CD Review
Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Mailboat Records
2015
Review: Joseph Suto
✰✰✰✰½
Def Leppard have dropped their first album in some seven years, marking their biggest gap ever between studio releases. The self-titled release is the band’s first since 2008s Songs From The Sparkle Lounge. This album is clearly the band’s best since Adrenalize which incidentally was the band’s last studio album to hit platinum status.
Despite songs titles such as “We Belong” and “Invincible” one thing is certain, a Pat Benatar tribute album this is not. The band sounds like a well oiled machine on tracks such as the first single “Let’s Go” and “All Time High” to name a few.
What helps make this album standout? I would start with its diversity. The album has it all from loud (Broke ‘N’ Brokenhearted), slow (Blind Faith), fast-paced (All Time High) to those ballads the band has always been known for (Last Dance and We Belong). The fact the album plays well as a whole with only “Man Enough” being the one song we would recommend using the skip button on. Not bad considering the album contains fourteen tracks.
While this album does have a strong collection of songs, I do not see the band reaching “Hysteria” type sales nor will anyone again. Heck last year we had very few platinum releases across the board. The record industry has so drastically changed along with radio and with MTV not even a shadow of what it once was, the band can only really push the album by playing live. Def Leppard are one of those rare bands that find a way to slip in a few gems on every release, whether it be on an experimental album like Slang or any of their more recent albums.
Who knows how many more albums Def Leppard will release in the future. If this turns out to be the band’s last it would be a very credible swan-song, one that would leave them holding their heads up high. This is a strong candidate for album of the year.
Track Listing
01. Let’s Go
02. Dangerous
03. Man Enough
04. We Belong
05. Invincible
06. Sea Of Love
07. Energized
08. All Time High
09. Battle Of My Own
10. Broke ‘N’ Brokenhearted
11. Forever Young
12. Last Dance
13. Wings Of An Angel
14. Blind Faith
