Stiff Upper Lip

Description

Stiff Upper Lip, AC/DCs 15th studio album, may not reach the heights of Back in Black or Highway to Hell, but it delivers strongly and satisfyingly. Its a simple, addictive, hard album, bursting with bold riffs and bolstered by a crunching, thrillingly visceral sound. Sure, there are absolutely no new ideas, but thats the point. AC/DC know their strengths and they embrace them. And why shouldnt they? Nobody writes a better riff than Malcolm and Angus Young; each song has a riff so catchy, it feels like youve heard it for years. Is there anything earth-shaking? Hardly, but its largely terrific nonetheless, just because AC/DC are so good at what they do. Its simple music, to be sure, but its unassumingly musical and, in a way rather smart. If making music like this was really that easy, why cant anybody else do it this well? Some bands are capable of knocking out one record like this one, maybe two. AC/DC do it nearly every time out. Theyve never really stretched, yet thats why they have one of the most reliable catalogs in rock & roll. When you put on one of their records, you know what youre in for, and they always deliver. With Stiff Upper Lip, theyre not at classic status, but theyre still top-notch. This may not be the first AC/DC record for a collection, but once youre into their scene, its a fine place to be. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine