In hard times the search for the positive is important. All of a sudden something happens that helps you to scatter heavy thoughts and reminds you to smile and laugh again. It was not really expected for an old AC/DC fan like myself…been there since the start in 1973…that a new album would be released. Brian Johnson, Phil Rudd, Cliff Williams are all unexpectedly back and Stevie Young is there again taking the place of the deeply missed Malcolm Young, who passed away in 2017. Angus Young gives the impression to never retire and will surely produce AC/DC riffs in one form or the other.
In connection to the recent release, I read some reviews in Swedish media with only a few really good beats of ‘Shot In The Dark’ from the Power Up album (Columbia, Nov. 13, 2020) in mind. The grading of 1-5, normally, or 1-10, messes up my expectations of the album and the ones I read gave only 3 of 5 with rather uninspired comments. These reviews give a feeling that the album has not been listened through enough times to form the base of a fair review. It has also been interesting to follow the marketing campaign of the album on social media and Brian Johnson in one clip explains that the main reason of the album is ‘to create some happiness, laughs and pay tribute to Malcolm’.
In that sense, this is a top album with a top-top score from metalsouth. It creates happiness, gives a lot of laughs and brings forward the positivism now heavily needed. The sound is technically perfect and the songs are without order all worth to listen through…at high volume. Thanks to the AC/DC boys for the hard work, which now creates hope for better times. Mission accomplished!
metalsouth 