Disco de AC/DC: “Stiff Upper Lip [EP]”

I read in a magazine recently that rock music is dead. I also read in another magazine that Korn is the future of rock. Well, as long as AC/DC is around, neither of those statements are true! Stiff Upper Lip is a great album; better than The Razor's Edge, and better than Who Made Who. In fact, it ranks up there with Highway To Hell and Back In Black as one of their best ever! As Angus Young said in a recent interview in Toronto, what we need is some of that good old, toe-tapping rock'n'roll, and that's what we get, and it still sounds just as good as it did when High Voltage came out back in 1973.

PS. AC/DC will be around long after the Backstreet Boys lose their looks and their fans, and long after rap music finally dies (which will hopefully be soon! ) If you agree with me, tell me that my review was helpful by clicking YES!

This album starts out strong and "Boom!" it's over before you know-it.The rhythm and power-chords melt very closely to "Back In Black."You have your classic-AC/DC "swinging" songs; "Hold Me Back","Can't Stand Still" the title track, a speed-burner that starts heavy and builds-pace like a runaway freighttrain between your eyes("Safe In New York City")"Groove-tunes:"MeltDown, House of Jazz", and some "fun-gloom" on "DAMNED". About 4-songs are slow, and HEAVY blues-guitar based;Pounding with that timeless rhythm and Angus throwin'-in some "lightning-bolt-riffs." You have basic Pump-you-up-anthems like "Give It Up" and "Come and Get It"(complete with the return of Malcolm Young's "Dirty Deeds" 'evil-troll' growl in "Come and Get It.") If you have ever liked AC/DC get this, If you sort of like AC/DC, get this, and if you don't like them LISTEN TO THIS! There best since "Back In Black." So, if you are TIRED of this "whiny-rhythmless-'rock' bands, THIS IS THE CURE.POWER AND RHYTHM:PERFECTLY-MESHED TOGETHER.

I was fully prepared to be disappointed when I bought this album, as their last album Ballbreaker had a very gloomy, depressing sound with matching lyrics. It did have 2 good songs in Burning Alive and Hard As A Rock, but many of the songs were frankly weird, and Brian Johnson's voice made even a die-hard fan like me squirm in my seat. After the first listen, I was ready to trash SUL for it's boring lyrics and repetitive sound - but for whatever reason, I found myself wanting to listen again an hour later. The second time, I cranked it up louder, and what I had previously criticized - now had an completely addictive quality! Angus and Malcolm are brilliant on this album, with no wasted motion, and the drumming is infectious and had me tapping my foot on most of the songs. Additionally, Brian Johnson's voice is improved! It's a mixed bag, but on a few tracks like "Give It Up", he is reminiscent of his Back In Black style where he sang right with Angus on songs like "Shoot To Thrill". He definitely made more of an effort. This is easily the best produced album since Back In Black, everything sounds clear and dynamic. I love Satellite Blues, and enjoy all the songs with the exception of "I'll Be Damned", and "Come and Get It", as they drag a bit, but even these songs are not throw ins or filler, and other listeners may like their style. Truly, the only thing that can be criticized are the repetitiveness of some of the songs, and the repetitive lyrics, but you'll soon realize that the boys had a reason for this - they wanted to create addictive rhythmic tracks that continue to build to the end of the song. None of these songs have the emotion and power of "Back In Black", but they are all excellent Rock and Roll songs, with a lot of attention to simply making songs that sound good - and are fun and definitely not pretentious. If something sounds good, and you want to hear it again and again through the years, it's not simple - it's good and skilled work. That's what you'll get if you buy Stiff Upper Lip, an album you'll still listen to after 5 years.

I was pleasently surprised with this album. I didn't like what I heard off of their last album, but this stuff is pretty good. There are 12 songs and there are only 2 that I don't care for, and I wouldn't even consider them filler! I'm talking about "Damned" and "House of Jazz". Several of the songs such as "Can't Hold Me Back" and "Can't Stand Still" are some of the best I've heard yet by the band (since their newer singer stepped in anyway). However, there are a couple of minor problems that caused it from getting another star. Some of the songs become a little repetitive after awhile, even for AC/DC. But that isn't to big of a deal. Also, Phil Rudd their drummer seems to be slowing down a bit. All the songs drum beats are a little too similar. But everyone else in the band sounds great! The bass sounds the best since Highway to Hell! Overall I think this is a great album and would recommend it to all AC/DC fans, casual and hardcore. It has a bluesier feel to it which I think brings out the best of the band, like the old albums with Bon Scott. I think it really deserves 4 and 1/2 stars. I also like goats. But then again, who doesn't?

There exists today an entire army of reviewers ready to dismiss every AC/DC outing as "the same old thing."

There is no problem with "the same old thing" when the same old thing is simple perfection. By contrast, the last few AC/DC albums have suffered from a bit of an identity crisis; they attempted to layer heavy-handed production on what is essentialy a straight-ahead blues band, more closely related to B.B. King than to the mass of '80s hair-metal bands that are all but extinct today.

George Young's production on Stiff Upper Lip brings to the forefront those strengths which make AC/DC the undisputed kings of blues-metal: the Young brothers' simple, undeniable blue-collar riffs and Malcolm Young's working-class voice. Tracks like Stiff Upper Lip and Hold Me Back are toe-tapping, head-bobbing, hammer-pounding hard-working songs the likes of which can be found nowhere else in record stores today. There hasn't been an AC/DC album (or indeed any album) like this in years, and that's a shame.

What a good thing we have this one to listen to!