Now, I'll admit, AC/DC's 80's run for the exception of Brian's debut was the weakest era for the boys and lacked the actual prescence that got them where they are now. But, amongst facts, there are opinions. And here's mine. Fly On The Wall has to be the most misunderstood and underrated AC/DC album out there. I love it, and it attracted me a lot more to the band as I was still discovering the band. The thing is, AC/DC had a bad 80's run, but the somehow still mantained interaction with metalheads. With the failures we call "Flick Of The Switch" and possibly "Blow Up Your Video", the band seemed to be sinking lower and lower, but what kept them alive where the fans that were still with them from the Bon era and the "Back In Black" fans.
This album is not very well-thought out. Ill give you that. But it sill has the raw, solid components that we see from all of AC/DC's classics. The colorful solos, the great backup vocals, the simple but attractive rythm section, and of course, the raunchy vocals. This was also the first recorded album for drummer Simon Right. Ill talk more about him later, but he brings fresh new sound to AC/DC's set. This album was later made into a short film titled "Fly On The Wall", which can actually be seen on the band's "Family Jewels" collection. It was basically a very long music video, including the best of the best from the album. Im sure to most people, that doesnt mean much.
Point is, this review needed this kind of introduction to let people know, that this will indeed be biased, and that it comes from a person who enjoys the band in any shape, or form that it might possibly come in. People hate this album. I still dont get it. I was shocked. Maybe people will decide to give it another try after reading this, but if you dont, then all I can say, coming from me, is that youre missing one hell of an album..
AC/DC- Fly On The Wall
AC/DC-
Angus Young- Lead Guitar
Malcolm Young- Rythm Guitar
Brian Johnson- Vocals
Cliff Williams- Bass
Simon Wright- Drums
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Back to track-by-track once again. but this way, youll get the chance to attempt to capture all there is to know about each song, and know which ones to look out for. Enjoy.
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Fly On The Wall
Great intro, I'd say. Both to the album, and the track itself. The boys start off with their taste of the title track. The main intro hits you in the ear and continues while Simon comes in with grade-A flams. Its beautiful if you have it on loud. You cant really tell Brian is getting through with the first verse, you think its just part of the intro. But thats very good. If it manages to fool you, the explosive chorus will hit you head-on and the song will oficially begin. The second verse picks up the pace and with louder and clearer vocals, it makes its way to a short rest with some short fills and into the good stuff again. The solo is great to look out for, Malcolm does a great job mantaining the intro riff while brother Angus rips the song a new one. Amazing work. One of the best on this album and the perfect intro.
5/5
Shake Your Foundations
This is one of the songs on the album that got recognized the best. But it was a pretty bad idea to release this as a single. Better off with something else. Needless to say, the intro reminds you of a bit of Van Halen, as that classic-sounding 80's guitar-work echoes through the great vocal-infested verses, and into the slightly repetitive but great high-energy chorus. Malcolm and cliff do a great job with back-up vocals on this track, but what really ruins a lot of it is the half-assed solo located at the end of the second chorus. It sounds ridiculous, like it was just improvised in there, other than that, the song's outro leads you out and ends with some good fills and a one loud crash to end it all. Ill say, this one grows on you overtime in a huge way.
4/5
First Blood
Starts rambling on with a riff that carries on with some light hi-hats and Simon does a great job with stability and control. Made me like him a lot better. Brian sounds great in the verses, which dont include much guitar-work until the chorus comes in and a great line is introduced into the proportion. Once again, great back-up vocals by the rythm boys, but at the same time, their vocals make up for the not-so great rythm section of the track. (With the exception of Simon) Wow, does the solo make up for the damage. One of the best on the album, and while Brian yells though the outro, Angus still goes at it. Ends just like you would imagine it to. This is great stuff, but not the best on the album. "Some like it hot"
3.5/5
Danger
Maybe this is where the line "Stranger, danger" came from. I doubt it, but if it would be, it would be priceless. The day an AC/DC song is teaching little kids to stay safe and protect themselves, then, it will be mass chaos. All jokes aside, this is one of the slowest but one of the sandouts in the album. The classic chorus I bet lots of people have heard around. Although not very guitar-oriented, except for the wailing solo, the song's stand-out man is Brian, as he rips through the choruses and outro like its nothing, shining as the overpowering element on this one. The great back-up vocals show up here again, making the chorus possibly 3 times better. The song is great fun, but often, the outro will get repetitive and the material will fade. One of the standouts. At first.
