Songs From The Sparkle Lounge Reviews

• It finally happened again. An actual rock album from Def Leppard

  
  By A2CB0DNKYCIQE8 on 2008-04-30
  After X, I began to accept that we would never hear Lep rock quite like they did in the Pyomania Days. Sure, X had a couple rocking tracks like Cry and Scar, but mostly the songs were poppy and some that I don't care for at all that could've been written by Matchbox 20. Even Euphoria, which rocked fairly hard, tried to be too much like Hysteria.
  
  I think Sparkle Lounge (despite the fairly lame album title) is the album that Def Leppard fans like me have been waiting for. It rocks. The last time I've heard so many rocking Lep tracks in one album was in Retro-Active, and half of those were covers. This just may be their hardest rocking outing since Pyro. And the band is in top form. Joe sounds fantastic, as always. It's amazing that after all these years he hasn't lost his range. The guitar work from Phil and Vivian is great. There are some good, memorable riffs on nearly every track, which is something X was missing. The production value is great as well.
  
  I was hooked from Go. It is one of the best Def Lep tracks I've ever heard. I can't quite compare it to any other song of theirs, though I've tried. If I had to choose, I'd say it sounds a bit like something on Retroactive, like Desert Song combined with Ring of Fire. But it's fast, has a nice dark tone to it and it's heavy! I've never heard a song like Go from the band before and I love it.
  
  The Single Nine Lives is good too, even being co-written by Tim Mcgraw. Luckily it's not a country song. It rocks and reminds me a bit of Armageddon It, though of course not as classic. Other tracks here are good too. C'mon C'mon has a nice pop-rock feel to it. Love is the only ballad on the album and it's a very different Lep ballad, with acoustic guitar parts that sound like Battle for Evermore from Zeppelin and some Queen-style choruses. And Bad Actress must be what's drawing the AC/DC comparison, and it's also a different track for them. There are a few songs that I don't care for as much as others (Hallucinate is okay, but sounds like a Euphoria leftover) but there's nothing here that's throw-away and the album is listenable through and through. And one of the best things is that for the most part, everything here is different from what we've heard before, though the album still remains Def Leppard.
  
  For those who've complained that this band hasn't rocked in a long time, this may be the album you've been looking for.
  
  
  

• No lounge songs here, folks

  
  By A2SPI5WNZLOJ2U on 2008-04-29
  Probably not since 1996's "Slang" have I been so satisfied with a Def Leppard album of original material. "Euphoria" from 1999 contains excellent tunes but is slightly mired down with some total clunkers at the start, while 2002's "X," though bravely seeking to navigate into pure pop-rock waters in the vain of the then-popular boy bands, is a bit limpid when compared to the entire Leppard catalog. Enter "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge," an album that has real hit potential for a band that deserves more accolades to come its way in this day and age.
  
  With its splashy cover and a less curt title than most Def Leppard albums, "Sparkle Lounge" right away makes its presence felt -- and the in-yer-face music does not once disappoint. The first track, "Go," is a pure jolt of both retro and modern Def Lep energy and may have made a stronger lead-off single than "Nine Lives" with Tim McGraw, though that great song's crunchy guitar work, hand claps and various addictive choruses are ten times more real and fun than tunes such as the contrived "Let's Get Rocked" from "Adrenalize." Equally as elated-sounding is Rick Savage's glammy toe-tapper "C'mon, C'mon," apparently the band's next choice for a single, which could easily find a happy home in commercials, movies and arenas till the end of time. Savage also wrote the multi-dimensional "Love," which threw me for a bit of a loop. "Love" begins with a thunderous explosion but quickly subsides to beautiful flamenco-style guitar picking and Elliott's soft vocals, which at first come off as sappy. Luckily, though, "Love" actually turns out to be a creative piece that is somehow a concoction of Queen's extravagant vocals, The Beatles' easy melody and Leppard's militaristic guitar work wrapped into one.
  
