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New Def Leppard single from S/T album!


tts42572

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October 30th is marked on the calendar. I think it might be a good one. Perhaps in a moderately slow year it could hopefully trouble my top 20, or even top 10? Let's hope so.

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First review I've seen of the new album. It sounds like the reviewer is pretty in tune with the Leppard discography and have to admit I like what I'm seeing in the review. I just want Leppard to make a good, varied melodic rock album and sounding like they may have done it....

 

Is 'Def Leppard' the best thing they have done since 'Hysteria'? I've got my opinion, over to you...

Def Leppard are one of the few bands that have an instantly recognizable signature sound that you can't mistake, no matter which era of the band any particular song may originate from. From the ground-breaking, technical excellence of 'Hysteria', the darker, moodier 'Slang' record that they rode out the Grunge storm with and the more contemporary-sounding 'X' album – even on the 'Yeah!' covers album they managed to sound uncannily like the band they were covering whilst also retaining their own identity.

And so 'Def Leppard', recorded without any record label pressure or interference, sees them integrating many different elements and styles from their past into one cohesive and fresh sounding album. The band sounds invigorated, Joe Elliott is singing better than ever, the production is immense, and as for the songs...

Opener 'Let's Go' is an absolute classic 'Hysteria'-era Leppard; big drums, big guitars, big harmonies – it may be a little structurally similar to 'Pour Some Sugar On Me', but who cares? 'Dangerous' that follows is an awesome 'Euphoria'-ish up-tempo ultra-melodic Rocker, while the bass-driven, Funky 'Man Enough' somehow manages to sound like a 'Yeah!' seventies-cover; there are elements of Queen circa 'The Game' here – great fun.

'X' would be the contemporary-sounding reference point for the classy ballad 'We Belong' (that features all band members singing lead vocal lines for the first time), the excellent driving Rocker 'Invincible' and the heavily-programmed 'Energized', while the fun-sounding 'Sea Of Love' and 'Forever Young' continue the no-frills approach from the 'Songs From The Sparkle Lounge' album. The Hard Rocking, guitar-driven 'All Time High' and 'Broke 'N' Brokenhearted' nod back to the 'High 'N' Dry' and 'Pyromania' days, albeit with a more modern sheen.

Sounding quite unlike anything that DL have recorded before is the wonderful 'Battle Of My Own' that sees the band go all Led Zeppelin on us (Lep Zeppelin?), initially acoustic-led until the power-chords crash in, accompanied by string effects, while the beautiful, serene ballad 'Last Dance' has an almost Folky element to it, a feature that harks back to some of the 'Retroactive' tracks.

As the album draws to its conclusion it takes a turn towards a somewhat moodier direction with the modern Rocker 'Wings Of An Angel' and the introspective and somewhat psychedelic ballad 'Blind Faith' that could have fitted comfortably on 'Slang'.

'Hysteria' is rightly regarded as one of the greatest Rock albums of all time, so is 'Def Leppard' the best thing they have done since that landmark record? I've got my opinion, over to you...

Ant Heeks

 

http://www.rocktopia.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6928:def-leppard-def-leppard&catid=910:cd-reviews&Itemid=121

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I'm all-in on this one for sure. Def Leppard is the one band who never fails to please me. They know who and what they are and seem to genuinely care what their 80's fan-base thinks.

 

I agree for the most part, but cannot forget these two:

 

Def_Leppard_-_Songs_from_the_Sparkle_Lou

 

61G3RGVRG8L.jpg

 

They completely missed the mark with those two - almost like they purposely set out to hurt their fans.

 

Anyway, I'm not one to hold grudges and I think that latest new song ('Let's Go') is fantastic!! Pure vintage Def Lep; love it.

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I'm with you...Dig the new song for what it is and I just like the classic Def Lep sound of the song...They've run away from that sound for quite awhile so it's nice to hear something with that flavor even if it is Sugar 2.0.

 

By a all accounts though, I wouldn't be expecting more songs like it on the new album as I think the album is a pretty varied affair.

 

I agree with you SFTSL as well. I always thought that album was pretty forgettable for some reason....Just didn't have the production, hooks and harmonies I associate Leppard with and felt a little unfinished or rushed.

 

As for YEAH...that's so bad I don't even include it in the Leppard discography....

 

I'm excited about the album though. They've done a lot I've liked over the years and I've liked fair amounts of Slang, Euphoria, X and even SFTSL. If I took my favorite 3-4 songs of each of those albums I could make a pretty darn good album :)

 

I'm fine with variety but just want solid production, guitar hooks and a good chunk of classic Leppard harmonies ringing through the album.

