Reviews

AC/DC

Back In Black

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Review Date: 2005-03-10

I hope most of you brought a second pair of socks to the site today because you’re about to have the first pair rocked off. AC/DC is perhaps the best rock band of all time, and have existed since the early seventies, or at least in some shape or form. For those of you unfamiliar with their roots, initially the band was set up by the Young brothers (Angus and Malcolm) and they debuted way back in 1973. To say that I am familiar with all of the works of AC/DC would be inaccurate, but regardless for the retro reviews AC/DC has to be done and what better album to talk about then one of their most famous ones “Back In Black”. Now other than AC/DC’s singles I haven’t even owned or cared to venture forth to find out what the fuss was about. Upon realizing that I’ve made a huge mistake, I bought Back In Black a few weeks ago, and well it’s a purchase I’m glad that I made. I think if you really appreciate the guitar in a rock band then you should listen to Back In Black based on that reason alone. Angus Young is one of the best guitar players to ever lay a riff or solo, I mean he and his brother formed the band and for the most part have the most creative control on the direction of the songs since they write them. I know that Brian Johnson does have some input, at least lyrically, but I really am not sure how much, what I do know is it is clear that Angus and Malcolm are the brains behind the operation, and well from what I hear that’s not a horrible thing. So raise your goblet of rock and salute the kings, because there can only be one AC/DC and they are truly the beginning of rock saga.

Track one is “Hells Bells”, I would say it’s a bit of a slow start to the album considering the direction it gets taken in but that being said I don’t hate the song. It has a build up using a bell gong in the background as it approaches Brian Johnson’s leading in with that typical screech he brings to the table. I’m not a huge fan of Johnson to tell you the truth, I mean the true talent of the band lies in the guitar, whenever Angus is let loose you better watch the fuck out because your about to be met with a face melting solo. That being said I can’t say that I hate Johnson’s style of vocals, just that I find it to be easily reproduced, I’ve heard a lot of music and talent or not what Johnson does works for AC/DC. In fact it works so well that when AC/DC came to Toronto for SARSfest they were regarded largely as the best act, and that day they went toe to toe with The Rolling Stones. To me though the stones aren’t anything special, but ask others and they’d obviously disagree, I guess I just don’t see it, I’ve heard the songs and I just don’t get what the hype is about.

If you want my opinion, the best AC/DC song of all time might be track six “Back in Black”. I guess there’s nothing overly complex about the lyrics, but that’s ok, because Johnson’s voice is very fitting to the way this song plays out. It features one of the most catchy guitar riffs of all time, and an epic solo by Angus which you can’t help but wish you could watch him play that in front of you. I am a sucker for guitar, I could listen to a hard rock chord over and over, and when a guitarist is really good it’s like basically an instant excitement for the soul. “Back in Black” has been featured in the movie, School of Rock, and that right there lets you know that if you have a movie about rock than it must under no circumstance leave out a song of the rocktitude. That’s right I made up a word, but I don’t care, AC/DC deserves their own word, they should contact Webster’s and patent that shit immediately.

Immediately following track six comes seven and that is “You Shook Me all Night Long”. Its not my favourite AC/DC track, but it likely has more to do with the fact that I’ve heard it approximately a million times in my life. It does feature a rather amazing solo by Angus once again, and if you ask me, there’s never enough of this guy in the songs. I think when he’s held down by the format of song he really doesn’t get a chance to fully show us the rock ability that he was born with. Daniel Johnson really wails on this song, and I guess on the whole the song is better than I give it credit purely based on the fact that I’ve heard it a few too many. But you know how it is, if you hear a song a lot you tend to skip it when it hits the playlist, at least that’s what happens to me, I find I skip the single a lot after I have heard an album. A great example of this is “Hey Ya” by Andre 3000, I skip that song everytime I listen to “The Love Below”. But back to the song, you’ve likely heard it, and because of that it makes it one of those sing along tracks that when you get hammered and go to karaoke night, you and your buddies go up and just belt it out like Johnson did back in 1980. I guess it just boils down to AC/DC having that kind of appeal, fan appeal, they rock for the fans and that’s another reason to love them, especially in a day and age where bands like Simple Plan can make a decent living just by pretending they are still sixteen, just disgusting.

What AC/DC provides us with is a basis for what true rock should sound like. They have given us a reason to think that Rock and Roll can never die just as long as they keep rocking, perhaps that’s why they still are touring. That being said the last track I’ll mention is track eight, “Have a Drink on me”. I’d say my main reason for liking this song is based largely on the fact that I like the lyrics themselves on the track, I mean usually Johnson’s lyrics aren’t overly complex, and that stays true on this track. The uniqueness I’m referring to has something to do with its message, I mean sure bands always tell you to go get fucked up, but AC/DC despite being a rock legend don’t reference often to the drugs or booze. Even though I like both drugs and booze, I have to admit it’s a refreshing change to see a hard rock band not reference that shit in almost every song. The truth of the matter is that Johnson does make a small getting stoned remark to which I think, alright if you think I should. I mean its AC/DC were talking about here, if they tell you to get stoned you better do it, otherwise its like committing treason to rock and roll. There is a truly epic guitar solo just after the getting stoned lyric, but as I have mentioned before, Angus has a solo in almost every song. Although in my humble opinion it’s definitely a good idea to give one of the best guitarist to grace rock in the past thirty years a solo on almost every song.

Does AC/DC’s “Back in Black” album live up to the hype?

The reason it does is purely based on the rock and roll guitar featured by Angus Young.

How influential is this album?

I would say that many have heard it and tried to duplicate similar rock guitar results, however I wouldn’t consider it easy to do, most have likely failed, their saga just not up to par.

Should you buy this album?

If you like hard rock guitar, or any form of hard rock you might as well buy it, it’s a must have if you want to hear some serious guitar solos.

- Brandon