Def Leppard - 2015 album & UK tour dates

I sort of hear it but only because it's a really common strumming pattern. I think I read it's supposed to be more Sex Pistols than anything else.

I didn't get to listen to the album until today, having been out of town. My Classic Rock pack has not yet arrived, but figured as much as I bit the bullet by buying the album off Amazon just before boarding the plane home (where no package greeted me upon arriving.)

Matt, I feel you on the desire to ban anyone who added to this thread without news of samples being released. The band deliberately kept the lid on the album except for the two early single releases all the way up to the end... with no appearance of the album on Spotify. They did allow Let's Go to finally get listed on it, though. I give them credit for taking an old school approach to the release of the album that pushes you to buy the album if you want to hear it.

I did one listen on the plane, but it really wasn't the time since I was rather tired and uncomfortable with a middle seat. I've since been running in my car and through headphones while out walking.

There is no mistaking the album for taking the Euphoria approach; by design and transparency. Euphoria was a blockbuster of an album for the same reason "Def Leppard" is. Any references to past material are meant to be obvious, but at the same time demonstrate musical evolution of the band.

"Man Enough" is the perfect example. It's very clear in paying tribute to and being the type of song that "Another One Bites the Dust" is, but it stands on it's own in every way. The bass groove and riff almost arguably catchier as well as far ballsier.

The guitars on this album are just oh so consistently satisfying and everywhere. The sound just delivers.

One of the aspects that I love about Def Leppard was that their albums tended to be quite consistently good from start to finish as a body of work, with a few exceptions. The new album tips the scale in favor of the albums that maintain that record, that much is obvious already while still absorbing it at this point.

It's a bit overwhelming as only one or two of them come close to any sort of lull while the bulk of it is one new classic after another. I'd practically be just listing the track list if I named favorites at this point, because I'm just jumping all around, but I have to give special mention to "Blind Faith" being a satisfying closer with it's unpredictable arrangement.

I have to also add that the album really wins in the balance the songs all give to each other and even within the song. "Broke N Brokenhearted" gets the distinction of having the stupidest title, but while you may put it on expecting to laugh or roll you eyes at it on first listen, it will grab you by the throat, hold you down, and have it's way with you.

Bleh... it's a bit of a reach, really. It's a common strumming pattern while nothing about the song or sound of it makes you think of "Radio."

I'm addicted to the Dangerous - Man Enough - We Belong combo.

I've been obsessed with Dangerous since the album came out - haven't replayed a song this much in a long time!

It's clearly the 'Photograph' clone on this album (just as Promises was on Euphoria) but that's no bad thing. I think it's the best uptempo song they've done in ages (and probably best song in ages bar Tomorrow, which is still one of my favourite all time songs)

Are the bonus tracks worth it? Am still debating whether I need to get the classic rock pack (I haven't found it locally in Australia though, so may have to order it online)

They're nothing essential really. The alternate version of "We Belong" is just Joe singing all the way through rather than all five members sharing verses. I slightly prefer this version but the song itself is not a favourite of mine. Then there's a radio edit of "Let's Go" which cuts off the "Do you really wanna do this now..." intro and just launches straight into the song, plus the guitar solo is shortened. It was only £1 more than the regular CD here in the UK anyway.

'Let's Go' is my favourite track followed by 'Man Enough', 'We Belong ' and 'Dangerous.

The order in which the member member sing on 'We Belong" are

Verse 1
Joe Elliott: first line, all chorus
Phil Collen: 2nd line
Rick Savage: 3rd line
Vivian Campbell: 4th line

Verse
2: Rick Allen
and so on.

Vivian and Savs vocals sound quite similar. Nasally. I think Rick's voice may have been digitally pitched to fit the song as his voice sounds a little bit electronic.

As an aside I found a demo of 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' with the '6th Leppard' Robert John 'Mutt' Lange singing all the vocals. He's got a could voice.

The album does really mesh into one giant song. Dangerous and Let's Go would be my favourite tracks. Still though, I need to give it a few more listens to make final judgement.

I'm just loving "Dangerous" right now. Instant highlight, as is "Invincible". I like Sav's dirty, grimy bass intro and the guitar parts do sound a bit like "Radio Saved My Life Tonight" in parts, but like BP said, that guitar progression is quite common.

I've noticed "Energized" is a track that could have directly been taken from the X sessions. It's got that slushy poppy sound to it. It's not a bad thing at all, and I appreciate the album is just doing its job of covering all the bases of the bands career.

"All Time High" is pretty much what you'd expect a Def Leppard song with such a title to sound like, which is fine. When the song fades out as Joe sings in the higher register, he sounds almost like he did in the High 'n' Dry/Pyromania days! Something he probably hasn't done since those albums.

The second half of the album is still a bit of a blur but some songs are defining themselves to me gradually. "Wings of an Angel", "Last Dance" and "Forever Young" are making a name for themselves in my head slowly.