 

I love it. It's like the vintage DL sound mixed in with a kinda modern chorus hook. Diggit.

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Good to hear....Hoping to see a full review soon :)

 

Have seen a couple other reviews so far and both said pretty much the same thing and both reviews felt it was their best album from top to bottom in the post-Adrenalize era. I think it's almost unfair to really compare to Pyro and Hysteria at this point since there was so much different about the band back then. I think to be realistic it really has to be compared to Slang, Euphoria, X and SFTSL since those albums were basically made with the current band lineup (and without Mutt).

 

Do you think overall it stands above those albums?

 

 

New album exceeds expectations - very good! A couple of tunes that are a bit too far off-topic, but generally very consistent. But not Pyromania or any album's clone. Just "Def Leppard".

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Andrew's review over at MR.com has been posted...great, in-depth track by track review :)

 

http://www.melodicrock.com/articles/reviews/2015/10/15/def-leppard-def-leppard-review

 

It’s quite fitting the new DEF LEPPARD album has been dubbed “Def Leppard” as the contents can only be described as sounding like, well, Def Leppard.
In keeping with recent Leppard history, this is again a pretty diverse album, but perhaps not quite as diverse asSongs From The Sparkle Lounge.
I’m likening the flow of the album to that of X; that is – more melodic in the front and heavier, more experiential in the back end.
Song wise we have a very strong set of tunes. Far superior to those on Sparkle and amongst the most consistent for what fans want since Hysteria/Adrenalize.
However, I can’t say the best album since Hysteria, as I’m one of a minority that continue to rate X very highly indeed.
The first half of the album is very traditional Leppard. It also carries a unique moody feel that is played out with some very melodic choruses.
The second half is a little more experimental and varied, featuring some stuff I haven’t heard before from the band and a mix of 70s, 80s and today’s sounds.
What we have here is an album that is classic Leppard without actually honing in on any one album or era. There’s parts of Hysteria, Adrenalize, Euphoria, Slang, X and even Sparkle on here. In other words, its “Def Leppard”.
Fans can get excited though, no matter what era of the band you favor. Because at the heart of it, this is the most authentic Def Leppard album in two decades and features a monster production and beautiful mix, where harmonies and guitars rule the day, but the rhythm section and vocalist Joe Elliott are all equally showcased.
Track By Track:
1. Let's Go is quite simply, classic Leppard. Yes, it’s Pour Some Sugar Mk2, but it’s produced to the nines, features a catchy chorus and layers of Leppard harmonies. It gets better with age, which is something some of the tracks from Sparkle didn’t do.
2. Dangerous has been compared by the band to Photograph. I agree the chorus is a similar, fast flowing hands in the air singalong anthem, but the verse has its own identity. The rhythm guitars are quite meaty and have a modern sound while the lead guitar is more traditionally Leppard. Whatever the comparisons, it’s classic fast moving Def Leppard anthem and will be the most favoured song on the album by many I’m sure.
3. Man Enough is this album’s most left of center tune. It’s a cool tune – think Slang meets Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust. It’s bass heavy and very sparse apart from the short chorus where lead guitar delivers a cool riff. It is probably the track traditional DL fans will have the most trouble with, but it does have its charms. However, I do think it’s a tempo killer after the awesome Dangerous and a little too experimental for its position at track 3.
4. We Belong is something quite wonderful. This is one of the most genuinely heartfelt songs I’ve heard from Leppard since the song Hysteria and features what sounds like everyone joining in on lead vocals through the song. It’s a moody mid-tempo tune with a simply awesome layered chorus that I can’t get enough of. One of those tracks where the verse is every bit as good as the chorus.
5. Invincible kicks off with a heavy bass line and then a uptempo snare before a very melodic guitar riff kicks in. The first thing I thought of was Charlie Sexton. It really sounds like something from his 1989 Charlie Sextonalbum. This is another moody rocker that rolls along at a mid-to-up-tempo range with yet another stunning chorus – albeit one that holds restraint and keeps in pace with the mood of the rest of the song. The background guitar work is melodic bliss that emphasizes Joe’s warm raspy vocal.
6. Sea Of Love picks up the tempo a little and sounds like it could have come from any Leppard album post-Hysteria. The chorus is another catchy layered refrain, again feeling somewhat restrained and certainly smoother than the heavier verse. The guitar solo is a nice extended piece before the chorus again takes control. A bit of a party tune this one.
7. Energized sounds like it could be fast and furious, but it’s actually quite laid back and in keeping with this mid-album run of moody melodic rock tracks. The verse has a modern programmed feel with a soft JE vocal, before a very catchy, but restrained, chorus takes over. There’s a hint of X and Slang about the production here, but the chorus fits the style of the preceding songs.
8. All Time High kicks things back into full overdrive at about the time when you started wondering if this was going to be a mildly mellow album. Fear not – this is a high energy, thumping beat driven rocker where the chorus bursts through for high impact. Fun, fast and fabulous. The guitar solo in particular packs a real punch. Classic Def Leppard. Awesome.
9. Battle Of My Own is an interesting track. This semi-acoustic track is the band’s tip of the hat to Led Zeppelinand their quirky 70s acoustic/vocal driven sound. It also reminds me of the sound and style on the Coverdale Page album (think the intro stages of Shake My Tree). The song clocks in under 3 minutes, but still finds a minute or so to rock out at the end, further embellishing on the Zeppelinesque sound. They fit a whole hell of a lot into 2 minutes 45!
10. Broke 'N' Brokenhearted is a breezy, classic commercial upbeat Def Leppard rocker. Picking up the pace again, this is a simple guitar fueled enjoyable singalong song that will work well live – especially with the layered harmony chorus.
11. Forever Young features a more modern sound, the guitar especially. The drums kick in to lead the song into a jarring verse that’s contrasted with a short simple chorus that’s only defined by the change in vocal delivery and the extra harmonies. Otherwise it’s a pretty fast moving guitar dominated track. An interesting and musically challenging track.
12. Last Dance is another classic rock ballad featuring a very commercial chorus and a dominant acoustic driven sound. The track could almost be a Rod Stewart cover from the late 70s. Short, but cool.
13. Wings Of An Angel is the albums last big rocker. It builds from a restrained intro into a big modern rocker with a darker sounding vocal from Joe and some contemporary guitar parts that wouldn’t sound out of place on the latter half of X. However it still feels right at home amongst these songs.
14. Blind Faith is something new and different for the band. Featuring a strong raspy vocal from Joe and some slow electric soling behind him, the song builds with the addition of an orchestral section before another soft verse. Then the song turns slightly psychedelic while remaining slow in tempo before a guitar solo and the rest of the band up the stakes. Then it’s back to an acoustic vocal before everything finally bursts to life for the last minute of the song. At 5.30 the song is the longest of the album and easily the most epic of any recent Leppard song.
Without the benefit of another month of high-rotation absorption of this album, I still think I can safely say that the band have delivered a home run here and will have fans united in their praise.
A very “Def Leppard” style album which is all the fans want in this day and age.
Fresh and innovative without sounding like someone else and classic and retroactive (pardon the pun) without being stale or repetitive.
There’s life in the old dog yet and I give credit to the band for pushing aside modern industry concerns to still deliver a ripping full length album of this quality.
For the record, I gave X a 98; Songs From The Sparkle Lounge 85 and Yeah 68 and Euphoria 93. Of coursePyromania and Hysteria are perfect 100s.
For me, Def Leppard slips into the gap between X and Euphoria.
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Like the review......sounds like a good album.

