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If you can overlook the band's greedy business decisions, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how close they come to releasing an album that's on par with their classics. Especially if you cherry pick the ten best cuts.
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AC/DC
Black Ice
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AMG Review of Black Ice
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music GuideUnlike any other band of their stature, AC/DC truly don't care about the world at large. They see no triumph in their longevity, they long ago dismissed not only the idea of artistic statements but the very notion of artistic growth: they aren't good or bad, they simply are. They have nothing left to prove, so perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that their albums lack any sense of urgency or motivation. AC/DC never rush to cut a record; they wait until Angus Young has collected enough riffs to hammer out an album's worth of songs, then they file in one by one to lay down their tracks with a big-budget producer, who inevitably gives them a clean, mammoth sound that's no different than what came before. Rick Rubin couldn't change this pattern on 1995's Ballbreaker and Brendan O'Brien can't change it on 2008's Black Ice. He encourages the band to add a bit of color here and there, so they grace "Stormy May Day" with some sloppy slide guitar and turn "Rock N' Roll Dream" into an expansive neo-ballad cousin of Bad Company's "Rock N Roll Fantasy," but O'Brien's crisp, colorful production only emphasizes how AC/DC could stand to be a little less careful on record.
It's the eternal AC/DC paradox: at its core, their music is brutal and primitive, but their records are slick, overly cautious, and bloated, stretching out to 15 tracks when they should be no longer than ten. AC/DC haven't lost their knack for great, simple rock & roll and Black Ice is graced by a few terrific tracks. In fact, as it opens with the "Highway to Hell" boogie of "Rock N Roll Train," the stuttering "Skies on Fire" and "Big Jack," it seems that Black Ice might be the great latter-day AC/DC record the group has yet to deliver, but as the next 12 tracks spool out over the next hour, the album slowly slides into a too-comfortable groove, fueled by too-tight rhythms and guitars that sound loud but not beefy. This polished, precise rock & roll is good enough, at least in small doses, but Black Ice delivers a whopping dose, puffed out to nearly an hour, running so long it all kind of washes together -- a problem that is endemic to all AC/DC albums after Back in Black. This shift can't be placed on the shoulders of Brian Johnson, who may never have been able to match Bon Scott no matter how much he mimics the man, but it's simply a symptom of the band's massive popularity, where they have no compelling reason to release a record every other year, so they make albums twice a decade, inevitably spending too much time sculpting their recordings when they'd be better off bashing them out. At their peak, AC/DC recorded their albums quick 'n' dirty and the music felt that way, too. Age has turned their tasteless insurgence into vulgar tradition but that's not the problem, nor is it the band's refusal to change because, let's face it, when a band does one thing this well there's no need to change. AC/DC can still sound invigorating -- and make no mistake they do here, as much as they ever do on a latter-day record -- but they just need to tighten up, cut back, crank it up, and sound a little rude again. After all, what's the point of being the filthiest band in rock & roll if you're going to make albums as polite as Black Ice?
Review: AC/DC - Black Ice
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK, WE REVIEW YOU
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When Michael Jackson released his "comeback" album earlier this decade, the first single from it - the tepid "You Rock My World" - managed to overshadow its crushing mediocrity by the sweet relief of hearing Jackson's familiar, glorious voice in material that hadn't yet been played to death. And in an example much more appropriate [...]
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AC/DC
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So, after an eight-year hiatus, AC/DC has released another album, and the most noteworthy fact about it is not the music it contains, but the manner in which it's being released: through Wal-Mart. The band presents this as a gesture of authenticity and dedication to their craft, a way of ensuring that their album is purchased in its entirety. Of course, the enormous financial advantage that sta...
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AC/DC Black Ice CD is Red Hot
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MUSIC NEWS - AC/DC is showing the world that they're as popular as ever! Their new album 'Black Ice', their first in over eight years, has hit retail shelves, and despite not being available via iTunes, and with an exclusive deal at WalMart and Sams Club in the USA, it's selling selling strongly. Obviously, independent music retailers are unhappy, with many purchasing the release from the ...
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New AC/DC Album Illegally Downloaded 400,000 Times Before Release Date
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In a sign of the times, according to NME, AC/DC's forthcoming new album, 'Black Ice', leaked onto file sharing service BitTorrent on October 7 and has been illegally downloaded over 400,000 times. The album, set for official release on Monday (October 20), will not be available as a legal download. According to Undercover the band's label, Sony, released fake AC/DC songs online to hamper...
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SPONGEBOB’S GOT BIG BALLS
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A couple of weeks back I wrote about music biz guru Bob Lefsetz's anger over the fact that AC/DC's new album, Back in Black Part Nine Black Ice, is being released as a Wal-Mart exclusive. At that time, Lefsetz wrote "The joke is illegal acquisition will dwarf CD sales. Whatever is sold legitimately will [...]
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WHOEVER MADE THIS EXCELS AT WASTING TIME
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I think it's officially safe to say that this crosses the line in terms of having wwwwaaaayyyy too much free time on one's hands… If you have Excel and would like to view this video in all its Microsoftian glory, you can download the original here. Thanks to MetalSucks Maniac Jesse for sending this in. -AR Related posts: FOR THOSE [...]
