Def Leppard - Songs From The Sparkle Lounge

Eyesore wrote:

metalinmyveins wrote:

I love it as Joe Elliott continues to alienate a fan base that helped Def Leppard rise to their pedestal of pop stardom.

How so? That fan base shunned them the second they got a hit song. Most jumped ship after High N Dry. When Pyromania came out, few remained. The Hysteria era is where they acquired their true fanbase, the people that made the first three albums sell millions, and the people that remains fans today. I can't imagine Joe Elliot is alienating people that wrote them off the second they scored a hit—25 years ago! In fact, I think he's probably justified in telling those people to piss off.

And I'll say it again, On Through The Night, while definitely heavier all around, had all the sounds that supposedly make Def Leppard a "pop" band. If that album had been recorded note for note, but with the Hysteria approach, no one would call that album—or the band—heavy metal.

Your theory that Def Leppared acquired their true fanbase during "Hysteria" holds no water. That album sold more than 12 million records, "Adrenalize" sold more than 3 million albums, "Retroactive" 1 million, "Slang", "Euphoria" and "X" only went gold. What a fanbase they had if they lost 11.5 million fans regarding album sales for the last three they've put out. If those statistics were Nielsen ratings, the show would've been cancelled years ago!

As far as "On Through the Night" goes, all one has to do is listen to the riffs on that album. You can't honestly tell me that you hear those same type of riffs on an album like "Slang" or "X"?

You have to take into account the music climate at the time. Of course album sales went down; every band's album sales went down. Plus, you really go up from 12 million. That's a lot of albums!

Either way, I don't deny that the riffs on On Through The Night are different. I simply hear a band that was very much the same band they are today, just a bit younger and more rough around the edges.

Eyesore wrote:

You have to take into account the music climate at the time. Of course album sales went down; every band's album sales went down. Plus, you really go up from 12 million. That's a lot of albums!

Either way, I don't deny that the riffs on On Through The Night are different. I simply hear a band that was very much the same band they are today, just a bit younger and more rough around the edges.

I agree with you that you could attribute some of Def Leppard's album sale declines to that of the music climate changing, but they lost 75% of their fans in the U.S by 1992 with "Adrenalize"? The only point I'm trying to make here is that you can't possibly lose 75% on album sales from what is your supposed "True fanbase".

Those numbers would actually represent the opposite, and that being that the "Hysteria" album was that type of record that people were jumping on the wagon with. It was far more accessible. Heck my 43 year old mother at the time liked "Love Bites". She was the same person that couldn't stand it when I played my "Pyromania" album four years earlier. I have to wholeheartedly disagree with you on when Def Leppard's true fanbase supposedly manifested itself.

I happen to be one of those individuals who likes to go to the library, and pick up some C.D's here and there. Most libraries aren't going to cater to metal fans, but there are those that have better selections than others. Many libraries don't seem to get stuff in that has recently just come out.

I just so happened to stumble upon "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge", so I thought that I might take another listen. I have a job where I travel, and this happened to be a trip of decent distance. I ended up listening to the album 5 times while on my drive. Though my position hasn't changed drastically on this album, I will give it a slight upgrade.

Track 1 "Go" - I already knew that I liked this track quite a bit, so it still stands out as my clear cut favorite.

Track 2 "Nine Lives" - Of course when I initially heard this song was a collaboration with Tim McGraw, I immediately wrote it off. The first time I heard it I didn't like it, but it sounds a little better with each listen.

Track 3 "C'mon C'mon" - When a song is usually written solo by Sav, I don't like it, and this time it's no exception. I just don't like songs that try to be so damn catchy. The lyrics are ridiculously silly, and the riff has way too much of a top 40 feel to it.

Track 4 "Love" - Ditto on this one. Sav wrote it, and I just don't like it. Definitely my least fav on the album.

Track 5 "Tomorrow" - I thought it was Bono "woo hooing" into the microphone at the beginning of this one. It just doesn't do anything for me, and frankly it sounds like the same thing Def Leppard has been at for years. The riff is wimpy and it sounds more like a dance tune.

Track 6 "Cruise Control" - It's different, but I think I'm beginning to enjoy this one". It certainly isn't anything like the opening track, but it's not bad. At least the lyrics are a step up". I like the main riff on this song. Good job Vivian....

Track 7 "Hallucinate" - This isn't a bad song either. The album definitely tends to get better as one makes their way through the tracks. It's got a catchy riff and chorus.

