The new AC/DC album ‘Rock Or Bust’, clocking in at just under 35 minutes, is the band’s shortest album ever.
‘Rock Or Bust’ is the follow-up the 2008’s ‘Black Ice’, the longest AC/DC album and replaces ‘Flick of the Switch’ from 1983 as the shortest record.
The shortest track on ‘Rock Or Bust’ is ‘Rock The House’ clocking in at just 2:42. The longest track on ‘Rock Or Bust’ is ‘Emission Control’ at 3:41. This makes ‘Rock Or Bust’ AC/DC’s most radio friendly album ever.
While the distinctive sound of AC/DC is evident from the first note of the title track, the band is lacking energy on this record. You can feel Malcolm Young’s absence and get a sense that this record was way too rushed, put out as a statement of the band’s future more so that an addition to its legacy of the past.
‘Rock The Blues Away’ and ‘Got Some Rock and Roll Thunder’ sound like tame FM radio fodder. The title track is the closest the band comes to its former glory. ‘Rock Or Bust’ lacks that AC/DC venom.
The album still has a few reminders of the past. ‘Dogs Of War’, ‘Hard Times’ and ‘Baptism of Fire’ comes close to the former glory, especially with that signature Phil Rudd drum sound, but overall ‘Rock Or Bust’ falls well short of prior AC/DC musical heights.
The album was rushed and sounds it. As the first AC/DC album without Malcolm Young and with new guitarist Stevie Young there is an obvious reason that the bands sounds off mark. Scallywag Phil Rudd’s behaviour also didn’t do the band any favours when they tried to focus in the studio.
Mind you, an ordinary AC/DC is better than no AC/DC album at all. ‘Rock Or Bust’ is far from their finest moment but give me bad AC/DC over good Pink any day.
AC/DC albums from shortest to longest
Rock Or Bust (2014) 34:55
Flick Of The Switch (1983) 37:02
Powerage (1978) 39:43
High Voltage (1975) 39:51
For Those About To Rock (1981) 40:10
Let There Be Rock (1977) 40:19
Fly On The Wall (1985) 40:30
Highway To Hell (1979) 41:42
TNT (1975) 41:55
Back In Black (1980) 42:11
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976) 42:24
Blow Up Your Video (1988) 42:48
The Razor’s Edge (1990) 46:32
Ballbreaker (1995) 49:47
Stiff Upper Lip (2000) 46:57
Black Ice (2008) 55:38
