AC/DC - Black Ice

While Black Ice is a legitimately rockin' AC/DC album, I always feel like it gets a little bit more credit than it deserves just because of AC/DC's longevity and status as elder statesmen of rock (kind of like Bridges to Babylon for the Rolling Stones, the only differences being that AC/DC is actually a good band and Black Ice is actually a good album. Yeah, I don't like the stones).

I honestly believe that "Rock 'n Roll Train," the album's opener and lead single, came about for two reasons: 1) they all decided Ozzy's "Crazy Train" was a good song and 2) They needed another song they could build an elaborate stage prop for. They already had the giant cannon for "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" and the giant bell for "Hells Bells" and they wanted a reason to have their stage crew build another monstrosity. Nothing will convince me otherwise.

Anyway, although Black Ice isn't nearly as good as the other AC/DC album with the word "black" in the title (you know the one I mean) it's still a solid effort. AC/DC sounds like a band that has been doing what they do for a really long time so it's best to just step aside and let them do it. I get the feeling that they can put out albums like this for another couple decades if they feel like it, and heaven help us they just might.