  Interestingly, the Leps mostly chose to forgo a collaborative songwriting process in favor of bringing individual projects to the table. Collen's soaring "Tomorrow" features a Bono-esque "hoo-hoo" rally at the start and a message of living for today, but it's his other tune, "Hallucinate," which qualifies as one of my favorites on the CD. The opening riff of "Hallucinate" is chunkier and bolder than "Photograph's" from the early 1980s, but Elliott's amazing vocals and the chorus within the song are what make it so special. Elliott, meanwhile, flaunts his rugged vocals, rollicking songwriting skills and intrepid attitude on the rough-and-tumble "Bad Actress" and the majestic but rocking "Come Undone," which is another favorite of mine.
  
  Vivian Campbell, too, deserves credit for his songwriting work on "Cruise Control" and "Only the Good Die Young." The former song takes on the eerie point of view of a suicide bomber, while the latter is a sweet and deserving tribute to the legendary Steve Clark, whose dark but catchy riffs have managed to live on in Def Leppard's music. Uncannily, "Only the Good Die Young" is a cool mix of Beatles and old-school Leppard, which proves Campbell is an underrated weapon in the band, someone with a great voice and guitar-playing skills, and a guy who seems to bring a fresh approach.
  
  Joe Elliott's voice is less raspy than in years past -- probably all the screaming and cigarettes over the years have taken their toll -- but his iron vocals are still on cue enough to more than get the job done. The underrated Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell are brilliant on this CD, pulling off stunning, fluid guitar solos everywhere, and Rick Allen's drum fills are so liquid-smooth that the guy must be receiving technical help somewhere. Nonetheless, this new approach to percussion on a Leppard album only enhances what is rapidly becoming a Hall of Fame career. Highly recommended.
  
  

• def leppard awoke! they came back

  
  By A13Y18AOPU295X on 2008-04-29
  after listening to five of the new album "songs from the Sparkle Lounge",
  i would have to say for the first time in a long long time def leppard got back the heavy guitar riffs and harmony that made male and even female fans remember the glory days of old when High N Dry was hot and Pyromania was king. I dont know how or what woke the band up, but they sound heavy.It is like Steve Clark is there along with original band mate Pete Willis of course not in form but in spirit. The Song "Go" is awesome! "Gotta Let it Go" is another great tune as is "Come Undone"."Bad Actress" has some feel to Hysteria or Pyromania days. I also think Leppard used some AC/DC sound ..that was well know from their 70s days like "Powerage", or "Let there be Rock" or even "Highway to Hell"-just the riffs i am speaking about. "Nine Lives" is also a cool track. "Hallucinate" sounds smooth just the beginning has that AC/DC sound as well as "Tomorrow". You be the judge. Take it from me a old-time Leppard fan, I think the boys got a hit album.
  
  

• Songs From Mediocreville

  
  By A3PFHVS7V4UZTG on 2008-04-30
  Although Def Leppard was mainly labeled as a heavy metal band, they never considered themselves that kind of a band. Even though High 'n' Dry, Pyromania, Hysteria, Slang seemed to borderline on the metal and progressive edge, their more recent efforts have truly shown their true source of affection - pop rock. While 'X' definitely was a boy band, glam, pop rock fest and one wondered if it wasn't a bunch of eighteen year olds writing the material, I don't know what to say about this latest offering. The opening track, 'Go' is a rocker and 'Nine Lives' rocks out a bit with some unusual collaboration with Tim McGraw, but the rest of the album is a take it or leave it. For the die hard fans this would be a keeper as evidenced by their 5 star reviews and just happy to have some original material from the band, but at what cost. Does this really cover any new ground and does it really hearken back to the days of Hysteria as in some pre-release statements about the album? Probably not. The case would be far from it from my point of view only. While some like the individual aspects as far as song writing from all the members, that doesn't necessarily mean that a great album can come forth. Just because you're in a band doesn't mean that whatever you put forth onto the album is going to be good. Basically, I would consider this a good pop-rock album and nothing even resembling past days and that doesn't mean that I'm trying to compare which is sometimes difficult to do when Def Leppard has had some monumental albums. Here it is only a sampling of 3-4 minute songs and the band can't even get beyond that. While they said no ballads, what do they do? They throw the song 'Love' on it and you can argue against that it's not a ballad, but face it, for most people the tempo of the song is going to constitute it as a ballad. So, for me, this album, while filled with short, new material, it's too short and way too focused on the pop side of the industry and really lacking any sort of depth from the age that the band is now in, in their life. With these group of band mates they could have done so much more (at least get the album up to 50-60 minutes for the fans), but once again they have limited themselves and not thought outside of the box to make a truly dazzling album. For me, I will give credit when credit is due on any release, but this just isn't up too par for a five star review.
  
