AC/DC – Let There Be Rock

AC/DC
LET THERE BE ROCK
Released on March 21, 1977 (Albert)
Chart Position #154

Track List:
01. Go Down
02. Dog Eat Dog
03. Let There Be Rock
04. Bad Boy Boogie
05. Problem Child
06. Overdose
07. Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be
08. Whole Lotta Rosie
Australian Release – replacing Problem Child:
06. Crabsody In Blue

Band Members:
Bon Scott – vocals
Angus Young – lead guitar
Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar
Mark Evans – bass
Phil Rudd – drums

Production:
Produced by Harry Vanda and George Young.

Review:
If you were asked to sum up AC/DC‘s 1977 album Let There Be Rock in one word it would be… ‘sleaze’. As AC/DC‘s second American release, Let There Be Rock had to leave some serious impressions — and that it did!

The first thing you hear when you listen to the album itself is not AC/DC‘s trademark sonic assault, instead you will be greeted by the late, great Bon Scott counting down during the rapid fire intro of “Go Down”. What you will hear next is pretty much the template, or formula if you will, of AC/DC‘s future successes, which is; Firstly the rhythm section containing the conventional and powerful drumming of Phil Rudd complimented by Mark Evans (and soon after Cliff Williams). Secondly, the guitars — after all, what is there to be said about Angus Young that hasn’t already been said, and with his brother Malcolm (one of the most underrated guitar players in the history of rock ‘n’ roll) the duo create a force to be reckoned with. Thirdly, Bon Scott — who, as a painfully great singer and rock’s greatest frontman, completed the powerhouse that was AC/DC.

I will leave it up to you to figure out the meaning of the lyrics in “Go Down”. As with the majority of the band’s catalogue, “Dog Eat Dog” is insanely catchy yet still rocks, as does the majestic title track “Let There Be Rock”, with its crunchy intro riff and Bon Scott‘s high-pitched voice telling the story of rock ‘n’ roll. Evans‘ rumbling bass and Rudd‘s simple drumming keep the beat while Angus and Malcolm do their thing… which is rock, resulting in “Let There Be Rock” being AC/DC at their finest.

Bon Scott‘s life story can be heard in the next two songs, “Bad Boy Boogie” and “Problem Child”, followed by the frontman singing almost soulfully during “Overdose”. “Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be” could have been on 1979’s Highway To Hell album, not just because of its title, but because the opening riff shares an uncanny resemblance to the latter’s title track. The final song “Whole Lotta Rosie” sums up the entire album, and it sums up AC/DC themselves with its sleazy, fist-pumping rock ‘n’ roll — no wonder it made fans sing Angus Young‘s first name in unison. Let There Be Rock is a must buy for any rock fan.

www.acdc.com – www.myspace.com/ozzyosbourne

Reviewed by Dan for Sleaze Roxx, August 2010

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