Customer Reviews

Yeah!

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Yeah! is what a cover album should be. Not simply songs that were once popular and then redone note for note by a new band. Def Leppard reconstructs to what American ears might be obscure songs. These are songs that were instrumental (pun intended) in forming the band's taste in music in the 1970's. Either listeners will buy into the concept that these are song Def Leppard liked and wanted to do or they will complain that they didn't cover obvious songs or just retread one fo their old albums.

The end result is a solid album, frankly one of the best they have done for a long while. Perhaps it is because they could "be someone else" rather than the particularly contrived X album which was more of an unintended self-parody.

Yeah! is a great album for not only Def Leppard fans, but fans of the 1970's UK rock scene.

I've never completely understood why classic-rock artists with catalogs as deep as Styx and Toto feel compelled to record an album of covers. But among the latest bands to pay tribute to their musical influences is Def Leppard, and Yeah! actually makes far more sense than either Styx's Big Bang Theory or Toto's Through the Looking Glass. In fact, it's easy to hear Def Leppard's roots in these 14 British pop-rock songs from the early and mid-1970s - including fully Leppard-ized versions of the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset," T. Rex's "20th Century Boy," David Essex's "Rock On," the Faces' "Stay With Me," Free's "Little Bit of Love" and Sweet's "Hell Raiser." The members of Def Leppard have always proclaimed their debt to that glam-slammed era, and not a single one of their choices sounds out of place here. It's just too bad they didn't do even more with ELO's "10538 Overture" and Badfinger's "No Matter What." Notably absent is anything by Queen.

Despite the limitations of recording a covers album - the band has to remain at least somewhat true to the originals to make its point - these songs are a natural fit, and Yeah! comes off sounding almost like a traditional Def Leppard album which evey they were having trouble producing. Of course, by the time this thing played out, I was ready to slap on High 'N' Dry, Pyromania or Hysteria. Don't get me wrong: This is a fitting tribute to the artists who inspired Def Leppard to become Def Leppard. But the band's own distinct brand of music speaks for itself -- and, in turn, has influenced countless other artists so much that a Def Leppard cover will one day belong on some other band's own version of Yeah!.

I picked up this latest Def Leppard CD as a birthday present for my good friend. I am so glad we got to listen to it together that afternoon at work, because this album is great.
Since the radio stations these days play nothing worth even mentioning many times new releases slip through the cracks, and I might have missed this one.
This is a fine tribute to some true masterpieces of British rock.
Every original version looms large in my collection and the Def's cover them in such a way as to actually make them their own. This is a fine example of how a great band has been influenced by other outstanding writers and musicians.
Give this a real listen.

I was originally skeptical about this album. I really did not know what to expect especially after Def Leppard's last album X. The band seemed to forget they were a rock band. However, after buying this album my skepticism was put to rest. Leppard has not rocked out this hard since Pyromania. They have gone back to their roots, literally, recording an album of some of their favorite songs from the 60's and 70's. It also sounds like they tuned their guitars lower like they do when they play live. This gives the album a concert-like feel. You can tell they put a lot of time into recording these songs and they played each one with enthusiasm. This is quite different from X in which they seemed like they were trying too hard to be something they are not.

The band invited various people to play on YEAH! including family members, Ian Hunter, Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) and others. Here is a run down of the album:

1. 20th Century Boy: T-Rex
Great opening song! After listening to this one I could tell immediately this album was going to be good.

2. Rock On: David Essex
I love the hard rocking ending they added to this one something the original did not have.

3. Hanging on the Telephone: made famous by Blondie
Interesting chose, still a decent song.

4. Waterloo Sunset: The Kinks
I remember listening to a clip of this a long time ago, however I don't remember it being this good.

5. Hell Raiser: Sweet
Never knew Motley Crue ripped this song off (Kickstart My Heart). Kind of sad but I still like both songs still. Justin Hawkins helps Leppard out on this one.

6. 10538 Overture: ELO
Sounds like nothing Def Leppard has recorded before. Very classical sounding.

7. Street Life: Roxy Music
Rocks pretty hard. Puddle of Mud ripped some of the parts of this song off when they made She Hates Me.