  

• Nothing to sink your teeth into!

  
  By A3HXVPWDL1X4LT on 2008-04-29
  I would rate this album as if I had never heard this band before. I can tell you there is no decade in rock that this album would ever find a label to produce it. The slow songs are lifeless and the faster songs are terrible as any generic 80's band you would ever want to hear. Def Leppard became popular for a reason, with High & Dry and Pryromania they put out some hard rockin albums with fantastic songs and incredible guitar playing. The songs were so catchy, you couldnt help but get into it (snap your fingers, tap your feet, or get up and dance). This album couldn't lift up anyone even if it used a crane. The songs are poorly written musically, the production is crappy. I don't understand why Def leppard keeps putting out albums?? They had their day with INCREDIBLE albums like High N Dry, Pyromania, and Hysteria! They had some good releases like Adrenalize, Retroactive, and even some surprises like Euphoria which had some great songs like Paper Sun and Promises. But no doubt about it, Songs From The Sparkle Lounge is their worst CD ever! Die hard fans posting great reviews on this website arent fooling anyone a bit. This stuff is highly forgettable!
  
  
• Wow, I didn't see this coming....
  By A2ANR43AEFTJHE on 2008-05-01
  I'm a longtime Lep fan, since the early '80s and High & Dry. I've never grown tired of their music, and one of their discs is always in the CD player. We all love some work more than others - I never got attached to "Slang", and thought some songs should have gotten more airplay than they did, such as "Promises" which is still a favorite, and "Everyday" off the X album which I liked much more than the rest of the world - but like many other people I figured their days of releasing relevant original-material studio albums were likely passed. I was ok with that, knowing they're still frequent-tourers, and I've now seen them 6 times (3 times in the last 2 years, in fact). So I wasn't expecting this album at all. Wow, what a fantastic and welcome surprise.
  
  "Sparkle Lounge" didn't grab me the first few times I played it through. Maybe it's just me, but it always takes some time to absorb what I'm hearing. The same may happen to you. On the 4th listen, I became absolutely positively hooked. First of all, the production quality is SUPERB. My first listen was on a pair of small computer speakers - what a waste. When I played it on a full system, it absolutely rocked. When I say production quality, I'm not talking about the songs, or the lyrics, I'm talking about the behind-the-scenes engineering of the recording. It's the cleanest, purest, and most sonically crisp recording since Green Day's "American Idiot", which is also a production masterpiece.
  
  And I never thought I'd hear Def Lep with so much diversity. I thought I'd dislike the slight country flavor of Nine Lives, but it actually works very well. I distinctly hear the Beatles and Gary Glitter in "C'mon C'mon", and the Beatles again in "Only the Good Die Young". And whether you like or dislike "Love", and the idea of ballads in general, I love the Queen influence in the song - it's got Bohemian Rhapsody all over it. And in "Gotta Let It Go", the chorus reminds me of Bon Jovi, and their hit "Have a Nice Day", with the huge power chords and pounding percussion. Again, whether you like or dislike Bon Jovi, that's not something I expected from Def Lep.
  
  The entire album is paced well, it's sequenced perfectly, and it's never boring. But you want to know what the real litmus test was? By the end of the 4th listen, I realized I was "dancing" around my place of work, playing air guitar and air drums, as I listened to the CD. Isn't that really what it's about, and what matters? I'm actually rocking out to a brand new Def Leppard album. Yes...it's 2008, and I'm rocking out to a Def Leppard album, and it's not called Hysteria or Pyromania!
  
