Def Leppard Gets It Covered with "Yeah!" CD

[Defshep]

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.

[3-LockBox]

Can you say...Powerstation!?

[Defshep]

That's right, Power Station did a great cover of Bang a Gong (Get it On).

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm going to have to get the one from Target with the bonus track "Action", as that is one of my favourite Sweet songs.

[Defshep]

I'm going to have to get the one from Target with the bonus track "Action", as that is one of my favourite Sweet songs.

That's the same one I picked up! It's actually from the 2005 tour. There's also a studio version of it on Retro-Active.

[Defshep]

Wal-Mart (the Devil) has a separate cd for $5.88. It features these tracks-

American Girl (Tom Petty) -Joe Elliot lead vocal and all instruments
Search and Destroy (Iggy Pop) -Phil Collen all vocals and instruments
Space Oddity (David Bowie) -Joe Elliot all vocals and instruments
Dear Friends (Queen) -Rick Savage all vocals and instruments
Heartbeat (Jobriath) -Joe Elliot lead vocal

The disc also features backstage interviews with the band.

[3-LockBox]

I'm going to have to get the one from Target with the bonus track "Action", as that is one of my favourite Sweet songs.

My brother had that album; the one that winked

Cool album cover, OK music...

PS. Winking will make you go blind

[Dusty Chalk]

Cool album cover, OK music...

OK music? OKAY MUSIC?!?!? I loved that album. From the opening metalic bombast of "Action" through the hypnotic grind of "Healer" (and the twisted lyrics) to the final blast (and well nigh perfect opening) of "4th of July", in some ways, I like it better than Desolation Boulevard (for instance, it's harder-ness). It had a few clunkers ("Lady Starlight"?!?!?, but that's all I can think of).

I can't even hear the words "Yesterday's Rain" without thinking the "down with" part that immediately follows the first iteration of those words...

[3-LockBox]

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.

I will give 'em credit for not covering the more obvious tunes and going for the deeper album cuts. Fact is, I never was into the glam rock thing (except for Bowie and Lizzy). These songs are obscure enough that it may just sound like a regular album to me.

I was always a DefLep fan, up until Hysteria. I bought it when it first came out, played the hell out of it, then got sick of it as it was way, WAY overplayed by MTV and radio. You couldn't get away from it. I never bought another album of theirs.

I used to play the song Rockit all the time, cuz I had a killer system in my car, and that song was a tour de force on a good car system, but in hind-sight, it was kinduva dumb song, not to mention, way over-produced. Definately a glam rock tune though.

I think a band like The Darkness captures that glam rock vibe pretty well, while not relying on covers or tribute albums. Maybe this will usher in a new improved Def Leppard. That would be swell

[Mr Peabody]

Don't forget Rush was on the covered wagon. I hope this is a fad that will go away like doing your songs acousticly so you can re-release them or the let's do them with a flippin orchestra. The problem with some bands they get that one big album and they try to recreate it instead of evolving. I liked DL in the beginning but drew my line at Pyromania. I couldn't get into Hysteria or anything thereafter. They are touring with Journey this summer and that concert sold out here. I think some of the cover albums may be in desperation. Not that these older bands lack, or maybe some do, good new material but I think it's very difficult to get air play and support even if your stuff is good. I was surprised to hear Tesla's last album get air play. Journey's EP, Red 13, had a great song Close To the Edge which I thought was as good as some of their earlier hits but that project went un-noticed. I liked the Aerosmith album and it wasn't songs I'm familiar with so it just souned like a good fun Aerosmith album.

[Defshep]

I think a band like The Darkness captures that glam rock vibe pretty well, while not relying on covers or tribute albums. Maybe this will usher in a new improved Def Leppard. That would be swell

It's fitting that The Darkness' lead singer has a guest vocal on "Hellraiser".

[3-LockBox]

Don't forget Rush was on the covered wagon. I hope this is a fad that will go away like doing your songs acousticly so you can re-release them or the let's do them with a flippin orchestra.

I didn't like Rush's cover album either.

I think cover albums epitomize the creativity slump.

But yer right on one thing; DefLep could put out their most awesome album ever, and who'd know? That kinda music just doesn't get airplay anymore in this country.