Euphoria - Def Leppard (CD 1999)

I can't believe that Def Leppard can still be this good after all these years. I am a die-hard fan from the beginning and love all of their music, even the stuff that the critics hated. They've had all kinds of problems and tragedies, but still come rockin' through it. Euphoria is a great work, with excellent music to appeal to both old fans, and new ones. Speaking of new fans, this seems to be appealing to a whole new crowd. In my area, the first single, "Promises" was played heavily on the local top 40 radio station. It took some getting used to, to hear Def Leppard being played between the Backstreet Boys and Britany Spears. However, this by no means indicates that they have mellowed in any way. They still play just as hard as they did on "Pyromania" and "High and Dry".
Listening to Euphoria, I picture how they will perform the songs live. If you've never had the experience of seeing Def Leppard perform live in concert, I wholeheartedly recommend it. It is an incredible experience. Watching Rick Allen drum with both legs and one arm is so intense and cool. I've had a crush on Joe Elliot since I first saw the video for "Photograph", and watching him onstage is great. Their last couple of concerts don't equal the excellence of the Hysteria tour, but it is still a very worthwhile time.
The songs are all good here, with an good balance of slow ballads and the stuff that really rocks. I would have to say that my favorite songs from Def Leppard are always the ballads and this album is no exception. "Paper Sun", "Goodbye", "It's Only Love" and "To Be Alive" are all exceptional songs, the kind that you can crank the stereo to, but could still slow dance to.
Overall, I would highly recommend this CD. There's really nothing negative that I can think to say about it. If you're considering purchasing it, I would advise you to definitely add it to your CD library. It is well worth the purchase price.