By 1978, AC/DC had managed to gain quite a bit of notoriety and reputation in the world of rock n' roll. With a few solid (and to this day classic) releases under their belts, they were definitely progressing musically in many ways from where they had started only five years prior. Their music was getting louder, longer, a bit more complex, and overall more creative both musically and lyrically. This definitely showed in their fifth studio album Powerage. This was also their first album with long time bassist Cliff Williams.
Powerage in a ways is sort of a transitional record of sorts between the raw, untamed, and wild early days of AC/DC and the refined, hard rocking, commercially successful band that we all came to know and love from Highway to Hell, Back in Black, and onwards. This is sort of the culmination of what the band had managed to accomplish, learn, and grow into without all that much influence from the outside. It still has that rough, raw, edge to it, but it's more focused.
"Gone Shootin'" in my opinion is one of AC/DC's absolute coolest tracks. It's not the hardest rocking (though there is still plenty of that), but they really manage to use dynamics, nuance, and twangy blues riffs to build something that has an irresistible groove to it. The verses lay back a bit and focus more on grooving rather than going balls to the wall, but the pre-choruses are where things manage to get intense and then lay back off. It's a damn cool tune.
"Riff Raff" on the other hand is one of the best fast tempo hard rocking songs that AC/DC ever wrote and put to tape. Usually "Whole Lotta Rosie" earns that title for most people, but I would argue that "Riff Raff" could give it a run for its money. The riff is infectious, the groove is just pedal to the metal, and it just makes you want to bang your head. Plus, you can tell the band is absolutely on fire and having a blast.
While I definitely don't think Powerage is AC/DC's best album by any stretch of the imagination, I do feel that it earns its place on the shelf with the rest of the beloved classic material. The noteworthy tracks on it are definitely memorable and hold up with age. If you are an AC/DC fan or just a rock n' roller in general, I guarantee you will find at least a couple tracks on here that you will like and keep in your regular rotation.
Powerage, by AC/DC receives 3.25 out of 5 stars.
Track List:
1. Rock n' Roll Damnation
2. Gimme a Bullet
3. Down Payment Blues
4. Gone Shootin'
5. Riff Raff
6. Sin CIty
7. Up to My Neck in You
8. What's Next to the Moon
9. Cold Hearted Man
10. Kicked in the Teeth
Buy the album on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Powerage-AC-DC/dp/B00O75S240/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1533875207&sr=8-1&keywords=Powerage
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