31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worth every cent, essential for fans of hard rock, April 9, 2005
This review is from: Ac/Dc 17 Album Box Set (Audio CD)
Where do I begin? Well, I guess I'll get right to the point.
AC/DC is awesome, and if you like hard rock, and you don't have any of their CDs, you owe it to yourself to get this box set as soon as possible. This is THE best box set EVER. It's got the Australian 1995 remasters of AC/DC's first 16 albums, the 2-Disc Live album, and the Stiff Upper Lip 2 Disc Set, meaning they're the best versions ever of the AC/DC albums. Here are the albums you're getting:
1. [High Votage] (1974)
AC/DC's debut! The slower, softer pace may turn off some AC/DC fans, but still a good CD. A few of these songs never made it to America, too. Don't confuse this with the American [High Voltage], which is way different.
(Songlist: 1. Baby, Please Don't Go | 2. She's Got Balls | 3. Little Lover | 4. Stick Around | 5. Soul Stripper | 6. You Ain't Got a Hold on Me | 7. Love Song | 8. Show Business)
2. [T.N.T.] (1975)
"T.N.T." Need I say more? It's arguably AC/DC's best song. And the album is excellent, much better than [High Voltage]. This album was never released in the U.S., but the American [High Voltage] has many tracks from this album.
(Songlist: 1. It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll | 2. Rock 'N' Roll Singer | 3. The Jack | 4. Live Wire | 5. T.N.T. | 6. Rocker | 7. Can I Sit Next to You, Girl | 8. High Voltage | 9. School Days)
3. [Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap] (1976)
[DDDDC] spawns some classic AC/DC tunes like "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", "Ride On", and "Jailbreak". This is MUCH better than the U.S. version, which came five or six years late, censored, AND missing some songs.
(Songlist: 1. Dirt Deeds Done Dirt Cheap | 2. Ain't No Fun (Waiting 'Round to Be a Millionaire) | 3. There's Gonna Be Some Rockin' | 4. Problem Child | 5. Squealer | 6. Big Balls | 7. R.I.P. (Rock in Peace) | 8. Ride On | 9. Jailbreak)
4. [Let There Be Rock] (1977)
[Let There Be Rock] is regarded as AC/DC's first truly excellent album, with such songs as "Let There Be Rock", "Whole Lotta Rosie", and "Bad Boy Boogie". This version has "Crabsody in Blue" instead of "Problem Child", and it's the only place to hear this song.
5. [Powerage] (1978)
Another great AC/DC CD, undoubtedly one of AC/DC's finest. More raw and bluesey than previous releases. Sadly, none of these killer songs (like "Rock 'N' Roll Damnation", "Riff Raff", and "Down Payment Blues") became hits. [Powerage] didn't get nearly as much respect as it deserved.
6. [If You Want Blood, You've Got It] (1978)
An awesome live album containing ten great AC/DC hits, like "Let There Be Rock", "Problem Child", and "Riff Raff". This is an all-around excellent CD.
7. [Highway to Hell] (1979)
One of AC/DC's best albums with one AC/DC's best songs ("Highway to Hell"), plus nine other excellent songs including "Shot Down In Flames" and "Walk All Over You".
This is AC/DC's final work with their lead vocalist, Bon Scott. R.I.P.
8. [Back In Black] (1980)
"Hells Bells". "You Shook Me All Night Long". "Back in Black". This is AC/DC's best album, hands down. There's nothing else like it. Every song is good, and new vocalist Brian Johnson does a fantastic job.
9. [For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)] (1981)
A great follow-up to [Back In Black], with a classic title track that's as good as any AC/DC song. Also check out "Put the Finger On You" and "Let's Get It Up" This CD sounds a lot like [Back In Black], though not quite as good as that album. But it's still very good.
10. [Flick of the Switch] (1983)
Another solid AC/DC release, also sounds a lot like [Back In Black]. This isn't a very well known album, even though it's awesome. Check out "Rising Power" and "This House Is On Fire". [Flick of the Switch] is AC/DC's last great album until 1990.
11. [Fly on the Wall] (1985)
AC/DC didn't put much effort into [Fly on the Wall], but that's ok. These guys couldn't make a bad album if they tried. The band members are practically bursting with energy. Standouts from this CD are "Fly on the Wall", "Shake Your Foundations" and "Sink the Pink"; all of them are good AC/DC rockers.
12. [Who Made Who] (1986)
This CD bundles 6 AC/DC classics like "Hells Bells" and "For Those About to Rock" with 3 new songs. "Who Made Who", "D.T.", and "Chase the Ace", the latter two being instrumentals. This album is mostly stuff you've already heard, but the new songs are really good.
Real Fact: [Who Made Who] is actually the soundtrack to the Stephen King movie "Maximum Overdrive".
13. [Blow Up Your Video] (1988)
A solid album, although still not as good as AC/DC's old stuff. Spawned "Heatseeker" (an amazing song) as well as "That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'N' Roll". [Blow Up Your Video] definitely has a different sound and feel.
14. [The Razors Edge] (1990)
AC/DC's return to greatness! "Thunderstruck" and "Moneytalks" are classics, and all the other songs are very good as well. Sadly, Brain Johnson's deteriorating voice brings this CD down a notch. He still does a good job, though, because he sings with a lot of charisma and enthusiasm.
15. [Live] (1992)
[AC/DC Live] offers some bang for your buck. A bunch of AC/DC classics on 2 discs. 23 songs makes for a lot of listening time (over 2 hours!). None of these songs are as good as their original versions (except for "Thunderstruck", and maybe a few more), but this album is still fantastic... after all, it's the closest thing AC/DC has to a greatest hits album. Nearly all of the classics are here.
16. [Ballbreaker] (1995)
More of the same. This is good stuff, but it's clearly a rehash of AC/DC's previous material. Not to mention, Brian's voice has seen better days. [Ballbreaker] is definitely worth a listen, though. "Hard As a Rock" and "Ballbreaker" are excellent songs.
17. [Stiff Upper Lip] (2000)
AC/DC returns to their roots. [Stiff Upper Lip] sounds like a Bon-era album sung by Brian. Speaking of Brian, his voice sounds better than it has in years. "Stiff Upper Lip", "Safe In New York City", and "Satellite Blues" are a few of the better tunes. The album got mixed reviews, but [Stiff Upper Lip] is one of AC/DC's most consistent efforts, and I give it two thumbs up.
This version comes with a bonus disc with live material (most of which can't be found anywhere else), and a studio track, "Cyberspace", plus 3 videos when you put it into your computer.
In the end, 17 of these CDs are great, and its a fantastic box set overall. Here are some more good things:
1) The first 4 albums are different than their U.S. counterparts, and have songs never released in the U.S.
2) The bonus live disc in [Stiff Upper Lip] is awesome.
3) These are probably the best versions of the albums. These versions sound as good as the new Deluxe versions.
4) All albums except [Stiff Upper Lip] have lyrics booklets included.
5) The album covers, CDs, and booklets all have cool artwork on them.
Long story short: You're getting a history of what may be the best hard rock band ever, through a bunch of awesome CDs (17 albums, 180+ songs). Don't pass this up because of the steep price. It's essential for any hard rock fan, and worth every cent.
I give this box set my highest recommendation.
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