Def Leppard
Songs Fromthe Sparkle Lounge UMe

by John Kindred
Staff Writer

Comments: Having moved past the band’s “swan song” era during the 80s, Def Leppard continues to attempt to revive their acclaimed song writing style that, at one time, had the ears of a mass audience of listeners. The one problem in retaining old glory is the fact that producer John “Mutt” Lange hasn’t been a part of the band’s equation for years. Still steady album sales of their classic albums such as High and Dry, Pyromania and Hysteria have propelled them to remain a viable asset for their label, keeping them with a major distribution deal. Adding the band’s ability to continue to sellout stadiums, and you can understand the label’s commitment to continue on with the band.

Following up last year’s release of Yeah!, which strictly was a cover album, the band re-enters the fray with their latest studio effort Songs from the Sparkle Lounge. This is the band’s first set of original songs to be released since ‘02s X studio release and their 14th studio album to date. The band now comprises Joe Elliott (vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick Savage (bass) and Rick Allen (drums) and tries to recapture old glory, while experimenting with new and different ideas.

Songs from the Sparkle Lounge derived its name during the band’s ’06 tour where at each concert stop a special area known as “The Sparkle Lounge” was setup with minimal equipment where Def Leppard would gather and work on new material. Flashing forward to ’08, the final product contains 11 songs including, “Nine Lives” which features country star Tim McGraw sharing vocal duties with Joe Elliott.

Def Leppard truly sounds like Def Leppard. Most notably, they continue to sound like the Hysteria days when “Mutt” Lange helped define their musical style. The AC/DC edge the band sported early in their career has faded as the band sports a polished melodic sound. Even the metallic edge that Vivian Campbell brings from his days as a shredder is only apparent on songs in which his solos are allowed to be extreme.

The band has matured which in relative terms, is a sure fire way of saying “the band has gotten older.” And in most cases, this doesn’t necessarily define a group as becoming better songwriters or musicians. As a unit, Def Leppard are all quality musicians, but the songwriting recalls the Hysteria-era (and has done so for a long time) and it is sometimes hard to see any real musical differences within the band. A case in point is that Phil Collen’s guitar work is easily recognizable whereas Campbell’s identity in the band is hard to distinguish. Joe Elliott sounds, well like Joe Elliott, which instantly keys anyone into what band they are listening to.

The first single off of Songs from the Sparkle Lounge is “Nine Lives” and is basically a Leppard style signature song. If not for watching the music video, you would never know when McGraw was singing because his voice sounds so close to Elliott’s and is probably mixed to blend in with him as well. The song has a repetitive riff that has a bit of a country twinge. Other than that, it’s all Leppard. “C’mon C’mon” starts off with a CCR-style riff that is instantly drenched in the bands trademark harmony vocals.

On the song “Love” the band gets experimental as the songs starts off like any ballad with the vocals sung over a guitar accompaniment and is built up with harmony vocals. The next step is for the drums and a lead guitar melody to punch in. And for the grand finale the band falls into an almost Queen-esque vocal harmony and spirited lead guitar solo before quietly ending the song. “Hallucinate” has that distinguishable guitar sound missing since the High and Dry and Pyromania days, although the polish on the vocals and overall production still maintain the Hysteria- era sound. “Only the Good Die Young” has a memorable chorus. “Gotta Let Go” is another song that really pulls from the past and would be a perfect fit on High and Dry or Pyromania.

Objectively, with a career that spans 30-plus years, Songs from the Sparkle Lounge isn’t an album that will redefine the band. But it does have more merit as a complete album when stacked up against more recent releases. If the band truly wants to reignite the old flame then a reunion with “Mutt” Lange should be a point of contention. As a fan, if you didn’t have the past to look upon, then this would be an excellent debut album. But the band’s legacy born in the 80s is quite daunting when it comes to replicating the original vibe and sound. Face it, the band always faced the odds with a spirit of a fighter, but the music isn’t as inspiring as on their earlier releases.

Band Lineup:
Joe Elliot (vocals)
Phil Collen (guitar)
Vivian Campbell (guitar)
Rick Savage (bass)
Rick Allen (drums)

Track Listing:
1 Go
2 Nine Lives - (with Tim McGraw)
3 C'Mon C'Mon
4 Love
5 Tomorrow
6 Cruise Control
7 Hallucinate
8 Only The Good Die Young
9 Bad Actress
10 Come Undone
11 Gotta Let It Go

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10