8. Drive-In Saturday: David Bowie
One of the slower ones on the album. Leppard tried to record it closely to the original.

9. Little Bit of Love: Free
An upbeat song.

10. The Golden Age of Rock `N' Roll: Mott the Hoople
My favorite song on the album. The band just lets it rip on this one.

11. No Matter What: Bad Finger
The band seems to love this one. It was previously released on Rock of Ages greatest hits. I think its ok but not near the best on this album.

12. He's Gonna Step on You Again: John Kongos
I love the rhythm on this song. Some of Rick Allen's best drum work ever.

13. Don't Believe a Word: Thin Lizzy
The band recorded this one with a classical rock style.

14. Stay With Me: Rod Stewart
Phil Collen sings on this one. He sounds very similar to Rod. It was originally released as a B-Side for X.

The album art is also very good. It contains pictures of the band dressed as Glam Rockers. They all look like David Bowie. In the booklet Phil and Joe explain why each track was chosen and what each song means to them.

I highly recommend this album.

Yeah? This disc should have been titled: "Hell, Yes!!!" Put this in your CD player and return to the glitter days of the early 70s. Although there are blatant hints on previous albums and videos, this collection affirms the sound that eventually would become Def Leppard. I always knew there was a reason why I had to get the latest album and stand in line to get tickets for the next tour. Luckily, I grew up on the shores of the north coast - I have caught Lep shows in four cities [Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, and Toledo] at six different venues!

Since the liner notes explain the band's exposure to these artists, I would be amiss if I didn't share Glam Rock's availability in the Midwest. "The Buzzard - Cleveland's 101 FM WMMS" exposed north central Ohio to The Spiders from Mars, T-Rex, and Mott. At the time we had to drive toward the lake to get reception on our FM converters, but until we were in range the 8track blared Aladdin Sane, The Slider, or All the Young Dudes. Late night broadcasts of In Concert, The Midnight Special, or Don Kirshner's Rock Concert gave us the stunning visuals. Many a night was spent in front of the television with the sound turned down low for just a glimpse of Thin Lizzy or Queen or The Faces. David Essex and David Bowie appeared on the various variety hours, such as Sonny & Cher. I am definitely old enough to remember and have the fisticuffs scars to prove it. Across the pond, we didn't have a Glam Rock movement, so to speak. Our Glammers had a raw edge and very quickly morphed into Punk or New Wave.

Now, this album rocks from the opening chords and handclaps of "20th Century Boy" to the final drum roll and waning riff of "Stay With Me." The folksy harmonies on the aforementioned T-Rex track, "20th Century Boy," sharpen images of Marc Bolan, gliding on the stage. David Essex's "Rock On" - finally does. Phil and Viv shred, enough said. Technically, the next cut isn't really a Blondie song, but I've only heard Debbie Harry's version of the Nerves' "Hanging on the Telephone." If Blondie ripped it up in 1978, then Leppard mauls the tune in 2006. "Waterloo Sunset," from the Brothers Davies, a.k.a. The Kinks, never sounded sweeter. Speaking of Sweet, what would any respectable cover album from Sheffield be without at least one choice Sweet track? Personally, I still like Retroactive's "Action" better, but the band sufficiently rails out "Hell Raiser." ELO's "10538 Overture" eerily grabs onto the listener - not unlike "Desert Song." Again, the guitars scorch! Joe Elliot turns in one fine vocal performance on Roxy Music's "Street Life." Then he out does himself. The band's faithful cover of David Bowie's "Drive-In Saturday" drips with the soul that would become the Thin White Duke from the transition period between "Diamond Dogs" and "Young Americans." Just when you think, "No way, can Joe top those vocals," he does. His bluesy pop chops are thoroughly satisfying on Free's "Little Bit of Love." Def Leppard oozes Mott the Hoople from the chunky guitars to the layered harmonies. "Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll" is raucously fun - like it should be. A personal thanks to the band for including a remixed "No Matter What." I didn't plunk down my cash for this Badfinger song on Rock of Ages. Although it is a little too paint-by-numbers, it's cool. I never heard John Kongos' "He's Gonna Step on You Again," so now it's Leppardized. Thankfully, the next song also, falls into the paint-by-numbers category. For pure vibe, it is spooky how close the boys play Thin Lizzy's "Don't Believe a Word" - Joe channels Phil Lynott, while the band pays homage. As I said before the album closes with Phil Collen wailing The Faces' "Stay with Me," but Vivian Campbell's slide guitar really brings this fine collection of cover tunes to a close.

