AC/DC - Backtracks (2CD+DVD)
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CD Details
Artist: AC/DCEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Box set
CD Release Date: 2009-11-10
Music Label: Sony Legacy
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Stick Around
- Love Song
- Fling Thing
- R.I.P. (Rock In Peace)
- Carry Me Home
- Crabsody In Blue
- Cold Hearted Man
- Snake Eye
- Borrowed Time
- Down On The Borderline
- Big Gun
- Cyberspace
- Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (live) (Sydney Festival, 30 Jan. 1977)
- Dog Eat Dog (live) (Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, 30 Apr. 1978)
- Live Wire (live) (Hammersmith Odeon, London, 2 Nov. 1979)
- Shot Down In Flames (live) (Hammersmith Odeon, London, 2 Nov. 1979)
- Back In Black (live) (Capital Center, Landover MD, 21 Dec. 1981)
- T.N.T. (live) (Capital Center, Landover MD, 20 Dec. 1981)
- Let There Be Rock (live) (Capital Center, Landover MD, 21 Dec. 1981)
- Guns For Hire (live) (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, 18 Nov. 1983)
- Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution (live) (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, 18 Nov. 1983)
- This House Is On Fire (live) (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, 18 Nov. 1983)
- You Shook Me All Night Long (live) (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, 18 Nov. 1983)
- Jailbreak (live) (Dallas TX, 12 Oct. 1985)
- Highway To Hell (live) (Tushino Airfield, Moscow, 28 Sept. 1991)
- For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) (live) (Tushino Airfield, Moscow, 28 Sept. 1991)
- Safe In New York City (live) (Phoenix AZ, 13 Sept. 2000)
Music reviews of Backtracks (2CD+DVD)
Music Review: In the words of Darth Vader: "The circle is now complete..." At last!!!
Rating: 4 Stars
Ok, alright, I admit it: I WAS going to use this review as an opportunity to moan and complain and whine but ultimately...ouuuff... (very long exhale and sigh...) I changed my mind...I decided that, other than relieving myself, such a review wouldn't end up being much more useful. And so, instead of writing the review immediately after getting this box, I waited a couple of months in order to chill, make most of my whining privately, and THEN write something a bit more objective. But before digging into the actual review, I still feel compelled to give you all a bit of the thoughts I have entertained in the back of my head for the past couple of months, so please bear with me.
As you probably know by now, there are 2 versions of "Backtracks": a 2 CD + 1 DVD "standard" one, available pretty much anyplace where CD's are still sold (fewer and fewer of those every day...), and a limited, super-duper, "there go the keys to Angus' car" Deluxe version that comes in a guitar amplifier-shaped box that ACTUALLY WORKS as amplifier!!! At 200 bucks, it's hardly a bargain! Needless to say, most people are sticking to the budget version.
On paper, this is a fantastic idea: after decades (literally!) of lurking in obscurity, releasing some of the rarest, most sought after AC/DC material is a dream come true for diehards. Indeed, for years AC/DC's catalog was consistently butchered, starting with the questionable decision of creating a "compilation" out of the band's first 2 Australian releases for international release, changing the running order and song lineup of albums, throwing together quick cash-ins ('74 Jailbreak), using shorter length edits of songs and so forth.
The 1997 "Bonfire" 5 disc box marked an opportunity to clear the decks of ALL Bon Scott-related goodies, but alas, that didn't happen. Then with the turn of the millennium AC/DC announced that they were switching labels to Columbia and taking their entire catalog with them. This move represented the shiniest chance to right all those wrongs, completely revamping the entire AC/DC catalog, restoring all the missing songs to their rightful place and maybe even issuing the first 2 Australian albums as they were intended. Once again, no such luck.
So in all honesty, being a huge AC/DC fan myself, I had mixed feelings when this release was announced: I wasn't too crazy about the prohibitive price tag for the deluxe edition, or the fact that it was going to have so much more material than the regular one (3 CD's, 2 DVD's, a 180 gram vinyl LP, among many other goodies) but still, my inner, rocking self got the best of me and I decided to order it anyway.
Unfortunately, there was still some more disappointment to come, when I double checked the song lineup of the "Rarities" CD and confirmed that, instead of 18 songs as on the deluxe version, the regular version would only have 12 songs, skipping the longer "Australian album versions" of several songs. I find this fact to be really hard to justify, considering that the omission has absolutely nothing to do with running time/song length issues (the Rarities CD is barely 46 minutes long). Oh well...
Enough nitpicking: all things considered, "Backtracks" still packs quite a punch, and it will be a great addition to any AC/DC fan's collection. Although some of the tracks here had been previously available as b-sides and/or international album releases, Disc 1 is obviously the biggest treat here, finally unearthing for the world at large 7 obscure tracks from the Bon Scott era and 5 from the Brian Johnson years. "Stick Around" and "Love Song", originally from the Australian "High Voltage" album, are the opening salvos (finally making available ALL of the tracks that appeared on their debut), and they show a contrast that is quite unique: the former is a nice, slow burning rocker that can probably remind you a bit of "Rn'R Damnation", while the latter is the ONLY "ballad" in AC/DC's entire career, and while it is not one of my favorites tunes here, it is not the terrible, throwaway track that some reviewers are making it out to be either; "Fling Thing" is a quick, mostly instrumental take on a traditional folk song that had previously surfaced as "Bonny" on 1992's "Live".
