Customer Reviews

Razor's Edge

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This album was what AC/DC needed after a series of relatively mediocre albums. (for AC/DC that is, those are still better than 99% of recorded music) The album opens with the blistering Thunderstruck, which is already a staple of many aspiring rock guitar players. The record follows this with a bevy of hard rockers, Fire Your Guns, Moneytalks, Rock Your Heart Out, Are you Ready, and If You Dare, all of which bring back memories of the High Voltage and Highway to Hell albums. The tracks not mentioned above still dish out plenty of good-old rock 'n' roll, they're just not quite a memorable. The only track that leaves one wanting would be the absurd Mistress for Christmas, and if you take it as a joke (which I assume it is) even it's not too bad.

Prior to "The Razor's Edge," AC/DC's first album of the 1990's, and throughout a good deal of the 80's, the band had found itself being gradually overshadowed by a musical world of glam-pop and synthesizers, of hairspray and power ballads, but amazingly they never once negotiated their rock-n-roll prowess. And now the near-twenty year veterans of rock were entering the early '90's--the days of Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer, and a movement of wannabe punk bands from Seattle angry at nothing. If AC/DC's first offering of this decade failed to hit the Top Twenty, it certainly wouldn't be a surprise to many--however, with the accomplished "The Razor's Edge" AC/DC found themselves in the Billboard Top Ten (this set hit #2) for the first time in nearly seven years.
"The Razor's Edge" is a marvelous set of twelve finely crafted songs, all of them holding a delightful sneer, notably the classic opener 'Thunderstruck,' 'Are You Ready,' and the title track (which could be one of AC/DC's most adept songs ever). 'Moneytalks' shows Brian Johnson's vocal ability going beyond its former limits (though the album's absence of his lyrics is puzzling) while the blue collar salute 'Goodbye and Good Riddance to Bad Luck' goes great with the rest of the album's songs.
Yielding a superior recording quality and fine arrangements and productions, "The Razor's Edge" is a fundamental element in the lexicon of a band who refused to compromise their traditional yet unique brand of hard rock.

After the magnificent peak of "Back In Black", it seemed that AC/DC had spent their muse. Their creative slump through the 80s came to an end, though, as they delivered this superb gem in September 1990.

"The Razors Edge" was a sizable hit, although not as big as it deserved, and it is filled with the kind of memorable, catchy and unapologetically silly rock n' roll that made "Black In Black" such a tremendous album.

From the menacing title song through the melodious (and surprisingly big) hit singles "Thunderstruck", "Are You Ready" and "Moneytalks", to the silly "Mistress For Christmas", this record doesn't have a single weak track. Even the lesser-known album tracks, such as "Shot Of Love", "If You Dare" and "Let's Make It" are more than worth a listen, and rarely has any rock band put together such a great collection of songs...tune for tune, riff for riff, this is better than most hard rock bands' greatest hits-collections.

The title, by the way, is a quote from a 1988 interview with Keith Richards.
Nice.

This is AC/DC's best album since Back in Black. This album shows that through a decade of decreasing album sales and some misfortune that they are able to do it all over again. The tracks on this album such as Thunderstruck and The Razor's Edge show a new edge to AC/DC's style. This album is a must buy for a first time or long term AC/DC fan.

Wow, this was an awesome album. Probably the most inventive guitar-work since Brian came over in 1980. You see, this album was significant in that it marks the last time that Brian was able to make a halfway-decent scream. "Thunderstruck" is such a great song, I DARE somebody to find a song that kicks ass any better! "Fire your guns" is faster paced, just another way of saying..."this is how hard you're gonna get it!" "Moneytalks" is a more traditional, old-school AC/DC track, while "The Razor's Edge" surprisingly doesn't talk at all about sex! "If you Dare" starts off simply enough, then hits you right between the eyes! "Shot of Love" is another good track, with the background vocals taking more of a role. "If you dare" was a fantastic closer to this memorable album. Some have criticized this album, as falling into that "stupid lyric" category. But, anybody who reads into AC/DC for their lyrics has something seriously wrong with them. The good tracks I listed more than make up for the four that really aren't as strong. Thumbs up!

AC/DC certainly started the 1990s with a bang. Too bad it took them a decade to pick up where this one left off (with "Stiff Upper Lip"). You have to admire a band which for the most part has kept it no frills all these years. You can carp if you want about how little if any they've changed, but there is something to be said for that kind of thing in more ways than one. Some dare call it consistency. Especially when they take it to a live performance arena.

THIS IS AN AWESOME CD. A MUST HAVE FOR ALL FOOTBALL FANS. "THUNDERSTRUCK" IS ONE OF THE BEST FOOTBALL WARM UP SONGS EVER CREATED. TOO BAD AC/DC'S VERSION WASN"T ON THE VARSITY BLUES SOUNDTRACK

Second only to Back In Black, for AC-DC cd's.

Thunderstruck
10/10
I remember listening to this in the RHS locker room after football practices, it always got us fired up. It continues to do so, great song.