Is Def Leppard's latest album worth your money? Simply: YEAH!

The only thing wrong with Def Leppard's cover album is that it wasn't a double album. Sure, some of their song choices wouldn't have been mine. I may have chosen "Telegram Sam" or "All the Way from Memphis" or "Starman" or "Fox on the Run," but the band will need some B-sides... And then there might be a Retroactive-Revisted. Also, there should have been a Led Zeppelin song, perhaps, "D'yer Mak'er," and I would have thoroughly enjoyed The Hollies' "Long Cool Woman."

For those who are too young to remember the album jackets depicted in the liner notes - Here we go: Rick Savage: Freddy Mercury on Queen II; Vivian Campbell: Marc Bolan on Electric Warrior; Joe Elliott: David Bowie on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars; Rick Allen: Lou Reed on Transformer; and Phil Collen: Iggy Pop on Raw Power. The album wear on Joe's photo is a nice touch.

One final comment: I got the Wal-Mart bonus disc, so Joe, how about a video for "Space Oddity." I envision you, as Major Tom... And wouldn't it be a kick, if David Bowie reprised the role of Ground Control. I believe the world needs to hear you sing with one of your greatest influences. It would be an instant classic, like Bing and Bowie!

OK, first off, been a fan of the Leps since I was 15 and "Pyromania" was first released and "Bringin' On The Heartbreak" was all over MTV...twas 1983 and my impressionable mind was molded by the Leps music, just like what happened to the Leps themselves with the bands and who's songs the Leps cover all over "Yeah!!"

This record makes a whole lot of sense and squashes many things that people mistakenly think the Leps are, musically. NWOBHM or pop-metal??!!?? BAH!!

Try glam-influenced powerpop, or a British, glam-influenced Cheap Trick, and you're on target. And honestly, I think it's a mistake that the Leps are constantly on nostalgic summer package tours with horrible corporate rock bands like Journey...shoot me, Journey fans, I don't care, your band and taste is terrible!!! Same with KISS!!! If anything, the Leps should play with musically-compatible bands like Cheap Trick, or newer Britpop bands like the Arctic Monkeys or the Kaiser Chiefs or great new Scottish bands like the View or the Fratellis, to show these younger bands and fans they are still vital...not just for their parents' generation. Gosh, I feel old.

Anyhoo, about the Leps' recent covers album, "Yeah!!!", from 2006, it's possibly the best covers album in recent memory, if not EVER. It's totally fun, not obvious, has many of my fave bands and shows the band's impeccable taste and ability to rock out and have a good time...it probably made the band feel like kids again. The album artwork and nods to the classics is a nice fun touch...the liner notes are informative and infectiously written by Phil and Joe, both obviously music connosseurs and collectors. The intros by Sav and Viv are cool as well.

Now, there are 4 different versions of the album...the regular 14-tracker, the BestBuy version with 2 bonus tracks, the Target edition with 2 completely DIFFERENT bonus tracks, and the Japanese edition has 2 bonus tracks. PLUS Walmart had a separately-sold companion bonus DISC with 8 more tracks (5 additional covers and 3 interviews) which put the whole project into proper perspective. The Japanese disc has only 2 of these Walmart tracks as bonuses. Here's my take on the whole kitten caboodle:

