They wrote one of the 10 greatest RAWK songs ever. The pretty much invented the fist pumping, devil horned, head banging arena rock sound. The lead guitarist is the star, in his outrageous schoolboy uniform but the real backbone is the Rhythm Guitarist. Without Malcolm there is no AC/DC. Just a lead singer and a cock of the walk screecher.
I have heard about a dozen or so songs, and, like everyone who grew up in the 70s, Back in Black was your graduation present.
But aside from the big tunes, what do I really know about the Aussie boys?
Let’s find out.
AC/DC – The Razor’s Edge – 1990 (buy it)
What the fuck is this???
The opening blistering guitar riff of Thunderstruck and the crystal clear production, the minimalist ball breaking rock sound is BACK!
I was so worried that I would have no reason to raise my fists in the air, make the devil horns, bang my head and then I get this. Should I worry that it’s a laser tight opener and 35 minutes of filler? Not if the second track, “Fire your guns” is any indication. Could the time off malcolm took from the Blow Up Your Video tour to get over alcoholism have had anything to do with this? Surely, taking any songwriting chores out of Brian Johnson’s hands has had some positive effect. This album is what AC/DC should have been doing the entire last decade.
Getting their music in the hands of a producer who knows what the hell he’s doing, like the late Bruce Fairbairn does here, and clearly loves the band was a smart move.
The great journeyman drummer Chris Slade (ex gary Numan, Ex Asia, ex…everybody) performs on his only AC/DC album and it’s a real kick in the ass for the boys to be playing with someone so obviously more talented than any previous rhythm section. Slade is in great form as are the Young brothers.
There’s a fair share of filler and pablum and they run out steam somewhere near the end but nothing is reprehensible. All things considered this is a nice return to form.
Welcome back, boys.
Grade C+
A Side: Moneytalks & Thunderstruck
Blindside: Fire Your Guns & Rock Your Heart Out
Downside: Mistress for Christmas
I kind of stop after Back in Black since it declines after there. I have Who Made Who, the Maximum Overdrive soundtrack, because it serves as a so-so Greatest Hits of the Johnson era (it has “For Those About to Rock,” an album I don’t necessarily want to buy but a song I love). After that, I love “Thunderstruck” and it ends there.
Sorry you had to go through those albums, which you clearly didn’t like, but damned if it wasn’t entertaining to read.
Actually, it’s been a treat. There are a couple songs from the later things that will stay in my permanent collection. It just doesn’t have as happy an ending as the U2 posts did. It gives me serious pause to do the Bon Jovi retrospective I was planning.
It’s also given me a reason to blog stuff that people might actually enjoy reading. Case in point: you.
😉