First impression was there are some standout songs on it, but the whole album is too mid-paced with not enough variation. It's really missing a harder edge too. I actually felt very disappointed after my first couple of listens, and considering I love everything AC/DC have ever done, that's not right!
But it's growing on me - I have to say "Big Jack" is a cracking song. Angus even uses a bottleneck on one of the songs which I believe is a first for the band. "Anything Goes" could easily be from The Darkness debut album, but without Justin Hawkins silly singing.
"Rock and Roll Dream" could only really be described as a ballad. It's about the mellowest thing they've done since "Crabsody In Blue" and it's great. I really like it - melancholy, but with the usual great guitarwork and Beano sings it better than he has for years.
Overall, after about 5 or 6 listens today, it needed two or three faster songs - considering there are 15 songs on this, and they all follow the same tempo pretty much, with Phil Rudd keeping the same beat on all of them - it DOES get a bit monotonous. And don't tell me AC/DC albums are always like that - "Whole Lotta Rosie", "If You Dare", "Brainshake", "Fire Your Guns", "Rocker" - all those were uptempo and added variety to their albums.
I AM digging it a lot, but I wish there were faster, heavier tracks on it as well as the other stuff. But I remember hearing "Thunderstruck" for the first few times, and I hated it. Thought it was shite. How wrong could I be, the song is a classic.
So give it time people!
But it's growing on me - I have to say "Big Jack" is a cracking song. Angus even uses a bottleneck on one of the songs which I believe is a first for the band. "Anything Goes" could easily be from The Darkness debut album, but without Justin Hawkins silly singing.
"Rock and Roll Dream" could only really be described as a ballad. It's about the mellowest thing they've done since "Crabsody In Blue" and it's great. I really like it - melancholy, but with the usual great guitarwork and Beano sings it better than he has for years.
Overall, after about 5 or 6 listens today, it needed two or three faster songs - considering there are 15 songs on this, and they all follow the same tempo pretty much, with Phil Rudd keeping the same beat on all of them - it DOES get a bit monotonous. And don't tell me AC/DC albums are always like that - "Whole Lotta Rosie", "If You Dare", "Brainshake", "Fire Your Guns", "Rocker" - all those were uptempo and added variety to their albums.
I AM digging it a lot, but I wish there were faster, heavier tracks on it as well as the other stuff. But I remember hearing "Thunderstruck" for the first few times, and I hated it. Thought it was shite. How wrong could I be, the song is a classic.
So give it time people!
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