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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BACK IN WHITE!, May 11, 2005
A classic, powerful cover that is white hot.
I can't tell you how much i adore this album, it never leaves my stereo! it's been that way for a long time. My FLICK OF THE SWITCH cassette tape literaly melted into the tape deck from being overplayed.I own the whole AC/DC catalog and this is king of the mountain. When listeing, one can not help to recall the classic Bon Scott days, this is best described as BACK IN BLACK and POWERAGE thrown in a blender. One can not help but resist the high energy of RISING POWER or simpley keeping oneself from bursting out in flames over THIS HOUSE IS ON FIRE. Or what about the raw guitar assault of GUNS FOR HIRE? or the Elvis like boogie of BRAINSHAKE?
Anyone getting sick of BACK IN BLACK being played for the 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000th time? go throw on the switch and find out about this overlooked classic.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Raw & stripped down version of AC/DC, July 10, 2006
THE BAND: Angus Young (guitar), Malcolm Young (guitar), Cliff Williams (bass), Brian Johnson (vocals), Phil Rudd (drums & percussion).
THE DISC: (1983) 10 songs clocking in at approximately 37 minutes. This digitally remastered digi-pak released in 2003. Included with the disc is a 14-page booklet containing a short history of the band and what they were going through at the time of this release, many band pictures, song credits (no lyrics), and thank you's. All songs written by Johnson/Young/Young. Recorded at Compass Point Studios, Bahamas. Self-produced by AC/DC (their 1st). Originally released by Atlantic Records, this 2003 version is on the Sony/Epic label.
COMMENTS: I'm a die-hard AC/DC fan from the mid 70's. I own all their studio and live albums. The band has been rock solid for decades... sticking to their guns and doing what they know best - straight ahead hard rock. But I have to be real when I rate "Flick" when comparing it to other AC/DC staples. In essence, it's hard for me to believe that "Flick Of The Switch" is two and three albums (respectively) removed from the classics "Back In Black" (1980) and "Highway To Hell" (1979)... not to mention "For Those About To Rock" (1981). "Flick" has such a different feel to it. "Flick Of The Switch" contains some good tunes - the title track being the best probably, along with the opener "Rising Power"... but none of the 10 songs from this release made it to any of their compilations or were featured on AC/DC's double live album from 1992 (remastered version released in 2003). 8 of the 10 songs are in the 3 minute range. As you'll read in the booklet, the band was tired of touring and the big stage productions (from the last 2 huge albums), and they wanted to relax a bit and tone things down - go back to the 'basics' per say. That's why this album has a stripped down and a plainly raw feel to it (as plain as the black and white pen and ink album cover itself). The songs simply chug along - close to being listless, borderline dull... looking for ideas perhaps... some songs utterly forgettable. Mutt Lange where are you? Only "Brain Shake" and "Landslide" have a quick in-your-face pace. This was long time drummer Phil Rudd's last album (leaving for personal reasons). "Flick Of The Switch" is a decent rock album though far from 'classic' status. In the catalog of AC/DC albums, it's easily down toward the bottom of the list (3.5 stars).
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The "Switch" is On., July 11, 2003
By 1983, AC/DC were on top of the world. At that time, they sold over 20 million albums and have risen above tragedy following the death of their prior lead singer, Bon Scott. On "Flick of the Switch," AC/DC produces the album themselves, ditching Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who worked on the band's prior three records. While it doesn't match up to those efforts, it still makes for a helluva fun ride. My favorite track is, no doubt, "Guns for Hire." It's a sample of classic AC/DC: loud guitars, a catchy chorus, a hook strong enough to sink the Titanic, and Brian Johnson's nails-on-a-chalkboard shriek. "Bedlam in Belgium," "Brain Shake," and the pulsating title track are also fun numbers that show guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young at the top of their game. Compared to, say, "Back in Black," this album doesn't have the polish of Lange's production and was rightfully billed as a "back-to-basics" release. "Flick of the Switch" is part of the final batch of reissues Sony has done for the AC/DC collection. There aren't any bonus tracks, but the sound has been remastered and includes a booklet of photos and notes (Strangely, there are no lyrics. What's up with that?). "Flick of the Switch" may lack surprises and new tricks, but it's still an overall consistent CD. Even after 20 years, the "switch" is still on.
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