REGULAR ALBUM:
1- "20th Century Boy"...the T-Rex song, an amazing song and great energetic cover...fits the Leps to a T.
2- "Rock On"...the David Essex song, also covered by Michael Damian (a #1 hit in the US but it was lame) and Toni Basil!?!?...her version was cool and on the US version of "Word Of Mouth" following "Mickey"...the Leps cover beats them all...love the way the song kicks in, AC/DC-style.
3- "Hanging On The Telephone"...the 1976 Nerves powerpop classic popularized by Blondie...surprisingly awesome.
4- "Waterloo Sunset"...the 1960s Kinks classic, originally placed on the Leps 2CD import "Best Of", in a better home here on "Yeah!!", great version that grows on you.
5- "Hell Raiser"...the Sweet classic...I know the Leps have cited Sweet as an influence, and they give a kicking rendition here...the funny, campy Steve Priest vocal lines are done here by, NOT Joe Elliot, but guest Justin Hawkins, former lead singer/songwriter of campy Brit hardrockers the Darkness, to fine fun effect...
6- "10538 Overture"...ELO's debut single, when Roy Wood was in the band, after the Move split up...GREAT and a surprisingly fitting choice for the Leps...great guitar work, and features guests on strings, the Stepaside Symphonia...
7- "Street Life"...the 1973 Roxy Music classic...shows the Leps are NOT a pop metal band, but a glam-influenced powerpop band, more taken by punk and new wave, as 1970s UK glam was the precursor to this inferior style of rock, and the Leps do some nice noise on their guitars...LOVE this song...
8- "Drive-In Saturday"...the obscure-in-the-US, HUGE-in-the-UK David Bowie classic from 1973's "Aladdin Sane"...see my take on previous song by Roxy Music.
9- "Little Bit Of Love"...the Free song, a big surprise for me, as I am NOT a Paul Rodgers/Bad Company fan at all...I think BC was probably the most overrated band of them all, really boring actually. Free, on the other hand, I have not heard much of, besides "All Right Now", which was decent but played out, yet still better than all of Bad Company combined. Perhaps, Paul Rodgers sounded great in this band, I don't know, but this song is actually a pretty good pop tune...I may have to investigate Free's catalogue now.
10- "The Golden Age Of Rock 'N' Roll"...the Mott The Hoople classic...probably my fave track on all of "Yeah!!"...just amazing, what rock & roll is all about...Ian Hunter is just swell, as a rock & roller, as a songwriter and as a person...I had the opportunity to see Ian live recently and he blew me away...pictures I took, I gave doubles to Joe himself when I met him at the aftershow party for the NYC "X" club gig at Irving Plaza, now the Fillmore, because I knew Ian was Joe's hero. Ian does the intro here...very cool...and features guests like Joe's wife on BV's, Viv's bro on honking sax and Canadian singer/songwriter Emm Gryner on BVs and piano...just awesome...and I can hear the Sex Pistols influence here too, as is mentioned in the liner notes.
11- "No Matter What"...the Badfinger powerpop classic...arguably the first ever true powerpop song, let alone hit, and yeah, the Leps' version is almost identical, which proves that the Leps are, at heart, a powerpop band, not a metal/pop metal band. Love this remix better than the version on the US 2CD "Rock Of Ages" collection...fits better here too, as this is, after all, an album of covers.
12- "He's Gonna Step On You Again"...the John Kongos classic...honestly, I thought I was the only one who knew who John Kongos was!!! I had the original album with this song, and "Tokoloshe Man", on it...both songs were covered by UK rave rockers Happy Mondays in the early 90s...the band recently reunited as well...turns out the Leps, espesh Joe, were big fans as well...possibly because of the "jungle drums"...great track.
13- "Don't Believe A Word"...the Thin Lizzy song...see my entry for the Sweet cover...I knew Phil Lynott was a big influence on the Leps as well, and this is a great song...I'm also happy they didn't do one of the obvious songs either...here or on the whole album really...
14- "Stay With Me"...the Faces song...featuring PHIL on lead vocals and Joe on Ian McLagen-ish keyboards...it kicks arse, nuff said...the Faces were the only time Rod Stewart was any good, and I do agree with Joe that "Pool Hall Richard" was their best song.

