Powerage (©1978)

1. Rock 'N' Roll Damnation 2. Down Payment Blues 3. Gimme A Bullet 4. Riff Raff 5. Sin City 6. What's Next To The Moon 7. Gone Shootin' 8. Up To My Neck In You 9. Kicked In The Teeth

For me this was always one of the more overlooked of the Bon era albums, which explains why it took me three decades to finally pick it up. The last couple of weeks I've been listening to quite a bit of AC/DC, and music from their disciples: Airbourne, and Rhino Bucket. Mainly because my nephew who is now 12 has discovered the band, and loves to come over and raid my stuff. I find it rather heart warming to know that the music that rocked my world as a kid is now rocking my sister's kid in the same way. God bless rock and roll.

Powerage, is a solid AC/DC album although it feels a bit like a step backwards from their earlier albums - maybe because I'm more familiar with them. It's full of all the familiar riffs and lyrical depth I've come to know and love. You'd never guess from this one, that just around the corner the guys would be taking over the world. "Riff Raff" is smokin', although there are times when it borrows some licks from "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo". Then there's "Sin City" which is an AC/DC classic. Of the lesser known tracks (at least to me at any rate) "Gone Shootin'" is vintage stuff, and lays down a great head bobbin' groove.

All in all, this is AC/DC four albums in, and showing no signs of slowing down, with their best work still ahead of them.

Reviewed April 5, 2008

Back In Black (©1980 Atlantic)

1: Hells Bells 2: Shoot To Thrill 3: What Do You Do For Money Honey 4: Given the Dog a Bone 5: Let Me Put My Love Into You 6: Back In Black 7: You Shook Me All Night Long 8: Have A Drink On Me 9: Shake a Leg 10: Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

This is probably the album that comes to mind when most people think of AC/DC. Rather than pretend to know a lot about the now ancient history of the band, I'll only state a couple of obvious facts. This was the album Brian Johnson debuted on, and this was the album that redefined rock and roll for a generation of air guitar players. As a teenager this was the album I enjoyed playing along with the most. Oh I wasn't Angus, I was Malcolm. AC/DC is a lot of things, but metal they ain't. They're a straight ahead full on rock and roll band with deep roots in the three chord rock pantheon.

This album is so full of classic songs it's practically a greatest hits album all by itself. It still sounds great, and feels fresh - which isn't surprising since the boys are still playing the same three chords. There are a couple of songs here I didn't really like back then, and still don't get off on, but what the hell, the great songs more than make up for the weaker moments.

There's no doubt that this is one of the best albums in their catalog. Is it the best? I'd have to say it's up there. But Highway to Hell is up there too. Later years would transform Brain's guttural gravel laden voice into something you'd expect coming out of a perverted Smurf. Still there's no denying that Black in Black is one absolutely freaking amazing rock tour de force.

Reviewed July 5, 2003

Flick Of The Switch (©1983)

01 Rising Power 02 This House Is On Fire 03 Flick Of The Switch 04 Nervous Shakedown 05 Landslide 06 Guns For Hire 07 Deep In The Hole 08 Bedlam In Belgium 09 Badlands 10 Brain Shake

For Flick of the Switch "Mutt" Lange was jetisoned. The band decided to twiddle their knobs themselves; and the guys managed to produce one of the most underwhelming albums in the band's catalog. I've tried more than once to get into this one. First back when it was released, then again in the early 90's when I was given a cassette copy. Each time I just didn't get it - sonically it had more edge than For Those About to Rock - but the songs themselves were lifeless and still born.

Fast forward another decade and I figured its time for another spin. After all, it couldn't be as insipid as I remembered could it? Um, yes it could. There are moments where the guys put the pieces together and you can't help but enjoy youself, "Flick of the Switch", "Landslide" and "Bedlam in Belgium", but for the most part the guys sounded uninspired, and frankly out of ideas (ideas? Who am I kidding, this is AC/DC they play the same riff over and over - it's what they do).

This is one of those albums that is just sort of there. It certainly didn't do a lot for me.

Reviewed December 29, 2007

Fly on the Wall (©1985 Atlantic)

the songs: Fly on the Wall / Shake Your Foundations / First Blood / Danger / Sink the Pink / Playing With Girls / Stand Up / Hell or High Water / Back in Business / Send for the Man

One of the more overlooked gems in the AC/DC catalog. It took me fifteen years to finally pick it up. This is vintage stuff. Angus as usual proves he's more than adept at filling in his stock riffs over Malcolm's journeyman rhythm work. Brian's voice is still strong, and still a few years away from his angry smurf impression.

The songs themselves are still a twelve year olds dream. "Sink the Pink" still cracks me up. I should feel ashamed, but these guys write great music, if not great lyrics.

Reviewed November 10, 2001

LIVE (©1992 ATCO)

disc one: Thunderstruck / Shoot To Thrill / Back In Black / Sin City / Who Made Who / Heatseeker / Fire Your Guns / Jailbreak / The Jack / The Razors Edge / Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap / Money Talks

disc two: Hells Bells / Are You Ready / That's The Way I Wanna Rock N Roll / High Voltage / You Shook Me All Night Long / Whole Lotta Rosie / Let There Be Rock / Bonny / Highway To Hell / T.N.T / For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

I suppose on a moral level I should be totally appalled at the prospect of having to listen to not one, but two CD's worth of AC/DC.  Lots of long meandering guitar solos, crowd chants of "Angus, Angus, Angus," and Brian Johnson sounding more like a gravel chewing smurf than ever.  Love this album.  Great with the windows rolled down and cranked, sweet revenge against all of those back window reverberating wankers that think overpowering bass is music.  This is like industrial dentistry, it's a very wicked pleasure.  I can almost hear Sir Lawrence muttering, "Is it safe?"

Stiff Upper Lip (©2000 Eastwest Records)

the songs:Stiff Upper Lip / Meltdown / House of Jazz / Hold Me Back / Safe in New York City / Can't Stand Still / Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll / Satellite Blues / Damned / Come and Get It / All Screwed Up / Give it Up

If you're a fan then you could not care less about the fashion trends of today's popular artists, and the sorry state of rock and roll. AC/DC is an oasis in a wasteland of prefabricated attitude.

The boys once again go to their familiar well, and are starting to come up a little dry at times. However, this isn't to say that this is a crappy album. Give me an average AC/DC album to most "good" new releases. Brian is a smurfy as ever, and Angus is probably the world's oldest school boy - but the lad can play. Malcolm still plays his guitar with the heaviest gauged strings in the business. It must feel like he's strumming rebar.

This isn't heavy metal, and only a plonker could confuse AC/DC with metal. This is blues infected rock and roll pure and simple. The boys nail enough tracks to get the foot tapping and the volume crankin'.

Reviewed March 26, 2001