Def Leppard — the vampires that somehow survived grunge for nearly a decade to make this album. Every teenage white kid in America owned Pyromania in the early 80s, and there’s something unique and likable about Joe Elliott’s high notes, and sometimes the guitar hooks are pretty good (especially in the transitions from stanzas to chorus). But it’s chorus harmonies that they’re really good at I think (also the secret genius of Van Halen which everyone forgets when they wax poetic about Eddie’s guitar or Dave’s ass-less chaps). Moreover, you have to respect a band who kept their drummer even after he lost his arm, no matter who the band is.
I was prepared to detest this, but it moves faster and has a lot more energy than some of their plodding anthems of the the 80s (“Goodbye” is an exception), and has nothing as tortuous as “Love Bites” which is a song that should have concrete blocks tied to it before it’s thrown into the Atlantic. It’s certainly poppier than their earlier stuff. It mixes tempos up — I didn’t think all the songs sounded alike at all. So kudos to them for taking some chances.
I was really surprised by “Promises”, which I think is their best song since “Photograph”. They figured out that maybe they should mix the guitars higher, yay. But does this break any new ground? Nope. Are the lyrics interesting or thoughtful? Negative — still written in crayon, mostly. And what the hell is going on with the funk move on “All Night”? You aren’t the Red Hot Chili Peppers, dummies — stay in your lane (and FYI I don’t like them either). And does Joe actually try to, errrr, rap on “21st Century Sha La La Girl”? The less said about that attempt, the better.
Am I going to listen to it again? I am not — but if forced I could. I don’t give half points, so bump the 3.5 and say a generous 4/10 in part for “Promises” (and “Paper Sun” — change their name to Pearl Jelly for that one; a smidge Ved-derivative but a credible tune). But a 4 mostly because my expectations were a hell of a lot lower.
