Friday, Aug. 5, 2005 | 8:14 a.m.
Almost universally, critics prefer Bon Scott's AC/DC to the Brian Johnson-fronted version of the Australian hard-rock band.
Generally speaking, I'm no different. AC/DC Mach 1 was rawer, bluesier, and cleverer than AC/DC Mach 2, no doubt.
Judged in total, AC/DC's 1970s albums with Scott -- "TNT," "Let There Be Rock," "Powerage" and "Highway to Hell" -- stand the test of time far better than Johnson's contributions from the '80s and beyond.
Yet when I'm in the mood for a visit from Angus, Malcolm and the rest of the gang from Down Under, I most often find myself reaching for a Johnson-era disc: 1981's "For Those About to Rock."
That could be because it was the first AC/DC record I ever heard, at the impressionable age of 9. The music sounded scary as hell to me then, but the title track still served as my kiddie soccer team's bus-ride anthem.
Or maybe I'm partial to "For Those About to Rock" because it became my high school "ski tape," the cassette I always listened to as I flew down the slopes of northern Arizona and Colorado, usually headed for disaster below.
Sentimentality aside, the album still sounds pretty good today. Sure, it's a little silly, what with all the references to evil, the devil and death.
But sometimes, we all need a dose of controlled mayhem, don't we? And "For Those About to Rock" delivers plenty of that, from the cannon shots of the classic title cut to the delirious pop-metal of "Let's Get it Up" and "C.O.D."
Johnson's vocals aren't as creepy as Scott's, but AC/DC's second singer can be sinister in his own right, as demonstrated on such ghoulish tunes as "Evil Walks" and "Night of the Long Knives."
Clocking in at just over 41 minutes, the 10-song disc feels a tad short. And a couple of the tracks aren't particularly memorable, even though none qualify as true clunkers.
Still, there's a lot to enjoy -- and tear your throat up to if you feel like singing along -- including standout closer "Spellbound," long a favorite among diehard AC/DC fans.
So the next time you're ready to dig out "Highway to Hell" for the umpteenth time, put it back on the shelf and try "For Those About to Rock" instead. You just might gain some respect for AC/DC's oft-slighted second era in the process.
Artist: AC/DC.
Title: "For Those About to Rock."
Year of release: 1981 (Remastered 2003, Epic Records).
Tracklisting: "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)," "Put the Finger on You," "Let's Get it Up," "Inject the Venom," "Snowballed," "Evil Walks," "C.O.D.," "Breaking the Rules," "Night of the Long Knives," "Spellbound."
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