  I'm sure they worked like dogs to make it as good as it is. As a fan, I'm proud of them, and they should be very proud of themselves. As if their catalog of great music wasn't already large enough, they just added another winner to their history. Congratulations to Def Leppard, I'll see you on tour again very soon.
  
  
• The Album We've Been Waiting For
  By A6J7UPYUI96XO on 2008-04-29
  In the days prior to the release of this album, I noticed that many of the early reviews said the album was just OK. But make no mistake about it, "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge" is much better than that. At first listen, with the jarring opening track "Go," which is a mix of the "Slang" sound and the "Hysteria" sound, it becomes apparent that the guitars are back in full swing. Other tracks keep the energy level at its highest in years while supplying classic Leppard hooks ("Bad Actress"), and a few tracks stand out as smashes in the waiting. "Only the Good Die Young" is the catchiest Def Leppard song since "Promises." There is only one true ballad on the disc, "Love," which doesn't catch on immediately, but this record is not about the ballads. It is about the fact that this band needed a guitar-driven, energetic release to follow up the band's excellent 2006 covers album "Yeah!" They have accomplished that here, and Joe Elliot's vocals are better than ever, showing no signs of age. This body of songs will add to the live shows; they now have some brand new legitimate hard rock songs to stand along side their past classic hits, and while each and every track is not "Photograph" material, there is much to love here, and it proves that Def Leppard is very much a vital rock band in today's market, and there are several tracks here which may give the band its first huge hit in quite some time.
  
  
• Listen LOUD!
  By A3AEXEV8VYB3OO on 2008-04-29
  There is something for everyone on Sparkle Lounge. It ROCKS and must be listened to at full volume to really enjoy it. I believe it is the complete 180 that they needed to do after their 2002 release (X). This collection of songs are not in the "heavy metal" vein of High N Dry ('81), but they still rock harder than any other record since Retro Active ('93). They have had good rocking songs on recent records such as "Paper Sun", "Kings Of Oblivion", "Scar" and "Torn To Shreds" but they were spread out between too many ballads or filler. I think they got it right on this one with only one true ballad, "Love", and that one is a very different sound than their recent ballads.
  The production on Sparkle Lounge is very stripped down and has a "live" feel, kinda like what they did for HnD, but the sound and structure of most of the songs could be described as Hysteria meets Slang ('96).
  I believe casual Def Leppard fans that have given up on them after Hysteria or Adrenalize ('92) should give this record a listen with an open mind. The hooks on Sparkle Lounge are everywhere and the songs are lyrically more mature and diverse than the "love" record, X.
  I agree that some of the songs should be longer or there should at least be a 12th track but at least they are back to rocking!
  
  
• Def fans unite! Become a part of the Sparkle Lounge Audience
  By A32NGQUQEBZR4X on 2008-04-30
  I wonder if the Beatles were around today......would the reviewers and fans still be clamouring for the "new Rubber Soul" at the release of Magical Mystery Tour. How about Led Zep fans wanting a return to Led Zep II. Thank goodness that some musicians take risks! Ok, sure I am giving examples that some would say "come on, comparing this album and Def Leppard to the Beatles and Led Zepplin". All I am saying is that this is a very good album. It has it's own merits. Def Leppard has a sound. How many bands in rock history have carved out there own sound? I guarantee you this; you still hear them on radio and video today because they are unique. All of that being said, please let me encourage all true Def Leppard fans to check this album out.
  
  Songs from the Sparkle Lounge is as strong as anything the band has done in a long while. Great songwriting, great production. Joe's voice is dead on! The backing vocals take very pleasant detours into structures that are thematically as difficult as anything they have ever committed to tape. I love the fact that all memebers show what strong songwriters they are. Way to go Lep giving Vivian Campbell some much deserved territory on the album. Great tribute to Steamin Steve Clark on Only the Good Die Young. There is not one weak cut on this album. Great follow up to YEAH! Def Leppard are not apologizing anymore for who they are. Many great bands have taken artistic detours/shortcuts/sellouts. I think Def Leppard is unapologetically hitting it's stride.
  
