While singer Joe Elliot has been Down’n’Out of late, backing the likes of Mott The Hoople, Def Lep fans have been deprived of a live platter from their heroes. Over 30 years after they began their hard rockin’ journey, we get a two-disc set with 21 vintage cuts and three new ones. Kings Of The World is a weighty homage to another of Elliot’s heroes, Queen, while It’s All About Believing is cut from traditional DL cloth.
It’s pretty hard to argue with a tracklisting taking in the likes of opener Rock! Rock!, blowing the cobwebs away from the off; the catchy Rocket, with its superb guitar interplay between Collen and Campbell, and the radio rock classic Animal, immaculately delivered with pristine sound. And that’s just the first three songs.
Others from landmark albums such as Hysteria and Pyromania flank sparkling latterday cuts, but US audiences privy to these recent recordings may hanker after an archive set too; Elliot’s vocals at the top end were resoundingly powerful back in the day. Still, from bright ballads the likes of Love Bites to a thumping Bad Actress, there’s no denying Leppard get rocked.
