Classic Rock Album of the Day- AC-DC - Highway to Hell (1979) **** 1/2
I'll just say it. Is this the most fun, rocking, and party-worthy band of all time? They are for me. AC/DC is another one of those absolutely great bands who have a perfect read on the pulse of their fans. Are they great lyricist?
Are they a highly balanced plethora of talent? 
Though, granted, the Angus Young ax work is a magical touch of wizardry in the midst of 3 chord stand hard rock and roll, sans metal. I absolutely love the Bon Scott era too, as his ability to shrill and scream with this madness has that touch of a mysterious aura of classic rock at its best, plus the other guys are kind of journeyman status, good but unheralded. Songwriting hook chops are right in the sweet spot of these guy's product too.
Highway to Hell is an utter iconic staple of classic rock airplay. This LP and High Voltage are almost both perfect rock and roll albums in the Scott era. Little or no filler. Like earlier, this is a band that gives their fan's their moneys worth. What they lack in the pompous claim in artistry, is 1000% compensated by being the best at what they do. And that is standard 3 chord 2X4 up against the head un-PC, and inappropriate fare, to all our vicarious rock and roll fantasies of excess. And yeah, we love it.
In finale, one can not under-estimate what AC/DC has been in the world of rock and roll. Back in the 1978-'82 era, when New Wave/Punk genre was flooding the airwaves, AC/DC pretty much stood alone as an alternative. AOR was fading, but these boys held the mantle, and I am thankful for that. And this wouldn't be a complete review, without acknowleding the coup the band pulled off by adding Mutt Lange's production into focus. And this is another example where an extra production push that put this one is of classic status. Lange did a great and almost impossible job of corralling the Garage Band charm, and channeling it into a hard rocking hook machine. And bonus points too, for tightening up the product, much in the way Ezrin did with Kiss. That is why this LP makes a lot of "greatest Hard rock album" lists.
Fun Fact: Un-fun. Much like with the Who's Swan Song LP with "Who Are You", and "the not to be taken away" sad irony, this album of this name was so sad since, within a year Bon Scott had died. I like Brian Johnson as a replacement, but Bon was really not replacable.
Side 1-
-------------
Highway to Hell- Outside Smoke on the Water, can you think of many more iconic hard rocking power chord intros than this? Nuff said. 1
Girl's Got Rthym- 90% of AC/DC's stuff is shameless double entendre' If you don't like it, and aren't rocking along with it?..... check with the ABBA review I did a few weeks back. 2
Walk Over You- Charm on this one, is this number has that look and feel of stuff they were doing 5 years earlier. Standard bluesy hard in your face rock and roll. 8
Touch Too Much- Nothing on this album is really what I call filler, but something has fall when this stuff is ranked. 9
Beating Around the Bush- Using that classic mid 30's "Baby Please Don't Go" classic blues licks. Angus smokes the solo on this, among others. 5
Side 2-
-----------
Shot Down in Flames- The sleeper. Band takes a great song and adds some PG-13 hilarious songwriting. Love the power chords.... Fantastic one that isn't the first or last time the topic of misunderstanding women comes into focus. 4
Get It Hot- Seems they were trying to emulate early 1970's Stones on this effort. Decent, but not top tier, of what is a great album- 7
If You Want Blood- As great as this AC/DC classic is, I still consider it the 3rd best on the album. Sternum crunching, bad ass 4/4, 3 chords in your face #@$#@$@ 3
Love Hungry Man- Unique, pseudo-balladry at its most subdued, at least on AC/DC's terms Angus shreds it again, in what you are realizing is damned great and consistent LP 6
Night Prowler- Someone's got to finish 10th on a 10 song album. Hard core blues that is excellent. It's off tangent status is maybe why I ranked it last. But AC/DC's fans who are bigger blues enthusiast, might have this one in their top 2 or 3. It's all in taste, when you try to review an album this good. 10
I'll just say it. Is this the most fun, rocking, and party-worthy band of all time? They are for me. AC/DC is another one of those absolutely great bands who have a perfect read on the pulse of their fans. Are they great lyricist?
Are they a highly balanced plethora of talent? Though, granted, the Angus Young ax work is a magical touch of wizardry in the midst of 3 chord stand hard rock and roll, sans metal. I absolutely love the Bon Scott era too, as his ability to shrill and scream with this madness has that touch of a mysterious aura of classic rock at its best, plus the other guys are kind of journeyman status, good but unheralded. Songwriting hook chops are right in the sweet spot of these guy's product too.Highway to Hell is an utter iconic staple of classic rock airplay. This LP and High Voltage are almost both perfect rock and roll albums in the Scott era. Little or no filler. Like earlier, this is a band that gives their fan's their moneys worth. What they lack in the pompous claim in artistry, is 1000% compensated by being the best at what they do. And that is standard 3 chord 2X4 up against the head un-PC, and inappropriate fare, to all our vicarious rock and roll fantasies of excess. And yeah, we love it.
In finale, one can not under-estimate what AC/DC has been in the world of rock and roll. Back in the 1978-'82 era, when New Wave/Punk genre was flooding the airwaves, AC/DC pretty much stood alone as an alternative. AOR was fading, but these boys held the mantle, and I am thankful for that. And this wouldn't be a complete review, without acknowleding the coup the band pulled off by adding Mutt Lange's production into focus. And this is another example where an extra production push that put this one is of classic status. Lange did a great and almost impossible job of corralling the Garage Band charm, and channeling it into a hard rocking hook machine. And bonus points too, for tightening up the product, much in the way Ezrin did with Kiss. That is why this LP makes a lot of "greatest Hard rock album" lists.
Fun Fact: Un-fun. Much like with the Who's Swan Song LP with "Who Are You", and "the not to be taken away" sad irony, this album of this name was so sad since, within a year Bon Scott had died. I like Brian Johnson as a replacement, but Bon was really not replacable.
Side 1-
-------------
Highway to Hell- Outside Smoke on the Water, can you think of many more iconic hard rocking power chord intros than this? Nuff said. 1
Girl's Got Rthym- 90% of AC/DC's stuff is shameless double entendre' If you don't like it, and aren't rocking along with it?..... check with the ABBA review I did a few weeks back. 2
Walk Over You- Charm on this one, is this number has that look and feel of stuff they were doing 5 years earlier. Standard bluesy hard in your face rock and roll. 8
Touch Too Much- Nothing on this album is really what I call filler, but something has fall when this stuff is ranked. 9
Beating Around the Bush- Using that classic mid 30's "Baby Please Don't Go" classic blues licks. Angus smokes the solo on this, among others. 5
Side 2-
-----------
Shot Down in Flames- The sleeper. Band takes a great song and adds some PG-13 hilarious songwriting. Love the power chords.... Fantastic one that isn't the first or last time the topic of misunderstanding women comes into focus. 4
Get It Hot- Seems they were trying to emulate early 1970's Stones on this effort. Decent, but not top tier, of what is a great album- 7
If You Want Blood- As great as this AC/DC classic is, I still consider it the 3rd best on the album. Sternum crunching, bad ass 4/4, 3 chords in your face #@$#@$@ 3
Love Hungry Man- Unique, pseudo-balladry at its most subdued, at least on AC/DC's terms Angus shreds it again, in what you are realizing is damned great and consistent LP 6
Night Prowler- Someone's got to finish 10th on a 10 song album. Hard core blues that is excellent. It's off tangent status is maybe why I ranked it last. But AC/DC's fans who are bigger blues enthusiast, might have this one in their top 2 or 3. It's all in taste, when you try to review an album this good. 10
. I am definitely a blues fan, and this was one of my favorites off Highway to Hell. Very smooth, with great solos. Creepy story with this song, how the “Night Stalker” killer in Los Angeles loved AC/DC and left an AC/DC hat at a crime scene. Media linked it to this song.
