Getting new AC/DC music is like visiting an old friend, you know things will be great, and they are! The new album delivers everything this band is known and what one would expect. After suffering the loss of Malcolm Young, the band appeared to be in limbo. Add Brian Johnson’s hearing problems, which made him quit the road during last tour, Phil Rudd’s legal problems, and Cliff Williams’ retirement. Well, everyone is back and ready to rock. Malcolm’s place is now occupied by Steve Young. Steve often filled in the past, and a has a good understanding of AC/DC’s music. The band is back and the music flows.
POWR/UP feels very fresh, and we see the band rocking rather hard. This record has no fillers; it’s just one rocking tune after another. Outstanding guitar performance by both Youngs, and Angus’s soloing as extraordinary as always. It has a great sense of melody, but above all a solid punch for the 41 minutes of the record’s duration.
I keep hearing opinions comparing it to Back In Black, but that’s not the case here. Back In Black was a carefully sculpted monster that took AC/DC out of theaters into the arenas. POWR/UP is an album that assures band’s position as an arena act. Plenty of great tunes here that could easily be included in band’s set list, but with such impressive catalog, what do you drop?
POWR/UP is another gem in band’s discography. It is a well-produced record, and the performances are superb. What a great way to recover when things did not look bright. AC/DC overcomes all of the odds, and proves once again they are a brand that does not bend easily. While the age of these players may be the factor, don’t expect them to give up easily. There are plenty of great riffs left up their sleeves.
Mark Kadzielawa
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