THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: AC/DC

AC/DC – Highway To Hell

November 16, 2023 /

This is my second favourite AC/DC album, right behind Powerage. This is the first album recorded with Mutt Lange, who laid down the blueprint for what came next. Everything about this album is top drawer, from the songs, the performance, and the production…everything! This was the band’s seventh album and they had been knocking on the door for a few albums before it, but this was the one that smashed everything wide open.

Angus and Malcolm were on fire at this point. They made killer riff, after killer riff and every song you just wanted to bang your head to. I remember when Shot Down In Flames came out as a single and they were everywhere on TV, you felt like that they had finally broke through. These were great times indeed, and when the news came through of Bon’s death it was devastating.

There are so many good songs to choose as a favourite, but the record company definitely got it right with Shot Down In Flames as the single. That is everything the band were great at: killer riff, awesome groove, and a superb hook and chorus. That’s what great producers do, highlight what defines a band.

Superb record!

10/10 from The Grooveman.

AC/DC – Black Ice

November 17, 2022 /

Black Ice was released in 2008, eight years after Stiff Upper Lip. But I’m a Bon era fan!! I first discovered AC/DC properly with the Let There Be Rock album, and that uptempo hard boogie was just too irresistible for a young rocker like myself. It was a big blow when Bon died and they came back with Back In Black, their most well known album. To expect the band to sound like they did in ’76 is not going to happen.

It’s a very well produced and crisp sounding album, it has its moments. The opening track Rock N’ Roll Train is a typical mid tempo DC groover, and is a solid opening. Big Jack is my favourite track, I love the riff and groove. War Machine is very similar, it’s all about the riff and groove. There’s a raft of songs with the same groove like Spoilin For A Fight, but there are also a lot slow and more bluesy songs like Rockin’ All The Way. All in all it’s a solid DC album, and I’m glad they are still rockin’ with us.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

AC/DC – Let There Be Rock

July 8, 2021 /

It’s a close call for me when I think of what the best AC/DC album is. This is just behind Powerage as I think it has the slightly better production value and feels a bit heavier. Depending on where you are in the world, and what versions were put out where, this is the 4th album from the land of Aus’ favorite bar room band. This was also where DC found out what heavy metal was all about, as they beefed up their sound to conquer the world. Bare in mind this was still 1977 and the metal movement was in it’s infancy, but the fans absolutely loved AC/DC. Head down, no nonsense, mindless, rock n roll was exactly what we wanted back then, and they delivered big time.

Go Down is a simple boogie but turned up to ten – it grooves hard. Dog Eat Dog is a killer follow up track and it has a wicked riff and groove. I don’t think anyone was ready for the title track when you first heard it, but hell did it blow your face off! Sure, it’s just a simple boogie, but with knobs on and a cherry on the top. Angus was the new guitar hero for my generation, well at least for another year until EVH landed from a planet far far away. Just when you thought it was safe to stop banging your head. Bad Boy Boogie grooved on into town. This band had riffs coming out of their ears at this point, and they were on fire.

No let up with Side 2 as Problem Child gets things grooving right from the off, and Malcolm proves again what a rhythm king he is. Overdose is next and is the unsung hero of the album and is my favourite. The riff is monster and the guitar tone is epic. This song grooves hard, and it’s my go-to song when I need a lift – plus it has one of Angus’s best solos. I’m not sure the 1-2 punch of the last two tracks could be any better, Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be (again, with monster riff #137), and the beast that is Whole Lotta Rosie. Everyone knows Rosie and it’s a bonafide DC classic. This track alone should be played as you walk into the Rock An Roll Hall Of Fame – it’s that iconic.

As I said, it’s a close thing for me to pick which is the best album as they are both killer – anyway, its getting a 10/10 from The Grooveman.

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