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AC/DC New Album Info: Could You Pick Out The Title In A Line-Up?
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Word's already out that AC/DC will be releasing their new album this fall via Wal-mart. We also know that they will be heading out on a massive 18 month tour to support it. Now, I'll give you the release date: October 20th. I'll even give you the title of the first single: "Rock'n'Roll Train."But you are going to have to do some multiple choice critical thinking for the title to the follow-up o...
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AC/DC Return To U.S. This Summer
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AC/DC bringing back their Black Ice tour to the good ol' U.S. of A. The band have added a bunch of tour dates starting with one night in Foxborough, MA at Gillette Stadium on July 28. These summer stops are hitting major stops like Giants Stadium in New Jersey and the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Ahhh summer. Best time of the year for Angus Young to get use out of those shorts. Most of the ea...
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AC/DC Coming Back With Black Ice
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Track:Rock 'N Roll Train
Attention Wal-Mart shoppers...Yes, AC/DC is coming back with a new CD this month and they are going the route of The Eagles and Garth Brooks, by releasing it exclusively through Wal-Mart as their only brick and mortar outlet.Here is the lead single for your pleasure.
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Funny Review of New AC/DC in Washington Post
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I'm not big on AC/DC, but I laughed out loud this AM reading Allison Stewart's mostly positive review of Black Ice. Here's what made me burp up my Cheerios . . . she describes the album's "usual mix of cheerful incomprehensibility and innuendo-laden buffoonery" and then goes on:"But mostly, "Black Ice" contains songs about rocking. Specifically, about how much AC/DC rocks, how much it's rocke...
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Forthcoming Album Releases
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Mar. 27, 2009 Highest Dream - Far Away From Here Mar. 27, 2009 Laney, Chris - Pure Mar. 27, 2009 Nasty Idols - Boys Town Mar. 27, 2009 Taz Taylor Band - Straight Up Mar. 30, 2009 Credo - This Is What We Do - Live In Poland (DVD) Mar. 30, 2009 Pendragon - Concerto Maximo (DVD) Mar. 31, 2009 Queensrche - American Soldier Mar. 2009 FarCry - High Gear Mar. 2009 Stateline - Stateline Ap.
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DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP: Brian Johnson on the AC/DC, Wal-Mart Marriage
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AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson has responded to the Bob Lefsetzs of the world's complaints about the band making a deal to sell their new album, Black Ice, exclusively through Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, Johnson's response makes about as much sense as Sarah Palin's response to the Troopergate report. After the jump, read Johnson's comments, with our own thoughts [...]
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AC / DC Adds North American Tour Dates
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MUSIC NEWS- After re-scheduling their first six gigs on the new North American tour, AC/DC has now added a few more cities to their "Black Ice" tour which resumed Friday, 10/16. The hard rock legends started their anticipated second leg two weeks later than the run's planned start after lead vocalist Brian Johnson needed time off as a result of an unspecified medical procedure."My insides
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MOG it up!
AC/DC Postpones Six USA Gigs
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MUSIC NEWS - AC/DC has announced it will postponed six of the band's USA tour dates due to the ill health of front man Brian Johnson. Confirmed postponement are - Des Moines, Iowa, Kansas City, Mo., Las Vegas, Lousiville, Milwaukee and Phoenix as Johnson has been advised by doctors to rest as the singer recently underwent an unspecified medial procedure.AC/DC started the current North
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MOG it up!
Best of 2008: Best Albums, Part 1
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Now we're down to the granddaddy of 'em all: best albums of 2008.Again, these are albums that I have heard. If your favorite doesn't appear it's either because I haven't heard it, or I think it sucks.Best Albums of 2008, 100-81 :100. AC/DC - Black IceThe hard rockers from down under are back with a vengence. Review99. Chad VanGaalen - Soft AirplaneA very eclectic record from this Calgarian. R...
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AC/DC
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So, after an eight-year hiatus, AC/DC has released another album, and the most noteworthy fact about it is not the music it contains, but the manner in which it's being released: through Wal-Mart. The band presents this as a gesture of authenticity and dedication to their craft, a way of ensuring that their album is purchased in its entirety. Of course, the enormous financial advantage that sta...
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AC/DC 's 'Black Ice' Release Date Bumped Forward One Week
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Track:Runaway Train
HardDrive Radio are reporting that AC/DC's forthcoming album, Black Ice, will now released a week earlier than expected. The album will be available on October 21st. AC/DC's upcoming 18-month world tour is expected to kick off on Halloween (October 31st) in Chicago. Stay tuned for further confirmation. Billboard recently confirmed that news of AC/DC's 18-month world tour was confirmed by...
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AC/DC Debuts At No. 1 With 784,000
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Updating a story first posted here last night, AC/DC earns its first Billboard 200-topping debut with "Black Ice," blasting onto the chart with the second-biggest sales frame this year. The Columbia set, released exclusively through Wal-mart, Sam's Club and AC/DC's Web site, moved 784,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?...
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AC/DC Fends Off High Debuts To Remain No. 1
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Turning back the challenge of 11 new entries in the top 20, AC/DC's "Black Ice" (Columbia) begins a second week at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 after selling 271,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScanFull Story here.
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 "Black Ice")