"R.I.P (Rock in Peace)" and "Carry me Home" are another pair of mid-tempo rockers that really cook, and the lyrics of the latter are prretty funny, although a bit ironic in retrospect, considering Bon's untimely demise due to alcohol abuse related causes; "Crabsody in Blue" is the slowest, blusiest of the bunch, and to be honest, not one if my favorites...I'm not quite sure why...it may have something to do with the fact the vocals follow the exact same melody of the guitar (or is it the other way around? and the same applies to "Love Song", come to think about it)... Anyway, it's not bad, but it doesn't really do it for me; "Cold Hearted Man" on the other hand, the final Bon Scott track, is another terrific song with great lyrics and performance from Bon, one of personal favorites of the pack along with "Carry me home".
The "Brian Johnson section" consists of 3 outtakes from the "Blow Up Your Video" sessions, a soundtrack tune and a "Stiff Upper Lip" leftover. The nasty "Big Gun", recorded with Rick Rubin for the soundtrack of the infamous 1993 non-blockbuster "Last Action Hero" flick is, in my humble opinion,another one of the highlights of this release: it features a slick, crystal clear production that's unlike anything else in AC/DC's catalog (before AND after), and the sonic contrast is immediately apparent to anyone familiar with the band, but still manages to rock your socks off big time! It's funny, `cos I really don't remember ever noticing that before, but I also have to admit that I hadn't really listened to the tune in ages...the thing that amazes me the most is that its sound isn't even close to that of "Ballbreaker", which was also produced by Rubin only a couple of years later.
The "Blow Up Your Video" tunes are really cool, and I can't help but wonder what criteria could they possibly have followed to leave them out and use songs like "Go Zone" and/or "Mean Streak" instead...don't get me wrong, those aren't bad songs either, but I firmly believe that, had these 3 tracks been used instead, "Blow Up Your Video" would've been a much stronger album and it would be held in much higher esteem on the AC/DC pantheon as a result. "Snake Eye" and "Borrowed Time" are great rockers, with powerful, driving riffs and great beats, while "Down on the Borderline" slows down the pace somewhat but still rocks along nicely; "Cyberspace", from the "Stiff Upper Lip", is a short and fast burst of energy that closes disc 1 on a high note. All in all, 5 stars for this one.
Disc 2 features "Live Rarities"...eeeh... not exactly my cup of tea...first, only 4 songs are from the Bon Scott years, and while they are great, I can't help but feeling that they could have/should have given us some more; second, many of these songs (8 out of 15) had already been released in a live format on "Live", so they could (should?) have included some other choices of songs not available in live format, such as "Hell ain't a bad place to be", "Ballbreaker", "Hard as a rock" and/or "Hail Caesar", all available on the pricier version of the box; third: (and I know I'm going to take a lot of heat over this one...) I personally am not a big fan of Brian's early 80's, "screeching" falsetto voice...I happen to believe that Brian didn't truly find his voice until the late 80's, and I'd take his performances on "Live" over these ones any day of the week (but again, that's just me...); and last but certainly not least, I'm not too crazy about the final mix of these tracks: don't get me wrong, they don't sound bad at all, but if you compare them (and I have...) with the tracks on "Live", these ones sound tiny and distant, whereas "Live" had a roaring, in your face quality that really made you feel like you were there. So in this case, I'd say "nice, but not great"...3 out 5 stars.
And finally, the DVD..."Family Jewels 3"...again, not exactly up my alley...I'm not a big fan of DVD's, music or otherwise (my "library" consists of the Star Wars DVD's and that's it...), so I wasn't particularly looking forward to this one, either...but hey, that's just me, and I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a total freak from another world, so don't rely on my opinion alone to judge this one! If you're a fan of the visual and you enjoyed the first 2 volumes, then this is a must for you: all of the band's videos from 1993 to 2009 are included here, not to mention alternate takes of some older material ("It's a Long Way to the Top if you Wanna Rn'R", "You Shook me All Night Long"...) and a couple of funny "behind the scenes/making of" documentaries. All in all, it makes for an entertaining viewing experience, which I'd rate with 4 out of 5 stars.
Oh, yeah, I always forget to mention: the booklet! It's pretty cool, with lots of funny, candid, outrageous and rocking pics of the boys throughout this 30+ year odyssey. In a world of constant change where it's easy to sometimes feel adrift, it's nice to know (and in this case, SEE!) that some things, (good things, that is) never change. The liner notes provide adequate information about the source of the material herein, except with disc 1, where the information about band lineup is missing. Oh well, no biggie.