  Be careful....this is not Bon Jovi going country, or a recreation of Hysteria. Do what Def commands coming out of the gate on cut one...."just GO!" Support one of the finest rock and roll bands of all time. Look forward to seeing them for the first time in 15 years in Nashville. This effort shows me that they deserve members ot the Sparkle Lounge/Def Leppard Fans Unite to come out and support a very inspired effort.
  I expect we will hear more great new music in years to come.
  
  
• SPARKLE SHINES!
  By A7LAY8QWPQBZ8 on 2008-05-01
  Def Leppard's first new album of original material since 2002's X is well worth the wait. The band have taken the fun, loose vibe from YEAH!, mixed in a bit of the edge of SLANG, and tied it together with HYSTERIA-style songs. The result is one of the best Def Leppard albums in, well...ever.
  
  Let me say that I am a fan, not your run-of-the-mill, casual "Pour Some Sugar on Me" listener. I have found something on every album to enjoy. From SLANG and X, even. I am not a believer that the Leps defining works began with ON THROUGH THE NIGHT, and ended with PYROMANIA. Although there have been missteps (mostly where the band tried to sound flavor of the year) along the way, I firmly believe they are exactly where they need to be right now, in THE SPARKLE LOUNGE.
  
  I have always found them to be a great rock band, who are best at writing great pop songs. There are plenty of great DL classics on here. If you are expecting HIGH AND DRY, expect to be disappointed. The songs are quick, to the point, and are rockers. There is a maturity, too -- these guys realize their age and limitations finally. Joe Elliott sings in human vocal range, and has some fun! Guitarist Phil Collen's song "Tomorrow", about the loss of his dad is one of the best on the disc. As a matter of fact, every song gets a distinct personality, depending on the writer's influences. Vivian Campbell officially finds his footing with the band here, showcasing his own guitar style on many of the tracks. Rick Savage lays down some nasty (seriously!) bass, and contributes a moody Queen-esque opera, "Love". Rick Allen's awesomely fat-sounding drumming rounds out the wall of sound.
  
  Oh, just get on with it! I get bored writing these things, so stop reading my stupid review and buy this!
  
  
• Wow what a surprise album
  By A3HWPUNLW214RQ on 2008-05-04
  I have to admit not having high expectations for this album release. I've been a huge Def Leppard fan since Pyromania. Since Adrenalize they've had their moments here and there....some great. I heard this album was coming out. I heard Nine Lives and was pleasantly surprised. I listened to samples of every song 3 times. I decided to pick it up. It's the most solid release they've had since Adrenalize top to bottom. I'm glad to see it rocks by and large. The catchy guitar hooks are there as are the lyrics. If this were 1989 and it were the next release after Hysteria it would have 3-4 hits on it. The hits that should be are Nine Lives, C'mon C'mon, Hallucinate and Tomorrow. It's not Hysteria. But the sound of the songs probably closely resemble that sound. They seem to have found a creative spark in the studio. Def Leppard is back. My interest has definitely been renewed. If you are a Def Leppard fan you need to buy this album. For me it gets better with every listen. It's stayed in my CD player since I picked it up. That my friends is a sign of a very good if not great album.
  
  
• Don't Let The Album's Name Scare You Away
  By A36OWY2N0N0870 on 2008-05-10
  I never write reviews, but I felt compelled to pass on the news...
  
  Two listens and I was hooked! I haven't turned on the radio or listened to anything else since I bought this cd last week.
  
  They did it! A classic Def Leppard album. I don't even have to grade this on a curve like some of the recent releases from other groups past their salad days. This cd is for the fans who liked Hysteria and Adrenalize (and the slower songs on Pyromania like "Billy's Got A Gun"), and also for the fans of today's pop/rock who consider Def Leppard the theme song music of the 80's. They still have it and then some. The only negative thing about the album is the name of the album, its not the manliest cd name for rock gods.
  
  This is a modern sounding album... I was amazed by how quickly the songs stuck with me and I couldn't wait to get out of the office to hear them on the commute home. The songs are well done with great melody and backing vocals. They are all different from each other and are the best rock songs I have heard from any 80's group in a very long time. Maybe since the early 1990's when Bon Jovi was more rock than country.
  