Track 8 "Only the Good Die Young" - Another song penned by Vivian, and it's not bad. That said, it's no "Dio" era written song by a longshot, but I will take what I can get from Def Leppard these days. Expectations haven't been high with me regarding them in what seems like forever, so beggars can't be choosers.

Track 9 "Bad Actress" - I'm not sure the fascination with this one, since everywhere I read regarding write ups on the album, people were stating that harkened back to their old days. If they mean "Adrenalize" or after, then I agree. The song just doesn't do anything for me.

Track 10 "Come Undone" - This is one of the songs that I'm riding the proverbial fence on. I probably would say it's average at best.

Track 11 "Gotta Let it Go" - This would definitely be my 2nd favorite song on the album. Vivian seemed to do a pretty good job with this songs he was responsible for writing. I liked all three songs that he was responsible for.

Tracks I liked in order:

1, 11...., 6, 7, 8,..............2, 10, 5, 3, 9, & 4. (Tracks 1 & 11 stand out)

Like I stated earlier I still won't put a dime in Joe and the groups pockets, and it's not because of the music, but because of Mr. Ellitotts ambivalence towards the bands roots, and who helped put them at where they are today. That being said, I think this album is much better than either "X" or "Slang", but a bit under that of "Euphoria".

My favs in order album wise

1. Pyromania
2. High 'N Dry
3. On Through the Night
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4. Hysteria
5. Adrenalize
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6. Euphoria
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7 Songs From the Sparkle Lounge
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8 Slang & X (Can't make up my mind on what is worse). I don't know if want to listen to either one of them ever again...not that I have them.

This new album took a sever nosedive with me...I got rid of it already. I liked it at first, but it was so shallow that it didn't stick.

I found my copy in a dumpster behind Sizzler. Dead serious.

metalinmyveins wrote:

Track 9 "Bad Actress" - I'm not sure the fascination with this one, since everywhere I read regarding write ups on the album, people were stating that harkened back to their old days. If they mean "Adrenalize" or after, then I agree. The song just doesn't do anything for me.

I don't get the praise for this song either. I've seen many rock/metal message boards and site's hailing this as the best song on the album stating that it rocks to the most and sounds like the "old" Def Leppard. It's total filler to me.

Schbopo wrote:

I found my copy in a dumpster behind Sizzler. Dead serious.

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site's hailing this as the best song on the album stating that it rocks to the most and sounds like the "old" Def Leppard

Because in an album full of shallow fluff, it sadly was the closest to old DL and rocked more than the rest of the album...

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

This new album took a sever nosedive with me...I got rid of it already. I liked it at first, but it was so shallow that it didn't stick.

Wow! I thought you were a Def Leppard die hard. I still haven't heard the new DL.

ultmetal wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

This new album took a sever nosedive with me...I got rid of it already. I liked it at first, but it was so shallow that it didn't stick.

Wow! I thought you were a Def Leppard die hard. I still haven't heard the new DL.

I was...I was also a Journey die-hard until thier new, boring album.

Perry-era Journey is still in my Top 4 bands of all time...and I sold every DL CD I had except Pyromania and Hysteria...

Now that Def Leppard have written songs entitled "Gotta Let It Go" and "Go for this album (which are two of the better songs on the album), I wonder if there's any chance they will open up with:

"Gotta Let it go"...followed by "Let it Go", and then play "Go"???

Maybe for the next album they can come up with the song "Gotta Let it Go Man/Dude".

metalinmyveins wrote:

Maybe for the next album they can come up with the song "Gotta Let it Go Man/Dude".

...featuring Guy Mann-Dude on guitar.

One day I was just watching VH1 Classic and when "Nine Lives" (the video) was over I thought to myself, "That really is a dumb song if you think about it...", then the rest of the record was ruined because, sadly, "Nine Lives" is actually kind of cool amidst the rest of the songs on there...if the best thing you can say about one of the coolest songs is that it's shallow and dumb, there's really no point in listening to it...

I still get a kick out of people longing for them to do to On Through the Night II or something like that and claiming they've sold out/sucked ever since their debut.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Because in an album full of shallow fluff, it sadly was the closest to old DL and rocked more than the rest of the album...

I'll agree that it's heavier than most of the album, but it's not necessarily good to my ears. "Go" is also fairly heavy for them these days as well and if anything, "Nine Lives" is the most like their Mutt Lange sound. To me, the Mutt sound is their "old" sound. Heavy metal was just a passing fad for this band.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

if the best thing you can say about one of the coolest songs is that it's shallow and dumb, there's really no point in listening to it...

