look. I can’t help but feel that Glen isn’t happy with is clothes. He has that somber look like this is what they made me wear. The inside are very good individual black & white photos of the band members. The photos have that etching feel to them taken by Photographer Lorrie Sullivan. The four corners are taken by the four members as Alice covers the middle in two shots.