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User
Soundoffs 1,054
Album Ratings 3873
Objectivity 79%
Last Active 09-03-22 1:19 am
Joined 05-26-14
Review Comments 2,472
| AC/DC Albums: Worst to First
AC/DC has always been a punching bag for the sput community; which stings considering they're my favorite band, only second to Judas Priest. | | 17 |  | AC/DC
High Voltage (Australia)
I know they were just starting out, but man this album is a stinker. I love the Bon Scott era as Much as the next guy, but there’s a reason this was never released stateside. The international release under the same is far better than this, but that’s only because most of the songs on that version are from their second Australia-only release. This is also home to the all time worst AC/DC song ever recorded, ‘Love Song’. While I’m being very negative, at the end of the day, it’s still AC/DC, which the fanboy in me refuses to hate.
Best Track: Baby Please Don’t Go
Grade: D- | | 16 |  | AC/DC
Black Ice
Talk about overcompensating. I know 8 years is a long time to wait for a new album, but the amount of tracks on here is way too fucking many. If they would have just cut out 4 or 5 filler tracks, this could have been much more enjoyable than what it ended up being. I really dig some songs on here like ‘Skies on Fire’, ‘War Machine’ and the title track, but at 55 minutes it’s kind of hard to sit through. Oh yeah, that guitar tone gets grating very fast.
Best Track: Rock N Roll Train
Grade: D | | 15 |  | AC/DC
Stiff Upper Lip
Definitely their bluesiest release, but probably their most forgettable as well. Most of the shit on here is passable, but none of it is anything memorable. The album’s biggest flaw, however, is the serious lack of power of ferocity you’d come to expect from AC/DC. The Wonder Bread of AC/DC albums.
Best Track: Satellite Blues
Grade: D | | 14 |  | AC/DC
Rock or Bust
This is a guilty pleasure of mine. It obviously was a pretty low effort release, but there’s something about it’s simplicity that I kind of admire.
Best Track; Emission Control
Grade: D+ | | 13 |  | AC/DC
Flick Of The Switch
Getting rid of Mutt Lange was an ill conceived idea from the get go. The hard hitting production, infectious hooks and the iconic beefy guitar tone are sorely missed, and really hold this record back from being something awesome. This isn’t to say there aren’t a couple of barnburners, but you can’t help but feel like it’s missing something important.
Best Track: This House Is On Fire
Grade: C- | | 12 |  | AC/DC
Fly On The Wall
I’ll admit I have a bit of a soft spot for Fly on the Wall. While the material featured here isn’t some of their greatest, I just can’t help but love the record’s infectious partytime atmosphere. Won’t go down as one of the greats, but it’s still a guaranteed good time from start to finish. My biggest gripe is probably the production; because I’m pretty sure Brian johnson recorded his vocals in the fucking catacombs.
Best Track: Sink The Pink
Grade: C- | | 11 |  | AC/DC
The Razors Edge
The record that solidified AC/DC’s resurgence into the mainstream. The record contains some of their best material to date; but it also features the worst filler songs the band ever recorded. An undeniably important AC/DC record, but definitely not one of my favorites. Check out the first 7 tracks, then you can shut it off.
Best Track: Fire Your Guns
Grade: C | | 10 |  | AC/DC
For Those About To Rock We Salute You
The one has definitely grown on me over time. I always placed unrealistic expectations on it by directly comparing it to the masterpiece that preceded it. Compared to Back in Black, FTATR falls drastically short of reaching the same heights as its predecessor, but does deliver solid material on its own merits. If you go into this one with reasonable expectations, you’ll probably enjoy it quite a bit.
Best Track: Snowballed
Best Song: C+ | | 9 |  | AC/DC
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Dirty Deeds is definitely a step up from the debut. While most of the songs don’t hold a candle to the iconic tracks from the last record, the overall package is still satisfying. With that being said, make sure you listen to the Australian release that includes ‘Jailbreak’; the international release excludes it, and is inferior because of it.
Best Track: Ride On
Grade: B- | | 8 |  | AC/DC
Blow Up Your Video
This record will always hold a special place in my heart, it was the record my dad and I listened to when we worked together on my project car. Made so many good memories with this album as the soundtrack, so it will always be one of personal favorites.
