�Back In Black�. One of the top 5 best-selling albums in rock�n�roll history, and unanimously considered a rock masterpiece. It�s gotta be hard to follow it up, right? Right. AC/DC�s next album, �For Those About to Rock�� is as wildly inconsistent as it is entertaining.
Don�t get me wrong, �FTATR� has its moments. Songs like �C.O.D.� or the unmistakable title track are among the best the group composed, particularly during the 80�s. The problem? They�re surrounded by such unabashed filler as �Snowballed�, �Breaking The Rules� and the appalling �Night Of The Long Knives�.
Along with the group�s songwriting, which is starting to sound more than a tad generic, another problem of this album is its somewhat inadequate production. The whole sound is a bit tiny, which is surprising since �Mutt� Lange was once again responsible. Brian�s voice is also in much worse condition than on �BIB�, and what�s worse � Angus�s riffs lack the �crunch� they were always characterized for. On this album, the eccentric lead guitarist goes for a more melodic approach, evident on the title track and on follow-up �I Put The Finger On You�. Which takes us to the lyrics. What used to be double entendres in Bon Scott�s time are now straightforward �single entendres�. C�mon, �Put The Finger On You�? What can be more obvious than that?!
But the biggest flaw here, as I said, is the songwriting. All in all, �FTATR� has three good songs � the title track, �Put The Finger On You� and �C.O.D.� - two passable ones - �Let�s Get It Up� and �Evil Walks� - and the rest is just pure uninspired filler. Some of the songs boast good details here and there � the chorus on �Inject The Venom�, the solo on �Snowballed� - but overall that is not enough to capture our attention.
So, all in all, this album makes us think maybe �BIB� and �H2H� were flukes. Musically, I mean. Because this album is neither as immediate as �BIB� nor as crunchingly in-your-face as �H2H�. It takes us back to the days of �Powerage�, and ends up adding a few of the touches that would characterize later offerings from the group. Bottom line: it�s a somewhat insipid album, recommended to fans and completists only. The rest would do better to buy �Back In Black�.
I MUST disagree with you completely, Im sorry. I think FTATR is a great Brian Johnson album, the title song itself has to be one of the most addictive songs out there. And Evil Walks, I Put the Finger on You, Lets Get it up, and Inject the Venom, for me are classics, im not particularly trying to make you look bad here at all, I just must speak my mind, because in my opinion, this album deserves better.
AC/DC is not the band to look for if you want prolific song design or thought-provoking lyrics, but as a band that hits hard and throws in a slow tune every now and then. To compare For Those About To Rock to Back In Black in such a negative light, I think you're giving in a bit to hype rather than what is actually there face value. I would say this album is among their best with the title track, "inject the venom", "i put the finger on you", and so on.
This one, Brian Johnson's voice reached its high point. Which gives this album something no other by AC/DC has. FTATR(WSY), I Put the Finger on You, Let's Get it Up, Evil Walks are the truly great ones on here.
Oh please. Most overrated? With boy bands in the 90s and garbage like My Chemical Romance and Simple Plan running around today?This Message Edited On 04.07.06
