Aerosmith and Eric Clapton are among major recording artists who've returned to their roots with albums comprised completely of cover tunes. Now, Def Leppard show us where they got their inspiration with "Yeah!", out today. If you're a fan of classic British glam, then this is for you, whether or not you're a DL fan.
I heard a raw mix of the album a few months ago, and was surprised with the energy of the work. Def Leppard haven't exactly sounded like they were having a good time in, well, a long time. Albums that followed Hysteria (their most successful effort to date), sounded either over produced (Adrenalize, Euphoria, both which attempted to ape the success of Hysteria), or found them so removed from their trademark sound (the experimental and underrated Slang) that fans were left scratching their heads.
What makes YEAH! so enjoyable is that they sound like they're having the time of their lives. The arrangements are as raw-sounding as the Leps have been since High 'n' Dry, which is a welcome change. Their version of David Essex's "Rock On" is a little spooky, and has definately been Leppardized. Their take on T-Rex's "20th Century Boy" is incredibly faithful to the original, as are Free's "A Little Bit of Love" and the Faces' rousing "Stay With Me" (with guitarist Phil Collen on lead vocals). Even Sweet's "Hellraiser" gets the Def treatment, with giddy, glam-slam results.
I'll admit that I am a fan of the band. And as a fan, it's great to see they've found their fun side again. I'd love to see this carry on to their next, original effort.