472 - Def Leppard - Hysteria

Def Leppard had already set the groundwork for "pop-metal" with Pyromania a few years before, but Hysteria further polished the sound. Mutt Lange removed every sharp edge from metal. Def Leppard recorded pop music in a metal wrapper, just as Mutt would later transform Shania Twain into a pop performer in a country wrapper. I am serious when I say that Def Leppard could perform "Pour Some Sugar on Me" back to back against a cover of the 70's hit by the Archies' "Sugar, Sugar," and no one would bat their eye. Can't you imagine the searing guitars and layered vocals going:

Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you. Yow!

I can.

There is no rebellion. Despite some potentially edgy titles ("Armageddon It," "Gods of War," "Don't Shoot Shotgun," and "Run Riot"), the album is nearly all about love, parties, and having fun ("Gods of War" is the exception, as it is an antiwar song although I found myself cheering the Reagan snip at the end). There are built in call and response in a couple of songs (especially "Armageddon It") to add fun to the live performances. There are a couple of power-ballads for the women and some songs like "Animal" that are kinda-ballady that work as great segues from the rocking songs to the ballads. Yup, Mutt even smoothed out the transitions from song to song. The guy is certainly talented.

If I didn't immediately think about sitting and discussing this album and Def Leppard (R.I.P. Kathy O'Malley) in one of the JROTC portables during the beginning of my freshman year at Grissom, I may not enjoy this album as much. But the pop hooks and nostalgia certainly made my listening to this album over the past day fun. I went well over my 2 listens...maybe closer to 12 listens.

As a final little note, I kept chuckling when reaching the end of "Gods of War" and hearing Reagan's speech after the US bombed Libya considering the recent news from that neck of the planet this past week - "Today, we have done what we have to do. He counted on America to be passive. He counted wrong."

Songs I knew I liked: I had this on cassette, so I knew all of the songs already and still enjoy "Pour Some Sugar on Me," "Hysteria," and "Love and Affection."

Songs I didn't know but now like: See above.

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: If you remove some of the questionably chauvinist lyrics from "Women," I wouldn't mind it so much. But "One part love/ one part wild/ One part lady, one part child/ I give you...Women!" sticks out enough thanks to the crystal-clear production of the vocals that I nearly blackout from my eyes rolling.