Wow, this has been a rough start to summer! Between all the heat and the pollen, I've had some pretty terrible headaches and a complete drain of energy. It's taken a while, but I think I've finally wrapped up all I want to try and listen to for my Top 5 of 1985 article, which should be coming soon. At the very least, here are a few more retro reviews, this time focusing on more straight-ahead rock from that year.
After the lackluster Flick of the Switch, the band were able to carry on through the 80s on their touring prowess. When it came time to get back into the studio, the brothers Malcolm and Angus took over production duties and wanted to get back to their more iconic roots. The result is a bit of a mixed bag, as little of it really hits, but it's at least better than the album that came before.
Once again, production is an issue, this time pushing Brian Johnson's vocals to the back, like he's singing from a tunnel. While he's being buried by the riffs, I do think the writing is a little better this time around. The band certainly still knows how to get heads bobbing with their bluesy grooves and chunky riffs, and there's a little more energy going around. Unfortunately, the lyrics do feel like leftovers from their career, often covering the same topics with less wit or creativity. Still, the band remains pretty consistent with their sound, so there are no major shake-ups naturally, and none should be expected.
As always, reviewing AC/DC is perhaps a moot effort. Either you already know by now if you like them or not, but as I'm going through their discography, it's fun to find a gem or two. "Shake Your Foundation" is probably the closest they get to Back in Black anthem territory, and I did like the bluesier groove of "Danger." Overall, it's a pretty bog-standard effort for them as they tried to find their place among the growing glam metal movement.
For some reason, I thought Metal Queen was Lee Aaron's first album, but it turns out it was her second. I guess I should take the time to go back and give that listen, but for now, I'm moving forward and catching this one while I'm focused on 1985. While the music is still wearing tons of metal clichés on its sleeves, I do think it's a bit of a stronger album than the last one.
It might be difficult to find an album that sounds more 80s than this, though. Not only does it continue the glam/pop metal style of rockin', synths get added to a handful of songs, giving it a slight Night Ranger/Europe vibe. Once again, Lee herself is a great singer, though I do think she tries to force a sense of toughness here and there with mixed results. Otherwise, it's some pretty straight-forward 80s rock music. The starts well enough with "Rock Me All Over" and "Runnin' From the Fire," and "Line of Fire" has a bit more of a cinematic feel, but the album is pretty consistent across its run time. Fans of 80 MTV-savvy rock music will probably enjoy it, but again, it's hard to recommend when the music sticks to a formula that's done better elsewhere. A nice listen, but not much else to it.
While Ratt are often consider just part of the 80s glam metal pack, but they actually do have some decent songwriting. Their debut album Out of the Cellar really is just non-stop rocking from start to finish, and after giving their sophomore effort a listen, they didn't lose a step!
For what it's worth, there really isn't anything particularly innovative or noteworthy about what the band does here because they are very focused on straight-ahead, mid-tempo rock songs, with great results. Things start off well with big singles "You're In Love," and "Lay It Down," but there are some decent gems further in, like "Got Me On the Line," and "You Should Know By Now." Things get a little slower with "Closer to My Heart," but it's not really a ballad and features some interesting overlapping with acoustic and electric guitars.
Ultimately, the album is very consistent, with solid execution, making it quite the standout in a time where pop metal is really thriving. There's a decent chance this might end up in my Top 5, but I need to listen to a bunch of others to decide. As it stands, it's a great follow-up of a great debut album, and I kinda wish I had been paying more attention to these guys sooner! I'll definitely be checking out the rest of their albums in the coming years.
So this is a few years later than the one I just reviewed at the top of the article, but I figured I should squeeze it in. As I'm going to be listening to their subsequent three albums over the next few months for their respective Top 5 articles, and I didn't see the point is leaving this one out. I also listened to Who Made Who, but that was more of a compilation with a few new songs for a Steven King horror movie. (For what it's worth, those were instrumental except for one, and they're all okay.) Now, a few years later, and bringing back the producers who helped them with their 70s albums, the band seems to have made some corrections with a solid chunk of new tracks.
The production is fixed, compared to previous albums, and honestly, the streamlined simplicity has taken center stage again, as these songs are actually pretty catchy and groovy. The album starts well with their two singles "Heatseeker" and "That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll," but then follow it up with the funk rock track "Meanstreak." From there, the album just kinda cruises along as AC/DC always does, without any real surprises, though "This Means War" is a pretty nice and upbeat closer. Overall, it's definitely an improvement over what they had been doing through most of the decade, probably their best album since For Those About to Rock We Salute You. Once again, there isn't much to say when AC/DC is good, as you know what to expect. While it isn't one of their better ones, they've definitely been worse, and it's good to hear a band find their groove again.
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