Adrenalize - Def Leppard (CD 1992)

Adrenalize is just basically a continuation of Hysteria. If you liked Hysteria, you will probably like Adrenalize. It vanished like a stone in the greater pool of popular hard rock because hard rock had changed by the time it came out. Bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Soundgarden were playing the new hard rock and it was much rougher and less produced than what had been popular only 4 years earlier. That was the other problem. Four years. In typical Def Leppard luck, something horrible happened between the release of Hysteria and Adrenalize. This time their lead guitarist, Steve Clark, died. I m of the opinion that they weren t ready to deal with the emotion of that loss on record so they just recorded the album that he had worked with them on. They do deal with that loss in later work, but I m of the belief that says it s not the public s right to dig around in an artist s pain when something bad happens. If the artist wants to unwrap the bandages and show the wound that s their decision. If the artist doesn t want to talk about it right now they release Adrenalize (or in the case of Paul McCartney, Run Devil Run.)

Let s Get Rocked
This tune could easily have come off Hysteria. It s fun, it s got a good beat and it sounds like teen rebellion. If teen rebellion hadn t turned into Kurt Cobain it would easily have been a huge hit. Unfortunately, as Stephen King s gunfighter says in The Dark Tower "the world moved on." There is a nice little snatch of Beethoven in the middle.

Heaven Is
Another hard rock anthem that was built for 1988. And you can t really tell that there s a guitarist missing. I guess that would have been the point.

Make Love Like a Man
This is just what it looks like. The obligatory sex song. It doesn t turn into a power ballad at any point, it just is what it is. "Don t call me gigolo / Don t call me Casanova / Just call me on the phone / And baby call me over." But you weren t expecting Shakespeare where you?

Tonight
Power ballads were no longer the thing du jour in 1992, but that didn t stop Def Leppard. But then the singer having surgery on his vocal cords, the drumming losing an arm and the guitar player dying hadn t stopped them, so why should they stop for something as silly as fashion? It has a good strong beat and sounds a bit like Great White, or maybe it s just a bit of Jaws refrain I m catching.

White Lightening
The long, soaring guitar solo at the beginning of this song has Stave Clark written all over it. It may be the only time they touch on the subject probably foremost in their minds. If you aren t really listening, it just sounds like a strong hard rock song. But if you actually listen to the lyrics you start to hear things. "You gotta taste that sweetness / Cause you can t say no / Are you ready for the nightmare / When you can t let go?"

Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)
For as much as Joe Elliott hates Journey, I m tellin ya. Power ballad, power ballad, power ballad. I can actually heard Journey performing it (with Steve Perry, not that imposter they re touring with.)

Personal Property
Ode to sexy woman. Good and fun song. Drumming like undertow, razor sharp guitar. Sounds like it fell off Hysteria by accident.

Have You Ever
Power ballad. Ahem. This one is more in the style of the Night Ranger power ballad with the steady build and all. "Have you ever needed some one so bad / Have you ever wanted someone / That you just couldn t have?"

I Wanna Touch U
The other obligatory sex song. Not bad, not original either. Not what you d call a weak point though.

Tear It Down
Out with a bang. This track is more in line with the stuff you expect from Def Leppard. It was also performed on the MTV Music Awards some time between 88 and 92 (probably nearer 88.) It has a good soccer riot rhythm to it.

Like I said, if you like Hysteria, chances are very good that you ll like this one. Same group (at least for the writing) same producer. Of course, if you didn t like Hysteria, then stay way from this one because it s like a twin. I love the stuff. I don t have to think about it when it s on, the lyrics don t catch me and make me pay attention. It just makes for a good sound track for life.