Now, the bonus tracks:
Target's CD:
15- "Action" (Live, 2005)...the Sweet song, and the studio version was a B-side and on 1993's "Retroactive" compilation...GREAT live version with lots of exuberant energy...being it's a live track, not studio, nothing has been recycled, and it's from the recent 2005 US Rock Of Ages tour.
16- "When I'm Dead And Gone"...an obscure 1970 UK hit by British duo McGUINNESS FLINT, written by Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle. Before getting this CD, I had never heard this song or of the act before, but this cover is totally charming, a memorable and melodic, scruffy, acoustic, singalong, off-the-cuff track...a true gem with no pretentions whatsoever.

BestBuy's CD:
17- "No Matter What" (Live, 2005)...a cool live take of the Badfinger classic, probably from the same show, definitely the same 2005 US tour as the Leps cover of "Action".
18- "Winter Song"...another 1970 obscurity by UK band LINDISFARNE...like the McGuinness Flint song, I had never heard of this either, but it's equally as good, and makes me want to investigate further. The song is more reflective and is a moving Christmas-y type of song, not unlike something Cat Stevens would do...done acoustic style by the Leps...

WalMart CD:
19- "American Girl"...the Tom Petty classic...proves again how the Leps are more powerpop than metal...Joe sounds a bit like Tom here as well, and his jangly Byrds-y style fits the Leps much better than you would think...one of 2 bonus tracks on the Japanese edition of "Yeah!!"...
20- Backstage Interview #1...the band talks about the 2005 tour and their fanbase evolving & getting older.
21- "Search & Destroy"...the Iggy & The Stooges dangerous punk prototype from 1973's Bowie-produced landmark "Raw Power" album...with PHIL singing lead and playing all instruments...just proves that Phil comes from the punk world, whilst the rest of the Leps were from the glam and powerpop world...this track sounds like the Stooges themselves and Phil like Iggy that it's uncanny...it sounds vital and dangerous...this track is the second of 2 bonus tracks on the Japanese "Yeah!!"...
22- Backstage Interview #2...sums up the purpose of "Yeah!!", their inspirations, the rules for picking the tracks, and it shows how the Leps are more glam/powerpop than pop-metal...
23- "Space Oddity"...the second Bowie cover, done completely by Joe...shows how talented he really is as a 1-man band...doesn't sound far from the original at all, from the playing and arrangement to the atmosphere...pretty remarkable actually...
24- Backstage Interview #3...a conclusion to a swell interview...
25- "Dear Friends"...an obscure Queen song written by Brian May (whom I met in JFK airport in 2003, BTW, totally nice gracious guy), from Queen's 1974 debut album...sung and played completely by bassist Rick Savage...shows how talented and overlooked he is in the Def Leppard canon...the guy's a great singer in his own right and a talented multi-instrumentalist as well...who knew???
26- "Heartbeat"...an obscure 1974 song by [...] UK glamster JOBRIATH BOONE, who was always referred to as a poor man's David Bowie. Apparently, Morrissey was a huge Joby fan, that he reissued an album (or a compilation, I'm not sure) called "Jobraith" on his reactivated Attack label through Sanctuary. The guy died of AIDS in 1993 in NYC, depressed and broke...maybe he will get his due, I'm not sure, but Joe was apparently a fan...enough that he covered "Heartbeat", playing fairground organ and backed by Dave Browne on piano and Ronan McHugh on cellos...this cover is quite moving, maybe moreso that Joby died of AIDS...

Anyhoo, overall, possibly the best covers album ever recorded...now that Def Leppard got this long-gestating album out of their system...they've been wanting to do a covers album or their take on Bowie's "Pin-Ups"...since they got a record deal back in 1979, or at least Joe did...now, they can do a kickbutt album of new Lep originals...I heard the next album will be sort-of like "Back In Black"...

I think the band is revitalized...just like the Smithereens are after doing their recent cover album of the Beatles debut, "Meet The Smithereens"...that's what covers albums actually do when done right...they refresh the band and remind them of why they became a band in the first place...that's what happened with Def Leppard and "Yeah!!", but what makes this covers album better than most is that it's not just a footnote curio...it's a fun, rocking record that will be listened to many times in the future, as it stands up against the rest of Def Leppard's catalogue...

It will also remind people of what rock & roll is all about, period.