The bottom line: all complaints aside, this is a great set, and a must for true AC/DC fans everywhere: 5 stars for disc 1, 3 stars for disc 2, and 4 stars for disc 3, for a average of 4 stars overall. Of course, if you really, really have money to burn, then I'd suggest you give the Deluxe edition a try. If you don't, but you really and truly enjoy AC/DC, you need to get this. Then, and only then, will your AC/DC collection be complete.
Description of Backtracks (2CD+DVD)
Throughout their 35 years of recording, AC/DC has had several tracks that have appeared in a myriad of places besides their official studio albums. From singles to soundtracks to promo samplers, their stray songs have been sought after by fans and highly collectible. Now, for the first time, Backtracks collects 12 of the band?s studio rarities and 15 live rarities and presents them in full remastered form to take their place along side the rest of the band?s canon (pun intended?). Includes the highly sought-after ?Cold Hearted Man,? ?Rock In Peace? and ?Borrowed Time?. Also features ?Big Gun? ? never before on any AC/DC album!
The third disc brings the million-selling Family Jewels franchise up to date, covering 1993?s ?Big Gun? through 2009?s ?Anything Goes?. Also included are rare alternate videos for 4 songs as well as the promo clips for the LIVE album AND the previously unreleased ?Guns For Hire.?
Track Listing
CD1 [STUDIO RARITIES]1. Stick Around: Released on Australian-only LP High Voltage
2. Love Song: Released on Australian-only LP High Voltage
3. Fling Thing: Released on Australian 7? single ?Jailbreak?
4. R.I.P. (Rock In Peace): Released on Australian-only LP Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
5. Carry Me Home: Released on Australian 7? single ?Dog Eat Dog?
6. Crabsody In Blue: Released on Australian LP Let There Be Rock
7. Cold Hearted Man: First released on Australian 7? single ?Rock ?N? Roll Damnation?
8. Snake Eye: Released on Australian 12? single ?Heatseeker?
9. Borrowed Time: First released on Australian 12? single ?That?s The Way I Wanna Rock ?N? Roll?
10. Down On The Borderline: Released on Australian ?Moneytalks? 7?, 12? and CD single
11. Big Gun: First released on World-Wide CD soundtrack ?Last Action Hero?
12. Cyberspace: First released on Australian CD single ?Safe In New York City?
CD 2 [LIVE RARITIES]
1. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (live) (Sydney Festival, 30 Jan. 1977): Released on Australia-only promo compilation ?Long Live The Evolution?
2. Dog Eat Dog (live) (Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, 30 Apr. 1978): First released on Australian 7? single ?Whole Lotta Rosie?
3. Live Wire (live) (Hammersmith Odeon, London, 2 Nov. 1979): First released on UK 7? single ?Touch Too Much?
4. Shot Down In Flames (live) (Hammersmith Odeon, London, 2 Nov. 1979): First released on UK 7? single ?Touch Too Much?
5. Back In Black (live) (Capital Center, Landover MD, 21 Dec. 1981): First released on UK 12? single ?Let?s Get It Up?
6. T.N.T. (live) (Capital Center, Landover MD, 20 Dec. 1981): First released on UK 12? single ?Let?s Get It Up?
7. Let There Be Rock (live) (Capital Center, Landover MD, 21 Dec. 1981): First released on UK 12? single ?For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)?
8. Guns For Hire (live) (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, 18 Nov. 1983): First released on UK 7? and 12? maxi single ?Who Made Who?
9. Rock And Roll Ain?t Noise Pollution (live) (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, 18 Nov. 1983): First released on UK 12? single ?Nervous Shakedown?
10. This House Is On Fire (live) (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, 18 Nov. 1983): First released on UK 12? single ?Nervous Shakedown?
11. You Shook Me All Night Long (live) (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit MI, 18 Nov. 1983): First released on UK 12? single ?You Shook Me All Night Long?
12. Jailbreak (live) (Dallas TX, 12 Oct. 1985): Released on UK and European 12? single ?Shake Your Foundations?
13. Highway To Hell (live) (Tushino Airfield, Moscow, 28 Sept. 1991): Released on French mini CD ?5 Titres Inedits En Concert?
14. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) (live) (Tushino Airfield, Moscow, 28 Sept. 1991): First released on European CD single ?Big Gun?
15. Safe In New York City (live) (Phoenix AZ, 13 Sept. 2000): First released on US Promo CD single ?Safe In New York City?
DVD ?Family Jewels Disc Three? VIDEOS
Big Gun
Hard As A Rock
Hail Caesar
Cover You In Oil
Stiff Upper Lip
Satellite Blues
Safe In New York City
Rock N Roll Train
Anything Goes
BONUS VIDEOS
Jailbreak
It?s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ?N? Roll)
Highway To Hell
You Shook Me All Night Long
Guns For Hire
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (live)
Highway To Hell (live)
BONUS FEATURES
The Making Of Hard As A Rock
The Making Of Rock N Roll Train
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