All Time Top 1100 Albums (Aerosmith - Big Ones) P265

Having never knowingly listened to Def Leppard I did about a minute or so of the first six tracks.

I'll never knowingly listen to Def Leppard again.
 
So this is terribly embarrassing but I got through track 6 of this Def Leppard record . . . before realizing we were supposed to be listening to “Euphoria”, not the one I was listening to, which was “Hysteria.”

This, uh, does not bode well.
 
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.
 
4/1000

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Euphoria is the seventh studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 8 June 1999 in the United States and on 14 June 1999 in the United Kingdom by Mercury Records. The album aimed to return to their signature sound made famous by the band in the 1980s. It was produced by the band with Pete Woodroffe. The album charted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and No. 11 on the UK Albums Chart. It includes the song "Promises", which hit the number one spot on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.


1. Demolition Man
2. Promises
3. Back in Your Face
4. Goodbye
5. All Night
6. Paper Sun
7. It's Only Love
8. 21st Century Sha La La La Girl
9. To Be Alive
10. Disintegrate
11. Guilty
12. Day After Day
13. Kings of Oblivion
14. I Am Your Child
15. Worlds Collide
16. Under My Wheels
17. Immortal
18. Burn Out


Here we go! review No 4 - Def Leppard return to their roots and go back to the 'big stadium' sound they are renowned for with plenty of big guitars and catchy hooks , 'Promises' shares the same sort of format as their biggest ever hit 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' and 'Paper Sun' is a good rock song, but for 1999 going back to their Glam Rock heyday just seems out of touch - I'm a sucker for a Aerosmith type of rock ballad so enjoyed 'Goodbye' but the rest was a struggle and sounded at times more of a cheesy tribute band for Def Leppard, It's no 'Hysteria'.

Anyhow, give this a go and score out of 10 by the end of next week

This placed 692 out of the Top 1000


5/10

Have a good weekend Blues.



FFS....
Have just asked in the Mod forum if it is time @BlueHammer85 to be banned.
I have laid the gauntlet down...... either he goes..... or I go....... I know I have @jimharri 's back on this important issue......
 
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FFS....
Have just asked in the Mod forum if it is time @BlueHammer85 to be banned.
I have laid the gauntlet down...... either he goes..... or I go....... I know I have @jimharri 's back on this important issue......

The trouble is, sometimes Mark comes up with a beauty. You don't. I'd still pick this dire effort over anything that moaning tub of hair gel and blubber can produce anytime.

I'll vote for the fake cockerney.
 
Euphoria - 5/10

Not great. Passable melodic rock but not something I'd listen to again,
I quite liked a lot of 80s rock - Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Europe, Dare, Dan Reed Network - and although I liked Def Leppard's Hysteria, even that wasn't up with the best of the genre for me. But this offering is pretty poor for the most part.
 

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