'Nuff said, I'm done.

Def Leppard always was sort of a glam rock band. Lyrics and videos for "Armageddon It", "RockIt", "Photograph", and other hit tunes were full of glam references. So, it's no big surprise that they've done a cover-album full of 1970s glam and hard rock.

The resulting album is a great rock & roll record -- Def Leppard's best album since Hysteria. Most cover albums get bogged down in reverence or ambition: artists either give listeners interpretations that are straight copies or ridiculous reinterpretations as they try to make a favorite song their own. Here, Def Leppard alternate between fairly faithful renditions of familiar classics like T. Rex's "20th Century Boy," Badfinger's "No Matter What," or Rod Stewart's "Stay With Me", and some rocked out re-makes like David Essex's "Rock On," which is a more straighforwared power-rock song than the original, and Electric Light Orchestra's psychedelic "10538 Overture," is re-done to sound like a Def-Leppard power-metal original song. The reworking of THE KINKS' "Waterloo Sunset," will probably anger KINKS purists, but then so did VAN HALEN's version of "You Really Got Me".

With Yeah!, Def Leppard is reconnecting with the reason why they're a band at all, playing the rock-songs that inspired them in the first place. They sound like they've been reinvigorated by this material. After hearing these songs, it's easier to appreciate what made Def Leppard themselves such a big-name rock band. They had deep roots in good original material.

The only place they fall short is when they try to top some real rock heavyweights. Compare their versions of FREE's "A Little Bit of Love" or THIN LIZZY's "Don't Believe a Word" to the originals. These guys are not as big-and-bluesy as FREE, but the huge riff that drives the song is clearly part of what became Def Leppard's signature sound. THIN LIZZY's "Don't Believe a Word" works much better, and like the original, it's built on twin guitar harmonies. But THIN LIZZY's own version on 'Live And Dangerous' still remains the song's definitive recorded version.

But the slip on the mega heavy tunes is quickly forgotten on songs like "No matter What" (BadFinger) and "Street Life" (Roxy Music), both of which actually sound better than the originals here.

The raw take on the Faces' "Stay with Me" is far tighter than the original (how could it not be?), but it's just as raunchy and captivating. It's sung by guitarist Phil Collen, whose vocal qualities are a lot like a young, energetic Rocking Rod Stewart. Stewart himself could probably not equal Def Leppard's performance of the song today.

They didn't lose their identity -- still sound like Def Leppard here; the cavernous drums, huge guitars, and driving harmonies -- but they no longer sound slick and calculated (like they did on post-Hysteria albums). Here they sound alive and intense, making the case that they are their own best producers. If they can carry this sound and feel onto an album of originals, they have one truly great record in the making.

YEAH!. Is a killer record in its own right, and more fun than anything else yet released in 2006. Very few bands could make an artistic comeback with a covers album. But this CD reminds everyone that there are very few bands like Def Leppard.

OVERALL RATING: 9/10 (4.5 stars)

When I had heard that the follow up to the greatest hits package was a covers album, I wasn't all that enthused. But until they put out a disc of absolute [...] (they came dangerously close with Adrenalize), I'll always be one of the first to buy Lep's new material. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. Here's my review in a nutshell: BEST ALBUM SINCE "HYSTERIA".
Here's why it works. For the last 15 years or so, DL have tried so hard to follow some type of contrived formula to prove that they can be the next Aerosmith in terms of longevity and popularity. "Adrenalize" (Hysteria Lite), "Slang" (We can change with the times!), "Euphoria" (We want to be an Eighties band again), and "X" (Look how mature we've become. Kinda) all were out to PROVE something. To thier credit, there was a lot of quality music on these offerings. But it just seemed like the FUN and ENERGY were being replaced by FORMULA and DESPERATION. "Yeah" leaves all that behind, and should be a template for all future Def Leppard material. Stop trying so damn hard to create the NEXT BIG DEF LEPPARD HIT, and just play what you like and have fun doing it. The enthusiasm is contagious.
Anyway enough of that rant, I've been waiting a long time for them to come around! High points of the album: "Rock on" gives me chills everytime it kicks in at the end. "Hangin' on the Telephone" is great, fun and fast (remember when Lep did songs at a pace other than mid-tempo?) My wife could listen to "Waterloo Sunset" on a loop all day long, very classy. "10538 Overture" has a nice texture to it. I like the groove on "He's gonna step on you". And "Don't believe a word" is just a great song, particuraly Viv's solo. This is the type of ROCK SONG they should be doing more of: short, fast-paced songs with a 'tude, and maybe less of the plodding, "serious", 5 minute epics that, while great songs, are kind of a drag on the fun factor (White Lightning, Pearl of Euphoria, Paper Sun, etc...). There's really not a song on this album that I would skip over, stellar effort with a lot of highlights. Joe's voice is the best it's been in years, the guitar play is incredible, and I'm hearing things in the drum bits that I didn't think a one-armed drummer could pull off. Maybe it's electronically manipulated, but it sounds great.
Sorry I've run on for so long, go buy the album!