Fire Your Guns
9/10
This one is good too, sounds like their out to shoot someone or something, good for when you're angry.

Moneytalks
10/10
Hands down, the BEST ac-dc song! Yes, even better than Back In Black. Great baseline for the guitar, and great lyrics. How can anybody NOT like this song?

The Razor's Edge
7/10
Kinda creepy, but cool.

Mistress For Christmas
1/10
Ok don't get me wrong here, I am a Christian and very firm in my beliefs, but that doesn't mean that I can't HATE christmas songs, and I do, I detest them, especially if they are played in a month outside of december, heck I find anything about that holiday annoying, but that is due to my spiritual beliefs so don't take it from me, you might like this song but I don't and have listened to it once and never will again. ONLY WEAK POINT ON THE CD HOWEVER.

Rock Your Heart Out
10/10
This is the 2nd best on the disc after "Moneytalks"! This song litterally denies you of having a bad time.

Are You Ready
8/10
This song has the same effect as Rock Your Heart Out, not as good though.

Got You By The Balls
9/10
They could have picked a better name for this one, but it's still a great song when you look beyond its name. Don't judge a book by its cover.

Shot Of Love
6/10
Don't like this one much because I am not a big partier, the guitars sound cool on it though and that redeems it.

Let's Make It
6/10
Same problem here as there was in Shot Of Love. I hate the lyrics, but the guitars sound great.

Goodbye & Good Riddance
8/10
Nothing special here, it doesnt suck but its not perfect either.

If You Dare
8/10
A decent closer, but again nothing special on this one either.

There you have it. A few weak points but that is only because I am not big on holiday songs or on party songs, if you disagree with me on that and agree with me on everything else then you will find this to be a cd that you never skip a track on.

Overall score: 88/120 ---> 73% ---> C-

Give this cd a shot, you will enjoy it. ~ Dagger Dias

I've found this album getting some really mixed reviews, which is quite mind-blowing. Unless you're a total Bon Scott worshipper who refuses to give Brian Johnson his due, which of course is a big mistake, no hard rock lover should be without this album.

Originally released in September of 1990, "The Razors Edge" smokes and kicks major ass all over the place--you've got to take your hat off to the late Bruce Fairbairn for his production on this one.

Much has been made that Brian Johnson's voice sounds totally shot on here. Admittedly, by this time, he no longer had the kind of gloriously piercing edge that you can hear in full force on 1981's "For Those About To Rock..." and 1983's "Flick of the Switch". On the other hand, he's still singing his balls off on here in his usual high-pitched register, and he adds greatly to the album's excitement level. There's a certain on-the-edge intensity to his vocals here that really gets under your skin.

The big hit "Thunderstruck", with its classic single-string lead guitar line from Angus Young, gets the album off to a great anthemic start. "Fire Your Guns" is one of those thrilling fast-paced AC/DC gems that really gets the blood flowing. "Money Talks" has something of a barroom rock quality, but don't worry, it's hardly Hootie & the Blowfish, and it's got an incredibly catchy chorus. The arrestingly menacing title track is chillingly powerful. For proof positive that Angus and Malcolm Young are kings of hard rock riffery, you needn't look any further than the stomping "Got You By The Balls"--the main riff is uncanny: deceptively simple and absolutely bone-crunching. The album closes in intensely menacing fashion with the ingeniously crafted stomper "If You Dare". There's a load more excitement to be found as well with the driving "Rock Your Heart Out"; the chugging "Shot Of Love"; and a pair of good-timey party rockers: "Are You Ready" and "Let's Make It". Showing what a roll the boys are on, even the tracks that seem filler-ish work--the 'sleigh bells'-fortified "Mistress For Christmas" is amusingly dumb and irresistibly fun; and "Goodbye And Good Riddance To Bad Luck", with its utterly tossed off main riff, is also solidly amusing and enjoyable.

Metaphorically speaking, the boys are simply on fire here, and the album is thoroughly a blast. If you're looking to, ahem, "Rock Your Heart Out", you can't go wrong with this essential hard rock masterpiece.

AC/DC can open an album better than any band in history. Think of the opening tracks on "Back in Black", "For Those About to Rock" and "Highway to Hell". The first song on each of those disks prepares the listener for what is coming and really sets the mood for the album. "The Razors Edge" opening "Thunderstruck" is no exception. The slow build with Brian Johnson's growling vocals lets you know you are in for another fun ride with AC/DC. The music as a whole on "The Razors Edge" is really just your typical AC/DC bluesy, corner bar rock that the band has the patent on. And that is a good thing. Throughout the years AC/DC has remained constant with their music. Through disco, new age, hair-metal, grunge,rap & nu-metal AC/DC has stuck to what they do best, simple guitar rock. And "Razors Edge" features some of their best songs "For the Money", "Mistress for Christmas", "Are You Ready" and the title track are pure AC/DC. If you are a fan of the band then you should own this disk, if not.......hell, pick it up anyway. There is no better away to drive away the blues of a long day at work, or a fight with the wife than by cranking a little AC/DC.