AC/DC – The Razor’s Edge

The late 80s were a particularly strange time for AC/DC. The band had always sold well since their beginnings, but their latest releases during that time, Fly on the Wall and Blow Up Your Videos, despite being two commercial successes, didn’t have the impact that the likes of For Those About To Rock… or Back in Black had, and it seemed that the band was slowly descending into obscurity, but things were about to change.

Enter producer Bruce Fairbairn.

Despite not being much known nowadays, Bruce Fairbairn was a very important in the 80s Hard Rock scene. He wasn’t only one of the main figures behind Bon Jovi’s massive success during that decade, but he was also instrumental to revitalize Aerosmith’s career with Permanent Vacation in 1987, so we’re talking about someone who understood the genre, what was trending at the time and how to make an experienced band relevant once again–this was AC/DC’s twelfth album until that point and with Fairbairn’s guidance they started what could be considered their third period of commercial success.

When it came to the making of the album, the Young brothers took absolute control of the music and the lyrics due to Brian Johnson being unavailable to do the latter because of the legal procedures of his divorce–this would be the band’s way of making music until these days. Fairbairn’s aim was to make an album that had a rocking sound, but maintaining a high-quality production and with that accessible appeal to the masses; his view was that AC/DC had fallen into a routine musically speaking, so he focused the band to sound like a 90s version of AC/DC, which was the case, of course.

Did it work? Let’s hear it.

If there’s one song that shines above the rest, that is certainly the opener and hit single, Thunderstruck. One of AC/DC’s most famous and successful songs, this is a powerful slam of Hard Rock, showcasing from the get-go the crystal clear production and the fact that the band was coming back with a vengeance. The intro of the song is legendary at this point and Johnson shrieks like there’s no tomorrow. A classic AC/DC track and one that opens the album in the best possible way.

Fire Your Guns is faster than what the band has got us used to and it’s a very effective one at that: the riffing is just sensational and the song flows with such a natural demeanor that makes you have such a good time. On the other hand, Moneytalks is a song that reminds me of 70s AC/DC with a much more modern production; it’s a fun little track that might not be the best of the bunch, but will stick in your heard after just one listen.

The title track is definitely the hidden gem of this album and one of the band’s most underrated songs in their catalog. For those that say that AC/DC always makes the same songs, this title track is a heavy, dark and threatening track that is both enticing and exhilarating, which makes for a very memorable experience–it’s always great to hear them trying something a bit different and this is a pretty good example of that.

Since the days of Back in Black, the band developed a certain sound and structure for their songs that they stuck to during the 80s and Mistress for Christmas is a template of that particular sound: classic 80s AC/DC at the height of their newfound powers. Rock Your Heart Out has a pretty interesting introduction, with bassist Cliff Williams in the limelight and a very solid vocal performance from Johnson–I have to say that is one of my favorite tracks in the album when you add the riffs. On the other hand, Are You Ready recovers the formula of Mistress for Christmas and it was one of the three hit singles that the band releases, together with Thunderstruck and Moneytalks.

The main problem with The Razor’s Edge comes in the second half, and that is why is often perceived as lesser when compared to some of the band’s strongest outputs. While the first half is a solid listen and it has many fun and outstanding tracks, the second half wanes pretty fast and it becomes a bit forgettable after a few times that you hear it. Songs like Got You by the Balls or If You Dare have a few interesting elements here and there, but they don’t have the same impact that the first half, while Goodbye & Good Riddance to Bad Luck is probably the weakest track of the whole album, followed very closely by the likes of Shot of Love or Let’s Make It, making The Razor’s Edge a more uneven listen than AC/DC finest works.

From a commercial point of view, Fairbairn achieved his goal: he made AC/DC a world-wide phenomenon once again and the album sold more than five million copies in the United States alone, becoming five times Platinum. The band would go on one of their most successful tours, which included headlining the Monsters of Rock Festival at Donington in 1991 (which would be released as a DVD later on) and the release of a live album produced by Fairbairn himself, just called Live.

The Razor’s Edge allowed AC/DC to introduce the 90s with a bang and they quickly recovered the territory that they had lost in the late 80s, showing that good Rock and Roll never dies.

Line up:

• Brian Johnson – Lead vocals.
• Malcolm Young – Rhythm guitar.
• Angus Young – Lead guitar.
• Cliff Williams – Bass guitar.
• Chris Slade – Drums.

Track list:

1. Thunderstruck – 4:52.
2. Fire Your Guns – 2:53.
3. Moneytalks – 3:46.
4. The Razor’s Edge – 4:22.
5. Mistress for Christmas – 3:59.
6. Rock Your Heart Out – 4:06.
7. Are You Ready – 4:10.
8. Got You by the Balls – 4:30.
9. Shot of Love – 3:56.
10. Let’s Make It – 3:32.
11. Goodbye & Good Riddance to Bad Luck – 3:14.
12. If You Dare – 3:18.