Rock & roll is at its best when it is shallow and dumb.

Misfit - I didn't say "Bad Actress" was good either...I just said that compared to the rest of the album, it was closest to older DL...that just means it maybe sucked a little less...LOL!

In all honesty, it's just a weak album...for my money, X has better songs and comes off more sincere than Sparkle...Slang is the best post-Hysteria album they did (IMO) and will most likely be the last really great album they put out.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

In all honesty, it's just a weak album...for my money, X has better songs and comes off more sincere than Sparkle...Slang is the best post-Hysteria album they did (IMO) and will most likely be the last really great album they put out.

I *really* need to dig out X again. I loved "Now", but didn't care for the rest, but I've looked up reviews for it lately and it got decent reviews. I could've sworn everyone panned it. Everybody's got me thinking I must've missed something the first time around!

I've heard Slang, and it didn't impress me. But I've never sat down with it and really given it a thorough listen either. I don't even own it, perhaps I should.

What did you think of Euphoria? I liked it a lot when it first came out and when I listened to it again about 2 years ago (and then again a few months back) I was blown away by how good it was.

It doesn't totally suck, but it's nothing special.

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What did you think of Euphoria? I liked it a lot when it first came out and when I listened to it again about 2 years ago (and then again a few months back) I was blown away by how good it was.

I think it's a good album...a couple of clunkers though (IMO)..."Back In Your Face", "All Night" and "21st Century Sha La La Girl" are all lame as hell when compared to the rest of the album...take off those 3 songs and you have a very good 10-song album...

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Quote :

What did you think of Euphoria? I liked it a lot when it first came out and when I listened to it again about 2 years ago (and then again a few months back) I was blown away by how good it was.

I think it's a good album...a couple of clunkers though (IMO)..."Back In Your Face", "All Night" and "21st Century Sha La La Girl" are all lame as hell when compared to the rest of the album...take off those 3 songs and you have a very good 10-song album...

I might add a couple more songs to the list of what I did not like, but what was impressive about the album were how good the tracks were that stood out. I thought Paper Sun was an unbelievable song. I happened to hear that song one night in 1999 (right after the release of the album) when I was driving through the state of Kentucky (station out of Louisville I think?), and I couldn't believe this song came from the same Def Leppard that brought us "Slang", and a good bit of "Adrenalize".

I've always thought that when Def Leppard wrote songs that were dark in nature, they did a tremendous job. Way to many of their songs are about "Puppy dogs & ice cream"/or the equivalent of that, if you catch my drift. I think Def Leppard can deliver on that type of level (in regards to Paper Sun), they just choose not to.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

I think it's a good album...a couple of clunkers though (IMO)..."Back In Your Face", "All Night" and "21st Century Sha La La Girl" are all lame as hell when compared to the rest of the album...take off those 3 songs and you have a very good 10-song album...

Yeah, "21st..." would probably be the weakest link on that album for me. I LOVE "Promises" though. It's one of their best songs and is classic Def Leppard, IMO.

I'm baffled as to how anyone could like X over this album. X is a near complete turd, if you ask me. And it pains me to say that. It sounded like a second-rate Def Leppard cover band trying to pull off a legit Def Leppard sound. This new album, while nothing like their early stuff, at least sounds like Def Leppard. And I think the songs are far better than those on X. Still fairly shallow radio rock songs, for the most part, but far more catchy and memorable.

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but far more catchy and memorable.

Than X? That record was so damn sugary and catchy it made The Backstreet Boys cry...every song had a ridiculous hook (except for the lead single "Now"...that choice always puzzled me) and even if you weren't into it you could find yourself humming it...with a few production tweaks (softer guitars, etc) The Jonas Brothers or Hillary Duff would have sold millions...



All that makes it sound like I don't like the album, but I really do. I like (have a weakness for) pop hooks, in almost any form, and that album was dripping with them. It sounded like Def Leppard carrying the mega-pop direction they began with "Animal" and making a whole album like that..."Animal", to this day, remains one of THE poppiest songs the band has ever done.

Hey, I'm a big fan of "the DL hook," trust me. But for whatever reason, X just doesn't sit well with me. I don't shun the album; it's on my MP3 player, and it's ripped to my PC. But when a song comes on, I usually change it. Unless it's "Now" and "Scar." I like those two. I can't imagine I'll ever really pull the CD off the shelf, though.

Either way, I think it's just the songs that I don't like much. I think they're sub-par.