AC/DC
Fly On The Wall

After the mega successes of "Back In Black" and "For Those About To Rock", AC/DC started releasing albums that, unfortunately, made many fans raise an eyebrow. I am, of course, talking about "Flick Of The Switch" and "Fly On The Wall". I know very well that, compared to previous works, they seem repetitive and not very engaging, but I quite like them. If I had to choose which is the worse of the two, I'd say "Flick Of The Switch", because apart from tracks like the title track, "Rising Power" and "This House Is On Fire", it is unoriginal and bland. In fact, most of the songs are quite similar and have nothing innovative or exhilarating.

On the other hand, "Fly On The Wall", released in 1985, I find much closer to the sound of "For Those About To Rock". The tracks are more energetic and the riffs more elaborate and heavier. We find four interesting hits, such as the powerful title track, the famous "Shake Your Foundations", "Danger" and "Sink The Pink", although I also find "Stand Up" very beautiful. The less good tracks are "Come Hell Or High Water", which has a sound similar to "Flick Of The Switch", and perhaps "Back In Business", even though I like it. This was the first AC/DC album I bought, mostly because I often watched the videos on Rock TV of "Danger" and "Shake Your Foundations", and at first, I liked it a lot. Then I also listened to "Powerage", "Back In Black", "Blow Up Your Video", "Highway To Hell" and "Let There Be Rock", and my passion for this band continued to grow. The albums I just mentioned I find decidedly superior to "Fly..", both in terms of fame and beauty, but I always have something beautiful that stayed in my mind about this album. Unfortunately, "Fly On The Wall" is an underrated and underappreciated CD, much like Lemmy's "Rock'N'Roll", without realizing it contains tracks that are the band's showpieces. One of the flaws may be the somewhat understated bass and Brian's voice with the echo, which was not liked compared to the blues-rock of dear Bon Scott. Anyway, let's start talking about the tracks now.

The opener is the title track which begins with a hard riff by Angus and a wicked voice from Brian, making the track even more aggressive. The chorus is very engaging, the pace is not very fast but quite hard, like "What Do You Do For Money Honey" from "Back In Black". A nice start!! The second track is the famous "Shake Your Foundations" equipped with the beautiful riff by the Young brothers and the fine performance by Brian, who once again demonstrates his angry vocal skills. The refrain is sensational, and the solos by that genius Angus are wild and performed in perfect AC/DC style. One of the most representative pieces of the album. "First Blood" keeps the album at high levels, especially because of the guitar riffs and Brian's voice, which often takes on the echo effect. This track is also pure rage, rock'n'roll, and power, with influences from bands like Motley Crue and W.A.S.P. It continues with "Danger", which initially features slower rhythms until it bursts into the sudden guitar attack, with a groove like "Shake Your Foundations". The song has many style changes, especially Brian's voice, which alternates between a blues voice and the aggressive one of the refrain. "Sink The Pink" is another hit, with an intro like "For Those About To Rock" and an engaging and "catchy" rhythm section. It's worth highlighting the fine performance of the whole band, which shows they have overcome the crisis moment of "Flick Of The Switch".

"Playing With The Girls" is a real punch in the teeth from Brian's initial scream to the last note... the most powerful track of the lot, with an aggressive voice and mighty and wild riffs and solos. I dare to define it as the first heavy metal track by AC/DC!! "Stand Up" is a true masterpiece, endowed with a melody and a noteworthy Young brothers' work. Once the refrain gets into your head, it doesn't come out, and the singer's rapport with the guitarists is perfect. Beautiful!! The eighth song, "Come Hell Or High Water", can either be liked or disliked depending on tastes. Initially, I liked it, but now I would define it as the least interesting track of the entire work. The riff and rhythm section, which reminds me a bit of the Led Zeppelin of "In The Evening", are not bad, but the refrain lowers the song's interest... perhaps too raw and predictable. "Back In Business" is not bad, even though it is on the same level as the previous one, with a nice riff and good intra-band work. Perhaps it is more engaging than "Come Hell Or High Water". The last song, "Send For The Man", closes this good work with pure power and energy. The song bears a strong resemblance to the title track, both for Johnson's vocal style and the aggressiveness in the refrain. This is also a nice AC/DC piece that ends the album in an optimal and surprising way. As you may have understood, the tension drops towards the end of the album, with the eighth and ninth track, but overall it is a very good album to rediscover and listen to more carefully.

After "Fly On The Wall", the band recorded works of the caliber of "Who Made Who", "Blow Up Your Video", and "The Razor's Edge", before falling into the mundane with "Ballbreaker" and "Stiff Upper Lip". I recommend you listen to and try to appreciate this album because, even if it won't be a "Back In Black", it is an interesting CD from one of the best hard rock bands in the world.

SHAKE YOUR FOUNDATIONS!!!