Customer Reviews

Backed in Black: Ac/Dc Tribute

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This is the 2nd stellar acoustic rendering of AC/DC's work. The first was Mark Kozelek's "What's Next to the Moon" that featured only Bon Scott-era tunes. "Backed in Black" features female artists performing the "Back in Black" album on acoustic guitar, with no bass or drums or any other instruments. These are serious, soulful renditions by artists who respect the original versions. This album is a must for my fellow AC/DC fanatics. (Caveat: buy this album and Kozelek's album instead of the subpar "Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC".)

Female acoustic versions of AC/DC songs? Yes, it's a gimmick, but it works on its own terms. And it's a sweet irony, considering AC/DC's music has always been macho, swaggering boys' anthems.

So what happens when you put an army of Lilith Fair-ready female artists to these tunes? Something pretty good, actually. In fact, the best track on here is the opener, Sunny Hodge's unbelievably sweet, feminine "Hells Bells". The original, with its spare, ominous electric guitar riff and slow grinding groove, is the last song I'd expected to work in this context, but Hodge turns the riff into an almost primitive-blues acoustic riff while her thin, sweet voice turns the cock-rock lyrics into something so bizarre, you just have to grin. Single-name artist Patty does a good job turning "Highway to Hell" into a country-rock busking tune (I've sung that song with this arrangement, myself), and Leslie King is also great on "You Shook Me All Night Long". "Back in Black", though, suffers from cover artist Reyo Bikkin's inability to hit those Brian Johnson high notes on the chorus, rendering those feral "Back in black!" hooks rather flaccid.

Strange and weirdly interesting. My big gripe is that, excluding the two "bonus tracks" ending the disc ("Highway to Hell" and "For Those about to Rock"), they did every song off the Back in Black album, thus rendering the song selection very limited. Imagined if they'd had someone do "Rising Power", "Thunderstruck" or "Let There Be Rock" with an acoustic guitar and female vocals!

This is the 2nd tribute album I've been unfortunate enough to run into from this label. The first one I saw was a Black Sabbath tribute. I still have yet to hear one decent track from either of them. Anyone who enjoys the original music being covered, will find these albums to be weak and lame. A major snoozer! The only thing that keeps me awake while listening to it is the pain I feel from hearing it. The big appeal for most people who like these heavy metal/rock artists is the power and heaviness of the music. That idea is completly lost on this album. On rare occassion, it can be muted onto another style successfully, ie. Apocalyptica doing Metallica covers on cellos. In order for it to work the strong emotion needs to be maintained. Another miss on this album. This album has too many strikes against it. It just sucks. If you really like AC/DC, pass up this album and get some good headphones and crank up the old stuff. You'll be glad you did.

Well...lets see. The tribute is a good idea, great songs. The singing is horrible, but the acousitcs are amazing. Who knew you could take a bad-ass song like "For those about to rock (we salute you) and play it on an acousitc guitar? But as for the singing goes, let's not pansey down AC/DC. Their a hard rock band, and they shouldn't be sung by female singers that sound like they should be singing country songs. Come on guys! That's like having Jimi Hendrix sing Stairway to Heaven.


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