With that being said, I do stand by my opinion that it really isn’t all that bad, and does feature some stellar AC/DC jams. ‘That’s the Way I Wanna Rock N Roll” is maliciously underrated, and probably my all time favorite track from these guys,
Best Track: That’s the Way I Wanna Rock N Roll
Grade: B | | 7 |  | AC/DC
Power Up
I’m sure the fact that 2020 was so awful affected my placement of this; but this is the first new record I’ve heard in quite some time that made me genuinely giddy. After all the new dogshit we’ve gone through this past year, it warms my heart to know some things will never change. For the first time since the mid 90’s the band actually has a palatable energy and drive that had been missing for quite some time. If it’s anything AC/DC related, I’m bound to like it, but it helps that this record is the best collection of songs they’ve put out in a really long time.
Best Track: Money Shot
Grade: B | | 6 |  | AC/DC
Ballbreaker
I never have and never will get the hate for Ballbreaker. This is the first AC/DC album since Back in Black that doesn’t feature a dud track, and is by far their heaviest record to date. I know the boys really didn’t enjoy working with Rick Ruben, but I’d say the final results were definitely worth the hassle. This really is a nasty little record, and always a sure fire hit when me and the boys have poker night. It’s a shame they never really played any of these songs live after this album’s tour concluded.
Best Track: Hail Caesar
Grade: B+ | | 5 |  | AC/DC
T.N.T.
Pretty much the international release of High Voltage, just without all the filler from said release. It’s the good shit, and only the good shit. All killer, no filler.
Best Track: High Voltage
Grade: A- | | 4 |  | AC/DC
Powerage
If there is one AC/DC album that could ever be called “different”, the one that would fit this category the best would be Powerage. There’s quite a few tracks on here that sonically stand apart from the rest of the band’s catalog. Whether it be the borderline atmospheric track ‘What’s Next to the Moon’, the breakneck intensity of ‘Kicked in the Teeth, or laid back bluesy stylings of ‘Gone Shootin’, if you are of the opinion that every AC/DC song is the exact same, I’d definitely give this one a try.
Best Track: Riff Raff
Grade: A- | | 3 |  | AC/DC
Let There Be Rock
Never have AC/DC ever sounded so raw and primal; I mean the title track actually destroyed an amp when they recorded it., so you know this is some serious shit. ‘Let There Be Rock’ is a total barnburner that never lets up from start to finish. It isn’t quite as fantastic as Highway to Hell, but it’s damn close. You owe it to yourself to give this thing at least one listen.
Best Track: Let There Be Rock
Grade: A | | 2 |  | AC/DC
Highway To Hell
This album has nuts; big ol swinging nuts. The kind of nuts that could concuss an unlucky toddler from a direct hit. A borderline perfect album, and one I always come back to.
Best Track: If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
Grade: A+ | | 1 |  | AC/DC
Back In Black
I know this will make me sound like every middle aged father; but I will stand behind my opinion that Back in Black is the greatest rock album ever recorded. There isn’t a single, solitary second of this record that I don’t absolutely love. I rarely ever consider anything perfect, but Back in Black will always be an exception to that rule.
Best Track: Tracks 1-10
Grade: A+ | |
Titan
01.24.21 | Ballbreaker and Power Up better than the Deeds?
Cmon bro | JDubb
01.24.21 | 1 and 2 are 1 and 2! | ReturnToRock
01.24.21 | FTATR over Razor?
Fly over Switch?
Ballbreaker and Video over any of those?
Rock or Bust over ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY Stiff Upper Lip?
You lose. Good DAY, sir! | ReturnToRock
01.24.21 | Worst to first:
Bust
Video
FTATR
Black Ice
Fly
Ballbreaker
Power Up
Who Made Who
Dirty Deeds
Powerage
Stiff Upper Lip
Let There Be Rock
Back in Black
Jailbreak
Flick
Razors
High Voltage (international)
Highway | grannypantys
01.24.21 | props to anyone that can listen to this much AC/DC | Dwap
01.24.21 | 13 and 11 need to be way higher. Flick of the Switch is super underrated. | rockarollacola
01.25.21 | At least I give explanations so you can kinda see where I'm coming from. But if you think this ranking is questionable, just wait until you see my Black Sabbath ranking; pants will be shit. | Titan
01.25.21 | lol | combustion07
01.25.21 | I'd have Flick of the Switch towards the top from what I remember. Haven't jammed this band in awhile though. 9,4,1,2 and 13 were my favorites back in the day. Fun fact when I was in early grade school I had an AC/DC shirt for everyday of the week lol | ReturnToRock
01.25.21 | Dude, you claim *High Voltage* has filler, and Ballbreaker (and Back in Black!!!!) don't. Then you call Stiff Upper Lip 'the Wonder Bread of AC/DC albums' when Rock or Bust is literally right there. We *definitely* disagree on most things AC/DC. | rockarollacola
01.25.21 | Momma always said I was one of a kind. |
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