 

95% ? wow, that's a pretty high score.

 

Not sure Hysteria would score 95% from me ;-)

 

Look forward to hearing it tho.

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That song has a killer chorus but the rest is a bit average... but yeah, great chorus. Second song was the best, this is the 2nd best and first is 3rd.

 

Anyway, all that's stuck in my head after the last 10 posts is that Andrew, you gave Sparkle Lounge 85%?????!! WTF? I love Def Leppard, and completely agree with you about X (well, nowhere near 98%, but I think it's a great CD) but for me 'Sparkle' is unlistenable. The only album from them I don't own (aside from 'On through the night' and 'Yeah' but they don't count). What on earth of merit do you hear in it?

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Another new song released..."Dangerous". As a long time Leppard fan all I can really say is WOW :)

 

Just the kind of classic Leppard riffs and layered harmonies I like :)

 

That song is phenomenal to my ears, the other two are good but this is fantastic, they weren't lying with the photograph references

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Could agree more...I can't seem to wipe the ear to ear smile off my face :)

 

I really like All Time High but this exceeds it for me. My only complaint is I wish it were about 30 seconds longer...I get so caught up in the melodic bliss that it seems to fly by too fast :)

 

Great tune though...Almost sort of a mixture of Photograph, Promises and Animal IMO.

 

It's early yet and the newness probably has me overly excited....But this might be my favorite Leppard tune since the Hysteria era.

 

 

Another new song released..."Dangerous". As a long time Leppard fan all I can really say is WOW :)

 

Just the kind of classic Leppard riffs and layered harmonies I like :)

 

That song is phenomenal to my ears, the other two are good but this is fantastic, they weren't lying with the photograph references

 

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