The album has officially leaked to the more mainstream places. Look around...

I am definately excited for this album to come out! And a quick check of their tour schedule...they're heading back to my neck of the woods in August. Yes!

They played here the same weekend I went to Vegas to see Jovi. I was pretty bummed about that but now it seems it has all worked out:)

After a quick listen through, I'm not impressed. Go is ok I guess but doesn't go anywhere. Nine Lives sounds like something from Euphoria and C'Mon C'Mon has no point. It's their We Got It Goin' On.

I can't imagine how someone who expects all their music to have a "point" can be a Jovi or Leppard fan. 90% of Leppard's music is pointless fun - which is why I like them.

And why I've already listened through Sparkle Lounge three times.

That's wierd. I had a feeling that today, their new album would leak.

I've still got the deluxe edition preordered and it's staying preordered. I've heard the radio premier from a while back, so downloading this isn't gona hurt me more.

Just playing through the album now. It's probably the shortest album they've done at 39:16.

I know what you mean about C'mon C'mon being pointless. And yea, it is, like something off Adrenalize, but it's still a decent track. Go and Tomorrow are still great though.

Love is quite bland though, at least by Leppard standards, but then again, the last good ballads they did were the ones on the Slang album.

Overall it's still a better album than X and maybe even their best effort since Slang (for those who, like me, think Slang is awesome)

I agree, which is why they haven't held up nearly as well for me as Jovi has. I LOVED Hysteria growing up and I still think it's a great record. I really like Promises on Europhia and I like some songs on Slang.

X was hugely dissapointing, Sparkle Lounge is better yes but that's not exactly hard to do.

hey, new poster. Been a Jovi and Lepp fan for a long time, since 86. Here's my review of SL.

got this album today early from a buddy that works at walmart, and all i have to say is WOW. WHAT AN ALBUM! Being this is a Jovi forum, i don't want to piss off anyone, but this thing completely blows away any recent release by Jovi. I was struck at how organic and rocking this thing is.

truly the most satisfying and varied album leppard has released since hysteria, i'm honest here. Go and Bad Actress are just two fist pumping metal tracks that you can't help but headbang and play air guitar to. I didn't think Lepp had these songs left in them.

the guitars are heavy and upfront, Rick Allen's drumming is superb. Just a great sound they have on here.

To bad Jovi have never or will never make a song as heavy or dark as Go, that one just absolutley kicked my ass. Leppard stuck to their guns on this album, I hope Jovi follows suit and gets back to more rocking instead of this easy listening country/pop stuff they've been doing. They've lost their balls on the studio stuff. But i still love em live.

to all thinking that the lyrics are pointless fun, FAR FROM IT. Cruise Control, Tomorrow, Go, Only the Good Die Young, Gotta Let it Go, and Love all have terrific meaningful lyrics. Go is about hatred of government(We look to our leaders but the lies they try to feed us, like a knife they try to bleed us and they cut us real slow) Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen absolutely tear it up on the solo's and have lots of trade off's.

Cruise Control is about suicide from a terrorist's point of view, OTGDY is about fallen hero's and premature death, Tomorrow was written by Phil Collen while his father was dieing of cancer, and is a truly beautifal uplifting song.

Point is, Leppard have released just an absolute kick ass hard rock album, filled with so many great songs, not 1 weak track among the bunch. To all of you who have only listened to the 20 SECOND clips on amazon, get off your butts and listen to this thing when it comes out. If you've only heard 20 seconds of a song, you haven't heard it at all, and your making VERY false judgements.

final rating: 9.5/10

just to clarify the sound more for people

it's the rawest thing they've done since Retro Active. It's just Viv and Phil playing live through marshals, and Rick is playing a real kit.

Here's a cool site i just found, clips of all the songs, bits i'm sure alot of you haven't heard yet.


Listen to that verse in Only the Good Die Young, THAT is a GREAT tune, as are all of em on here.

http://www.thesparklelounge.com/

sorry for the rants, but man this album just totally floored me. I STRONGLY advise everyone to buy this, or at least find out how to listen to it in full if not wanting to buy.

I read your review and even if I am not the biggest Leppard fan, I've downloaded the album. No doubt, it's a decent rock record, much much better than X even if still with too much modern influences in my opinion. However, one comment struck me, namely the one I quoted. If you don't find a heavier, darker song in Bon Jovi's catalog then you obviously have no idea about the Bon Jovi catalog. Hook me Up from Bounce would alone be in a different league. Not too mention Hey God, Fear, Undivided, All I Want Is Everything, Last Man Standing...Go is a bit like Unbreakable...only more "serous" lyrics. Overall, a very average song.

And so far, Motley Crue's Saints of Los Angeles simply blows any song of this record.

Agree 100%...although I'm sure you meant to say blows away :)