  Don't believe any reference to Def Lep's Slang or Metallica's St. Anger if you hated those albums like I did. They are not trying to be TLC this time (or Korn in the case of Metallica), they're being themselves and its their best album since Adrenalize. It may be even better than that. Sure, they've had some great singles since Adrenalize (like: Long Long Way To Go, Waterloo Sunset, Promises, Paper Sun, Etc), but only a few songs per album truly stood out. This is the best complete album from start to finish - 8 or 9 of the songs could be singles.
  
  Too bad this album didn't come out back in the early 1990's when Viacomm MTV/VH-1 and pop radio still would have given them the airtime they deserve. Go ahead and listen to the samples here on Amazon or on i-Tunes...
  
  Here's a brief track by track analysis. "Go", "Nine Lives" and "C'Mon C'Mon" open up the album and all 3 rock. I admit I was skeptical when I heard Tom McGraw was on a song, but it really works and its the rockin' sing along song this summer needs. It's now (May 2008) on the page to vote for the top videos on VH-1.
  
  Song #4 "Love" starts out slow but at 1:45 it picks up a bit and by 3:00 it sounds like Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"... Song #5 "Tomorrow", #6 "Cruise Control" and #7 "Hallucinate" are all faster-paced catchy sing along rock songs. Every single one has a memorable chourus that will sound great in concert.
  
  I was thinking this was a Billy Joel remake but its not; song #8 "Only The Good Die Young" sounds like a cross between "Waterloo Sunset" and a Beatles song from "Sargent Pepper"... starts off slow and builds momentum.
  
  Song #9 "Bad Actress" is the fastest paced, hardest rocking song... Reminds me of "Run Riot" from Hysteria with thrashin' drums and guitar... Would go great on a future version of the Guitar Hero game.
  
  Usually by song #10, an album has lost its energy and edge, but this cd finishes strong. Song #10 "Come Undone" sounds like it could have been on Hysteria also. Song #11 "Gotta Let It Go" starts off at a medium pace sounding like Matchbox 20, BuckCherry or Nickelback, but the chorus is another fist pumping pick-me-up song.
  
  These guys deserve some airplay and strong album sales for this one. I was happy to see it at #5 on Billboard last week. True, the teenagers who buy most of the music today don't like to listen to music by artists who are their parents age, but they should check this out. Don't people like to crank up anything other than rap anymore? I honestly cannot see how people who buy millions of Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, etc cd's which are complete snoozers... I think people buy them as background music to chill to, but not pay attention to, like dental office lounge music. This album is the opposite; it's "foreground music"... Its hard to stop listening after a few times.
  
  If you want to sing along with a well-written, performed, produced and packaged modern sounding album in 2008, this is it. It's a great blend of classic Def Leppard with a some Queen/Beatles elements as well as today's "hard pop" and rock artists. My favorite albums of the past few years have been Three Days Grace's "One X" and Green Days "American Idiot" and this is the group at their best like those albums.
  
  Hopefully people will hear that its out somehow and give it a listen. It should appeal to men and women aged 16 to 46 who know anything about Def Leppard at all; the 50+ million of us who have bought their cd's. Even today's radio superstars like "Fall Out Boy", "Good Charlotte" and "Panic At The Disco" can't say that.
  
  Listen to the samples a few times, they don't lie, but buy the entire album since there's no filler on this one. You'll get your money's worth if you're a true classic or modern rock fan. Believe the reviews (most are good), stop reading and start buying!!! You won't be disappointed.
  
  
  
  
  
• A Fun Ride
  By A30738O85YJ2EL on 2008-04-30
  I haven't enjoyed a Def album more since Retroactive. Solid percussion coupled with the fun guitar riffs and the trademark harmonizing makes it a really exciting release. The songs "Go" and "C'mon, C'mon" are catchy enough to justify buying the album. Definitely release candidates. Lots of good stuff to be found throughout. Thanks guys!
  