"Hey Kid, Rock and Roll, Rock On!" As a child of the 1970's, I can certainly appreciate and would recommend Def Leppard's new release, "Yeah!," which is a covers CD featuring music largely from 70's artists such as Badfinger, T-Rex and The Sweet. To simply call this a "covers album," in my personal opinion, is selling the Leps a bit short. Any artist can record a remake of someone else's song, but the band has gone a quite a bit above and beyond that point with "Yeah!." They've managed to put the Def Leppard sound and "touch" on each and every track on the CD while still preserving the basic integrity of each song, and that's not an easy thing to do. That is what makes "Yeah" a fun, energetic and brilliant listen. Though this CD isn't an original studio album (and those fans complaining that this is just another rehash CD, relax, I am sure Def Leppard will have an offering of new material in the pipeline!) older fans will be able to appreciate the musical flashback to their youth while younger fans perhaps not old enough to recall the original 70's versions of these songs will most definitely still be able to get into the music because of the fresh, new way in which the band delivers the material. I most definitely like the fact that Def Leppard did not take the easy way out with this CD by just simply doing "the hits" everyone knows. Yes, there are some popular radio hits like David Essex's "Rock On" and Badfinger's "No Matter What," but there are also more lesser known tracks (to radio audiences perhaps) such as the Kink's "Waterloo Sunset" and Mott the Hoople's "The Golden Age of Rock and Roll." Regardless of song popularity, all of the tracks are wonderfully executed, with Joe Elliott's voice sounding cooler than ever and the rest of the band sounding very tight; specifically the twin guitar efforts of Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen who manage to put all the famous riffs we remember with these tracks in the right places. (A listen to the start of the opening track, "20th Century Boy," demonstrates that very well!) As I listened to this CD and have watched the band perform some of these songs on recent television appearances I really get the impression that Def Leppard had a lot of fun with this project. If they were trying to convey a message about why they did a covers CD in the first place, it seems to be that they're saying, "This is why we do what we do." They certainly do it well and let's hope they continue to do what they do for a long time to come!

I must ashamedly admit that most of these songs are completely new to me. I was never much of a glam fan, although I'd heard some songs of the era, mostly Bowie and the occasioanal T.Rex tune.
First off, the band makes these songs sound new, "20th Century Boy" in particular. I wouldn't have guessed that they were remakes. It just sounded to me like DL had written a new album.

Second, the band really must love the songs and/or bands that they'd covered, The energy is at a very high level.

And not all of this is glam. There's some ELO, Blondie, Faces, and others.

Sure I'd heard "Rock On", "No Matter What", and "Don't Believe a Word many times over the last 30 odd years, but here they SOUND new. The It's actually the ones that I HADN'T heard that are most interesting. My favorite has to be their version of The Kinks, "Waterloo Sunset". Just a great melody over a typically heavy Def Leppard rhythm section.

Lastly, this makes me want to go back to the source and check out some of these artists that I'd missed (or more likely unjustly ignored) all those years ago.

This disc make me realize, once again, that these guys, like most musicians, are music FANS first and foremost. And for them to create something this good only drives that point further home.
A good buy and damned near a must have.