4/5
Sink The Pink
Also one of the best and Simon puts on a great high-power here as well as Angus ripping the bridge to pointy shreds and Brian swinging through the verses. It starts off with a peculiar riff for an intro, as you would expect the generic AC/DC intro. While some people would say this chorus would stand as generic, it injects brilliance even deeper into the album, hurling us farther down that hole. Sinking the pink? Hah. Not to sound immature, but maybe thats what I think it means. Anyways, the solo takes it farther fret by fret, as Angus sets the song on fire and Brian extnguishes the fire with his own closing it on a great note.
5/5
Playing With Girls
My, my. How raunchy and godamn straightforward. The intro starts out with Brian possibly getting off if you know what I mean and leads to one of the best riffs on the album. It continues with Simon's great, and loud standard beat with the hats on washy mode, and into the actual song. Brian is drwoned out big-time on this one by the heavier guitar, and it stays that way even for the chorus. But you wouldnt want anything interrupt the great, great guitar-work in this one. The riff on the closing of each chorus leads you into one short rest and one solid solo that wails as the rest keep the tempo straight. It fades out with the title line actually being shouted into your ear, and its a bit of a shame we missed the raunchy lurics, as Brian is drowned out, but hey, maybe they NEEDED to be drowned out. Raunchy can cross a line. Hahaha.
4/5
Stand Up
Another single off the album. It has a very interesting intro, as a steady drumbeat rambles and shakes and Angus come in with a western-sounding and solid line that brings Brian to start talking about having the balls to rise above, bringing us to the great catchy chorus that strikes you as simple, but it fits in perfectly, with the rythm section and the back-up vocals blazing. It sounds like this would be one hell of a live song. Perfect tempo, and the solo once again rips right through the song like its nothing, and everything. Angus really is on fire on this whole album. Its one great listen. The song's outro gets repetitive after a while and brings you back to another expiring song on the album, but still holds its worthy potential.
3.5/5
Hell Or High Water
The name just screams old AC/DC coming your way doesnt it. This might be my favorite on the album, as the main riff holds Brian back to causing any more excellent cranage on the verses with great lyrics that lead into my opinion, one of the top high-energy choruses on this here album. you can feel it. Just that breath that keeps Angus moving his fast fingers up and down that fretboard like its nothing, and as you hear Angus combat with another grade-A solo, you will hopefully realize that theres nothing thats holding this track back from earning all my 5. Amazing stuff, but maybe itll gorw on you.
5/5
Back In Business
I call this 'Dirty Deeds' part two. Its the same concept, and I see it so clearly, it burns. Brian rants with diabolical and mean vocals as Angus the rythmic boys get in the spot to back-up a catchy and well-flowing chorus as it makes Simon go off into another fill attack. This boy is great behing the set, but aint no Phil Rudd. The toms that set off the chorus are so well put and match the vocals perfectly. the solo is a little bump in the road here, not containing the amount of sound you would expect, but I guess it gets the job done. But barely. That kind of hold the song back a bit, but in the end, it still comes out as a song that just gets you more into the album.
3.5/5
Send For The Man
I'd say pretty generic for what it is And slower than usual. Decent lyrics, and an okay way to end and close the great album. The riff sticks inside your head in a nasty way, and you realize the repeptitive area really affects this song. The solo is the only thing that this song has as a great feature, as all of Angus' work on this album was outstanding. Not much to say here. Filler, and leaves you wondering about the others you liked on the album other than the song itself.
2.5/5
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Pros
+Angus. (Ownage at it's high point)
+Great welcome to Simon Wright
+Solos and back-up vocals
Cons
-Brian gets drowned out at times
-Hated for no reason at all :upset:
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I am proud of this review moslty because Im doing my best to get the word out. That theres more to AC/DC than the 'essentials'. Although most of the stuff on the album are stuff that eventually grows on you in a big way, like it did for me, its all the same worth checking out just as much as any others like most fans might say...Back In Black and High Voltage. It holds the potential at least I, need to get through a listen and it stands as my third-favorite AC/DC album. It welcomed a gret drummer that set new grounds for the man behind the set, and deals with different approaches, as well as lyrics themselves. I really dont know why I like it so much, while others hate it. Maybe I'm the godsend AC/DC fan. :lol: Or hey, maybe I'm just crazy. But try not to take this review as a "Go out and but it now!" thing, but as an explanation mixed with a bit of a reccomendation for a great album, and the one that brought them closer to my attention.
4/5
