With the world’s economy in the dumper, Black Ice, the first
new studio album in eight years from AC/DC, could be just what the doctor ordered.
Think about it: When all else has failed, why not throw your cares away with
wild abandon and rock till you drop. And no one can take you there better than
AC/DC. For a band that isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel, it’s
a revelation they’re as popular and well-loved as ever. Maybe it’s
because they don’t overthink their strategy. And that’s only if
they have a strategy.
There’s certainly no shortage of good old reliable “rock”
on this AC/DC disc. In fact, four of the 15 tunes on Black Ice
have the very word ingrained in their titles. No further explanation is necessary.
It starts the minute “Rock N’ Roll Train” (very much in tune
with the opening bars of “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Back
In Black” and probably every other AC/DC anthem) comes booming out of
the speakers. You know the formula — guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young
cock and load a hook-filled chord sequence, drummer Phil Rudd and bassist Cliff
Williams establish a simple and sturdy foundation, and the blood-curdling screech
of Brian Johnson, which may not be as guttural as it once was, pulls you in
for the kill. The same basic approach is routinely deployed on “Skies
On Fire.,” “Big Jack,” “”War Machine,” “Smash
N’ Grab” and “She Likes Rock N’ Roll.”
Black Ice rarely strays beyond AC/DC’s crash-and-burn
style. There are no ballads, no epics over five minutes long, and no esoteric,
heavy lyrics to ponder. Even diverse touches like “Anything Goes”
and “Wheels” pretty much conform to the familiar framework of sustainable,
rank-and-file riffs built to bounce the noggin and pump a fist. By keeping it
simple and stupid, AC/DC effectively spit in the faces of all those “artists”
who push the envelope and aspire to greatness. Few bands can avoid change or
trends and expect to stay afloat, but AC/DC has mastered the art of utilitarianism
to a tee. It makes prefect sense the only big box retailer selling Black
Ice is Wal-Mart. Both are easy, well-stocked and good for the economy.
~ Shawn Perry
