Atlantic
1976/1981
This album was originally released in Australia in late 1976, but wasn't released here in the states until the spring of 1981 (after Back in black's success had caused the record company to see the value of the band). On this album, the Australian version's "R.I.P" and "Jailbreak" are replaced by "Rocker" and "Love at first feel". The album cover is also very different replacing the odd cartoon of the band with a bunch of people who don't want you to know who they are. Despite the track changes, I have always felt that this album had fairly cohesive sound. I think the band began to become very comfortable and confident with this basic, straight forward style that would be their trademark. The title track, "Problem Child", "There's gonna be some rockin'" and "Rocker" just plunge forward without looking back. The tracks "Love at first feel" and "Ain't no fun waitin' round to be a millionaire" are more relaxed and mid-tempo. "Ride on" is about as slow as AC/DC gets, but it might be Bon Scott's best vocals on the album as the song really relies on his natural sound and style. "Squealer" is perhaps less light hearted in it's approach than anything the band had done at this point. It's a solid example of the band's ability to build a song step by step. "Big balls" is a joke song with Bon Scott playfully milking the simple joke for all it's worth. This song isn't as funny to me as it was twenty some years ago when I first heard it, but I still like it. The songs here are very catchy and that has always been part of their appeal. The humor of the Bon Scott albums was a huge part of their sound as well and a large chunk of what was missing in their music after his death. Everything about this album just comes very easily and actually I think this feel to their music got stronger and lasted at least through "Highway to hell" in 1979. I don't think "Dirty deeds" is quite as strong as "Highway to hell" or "Powerage". Yet it's certainly stronger than "High Voltage" and perhaps just slightly better than "Let there be rock". Definitely an album I will never tire of hearing.
***AC/DC week moves on with something about the importance of AC/DC on Wednesday.
That was a good album...not their best, but a damn good rock album.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite track off of it is definately "Problem Child".
I do not really care for the song "Big Balls"...I know it is suppost to be a joke, I just don't care for it. But the rest of the album is good.
Fantastic review Mark!
I know why they have their eyes blacked out. They don't want anyone to know they like crappy AC/DC!
ReplyDeleteHey axeman, there's one we agree on. I don't like "Big Balls" either. It's even bad compared to the rest of AC/DC's lukewarm catalog.
Great album this and I really enjoyed the songs. It came at the right time while I was still at school. A classic for me.
ReplyDelete"We've got the biggest balls of them all !"
axe man-Problem Child is a good song.
ReplyDeleteBob-Is that the best you can do? You have had better luck knocking the hair bands.
andre-This may have been the first album I heard in it's entirety.
What you said about "Big Balls" applies to AC/DC overall for me. I used to think that they were the height of rock, the be-all and end-all of music. Well, in retrospect it's solid rock, no doubt, and I still listen to a lot of AC/DC ... but it's not as creative and fantastic as I remember.
ReplyDelete-- david
I really enjoyed most fo the album and would LOVE to know the story behind the album cover...I just never really got what it meant.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, have a great week!
ReplyDeleteDavid-I don't think they ever set themselves up as being overly creative and many hard rock bands are not. Their major strengths were always the energy and the humor.
ReplyDeleterockdog-I always figured these were people hiring a hitman to do bad things so they didn't want their identity known. Thus the black bars.
Pixie-Thanks. I am glad you are blogging again.
I had this on cassette, but haven't bought it on cd yet. I enjoyed this album and I like "Big Balls" I thought it was silly and super catchy.
ReplyDeleteThe title track made for one of Weird Al's better parody songs "Dirty Deeds Done With Sheep"
I always wondered what the real words to that song were. Thanks for clearing that up for me Mark.
ReplyDeletethis was one of my first but haven't heard it in at least 17/18 years, don't know what happened to my copy. Enjoyed it at the time though that I do remember.
ReplyDeleteI can remember getting my drivers liscense and cranking up Dirty Deeds brand new on the ol' 8 track.
ReplyDeleteI still crank up Dirty Deeds driving down the road. Only it is going to work and not cruising for chicks. And on cd not 8 track.
Damn, now I feel old.
@dpth : lol - "Dirty Deeds done with sheep" - I must get that song...
ReplyDelete