  
• If you like Def Leppard, buy Songs from the Sparkle Lounge!
  By A1HD9GFICWP02B on 2008-04-30
  Songs from the Sparkle Lounge is filled with a whole lot of modern well written and performed Def Leppard songs. The production couldn't be better. I agree with a previous review that Songs from the Sparkle Lounge is a cross between Slang and Hysteria. It's better than Slang and as good as Hysteria. It's a deal for under $15.00 bucks! Songs from the Sparkle lounge will easily stand the test of time! Def Leppard should perform at least 4 or 5 of these songs live in concert!
  
  
• Thoroughly enjoyable album
  By AYQP8XMHTG2YR on 2008-05-01
  As my excitement built for another new Def Leppard cd, I listened to the mini-clips on amazon.com to preview the songs. Uh-oh, I thought. This doesn't sound so great. When the cd arrived, though, it was like night and day. The songs positively jumped out of the speakers.
  
  "Go" rocks HARD. "Nine Lives" gets better every time I hear it. "C'mon C'mon" opens with a riff reminiscent of "I want to Tell You" by the Beatles, and continues with a great glam beat, eventually melting away into the accoustic guitars of "Love," a beautifully sung ballad. And the good stuff just continues from there. (Especially "Bad Actress," which has some of the best Def Lep lyrics in years: "Can't sing, can't dance, can't fit in your pants / You're a bad actress.")
  
  Def Leppard has defied everyone's expectations for years, and they do it again here. If there's any disappointment, it's that it never reaches the level that Yeah! did. That cd just came out of nowhere and blew the roof off the place. This cd has more in common with Euphoria, because it sounds like the Leps playing with their classic sound in a modern arena. The difference is that they sound more comfortable here than they did on Euphoria, less self-conscious. I think the lessons of Yeah! were learned and applied here: play from a place of joy, and make the music that you love. The result is another great Def Leppard album. Long-time fans, you're gonna love it.
  
  
• Darn Near Brilliance
  By A3M69N8G7XWRUP on 2008-05-02
  This CD is absolutely amazing. I have seen all the comparisons, good and bad, and I say this is the best CD in decades.
  
  It's the most enjoyable listening experience by this band I have heard in years. Let me add, there hasn't been a CD they have done that I haven't loved, but this CD just set a new standard that I wasn't even aware they could reach.
  
  I have never been able to listen to a CD, by them or any other artist that I didn't have one clear cut favorite track. However, Def Leppard has finally done it. I can't decide what my single favorite track would be. Instead, it's a 5 way tie.
  
  Come Undone... is classic Leppard and absolutely amazing.
  
  Hallucinate... again, another outstanding track.
  
  Tomorrow... more classic Leppard that will be adored by any true fan.
  
  Only the Good Die Young...I realized this song was about Steve Clark the first time I heard it. It's a touching tribute, and another amazing track.
  
  Go...proof positive that this band still rocks!
  
  C'Mon C'Mon...Anthemic and more classic Leppard.
  
  You can't go wrong with this one. It's absolutely fantastic. There isn't a bad track on the CD, and well, well, well worth the money.
  
  If you are on the fence, hopefully this will help you make up your mind. Trust me, it's simply AWESOME!
  
  
• Their best work in 10 years!
  By A22LQ53ROE1MKJ on 2008-05-03
  Def Leppard is back in fine form with their new album, Songs From The Sparkle Lounge. I've been a Leppard fan since the Pyromania days and after far too many mid tempo songs recently, they've finally produced an upbeat ROCK record. I had hoped that their experience with the YEAH! covers album would influence the making of this album and I'm very happy to say that it did. At least I think it did. There's an energy to all of these songs that I haven't heard since Adrenalize and Euphoria.
  
  Go is a very strong, modern rock song that immediately set the hook in me. It doesn't sound like a Def Leppard song, and yet it does, if that makes any sense.
  
  Nine Lives is track #2 and the lead single. At first, I was skeptical of the pairing with Tim McGraw, with visions of Bon Jovi running through my head, but it works - it really works! It's catchy as hell and I like it!
  
  The next two tracks are the ones that really stand out for me, though. C'mon C'mon is probably the catchiest song I've heard from the Leps since the Hysteria days. I can't stop listening to it and I really hope it's the second single. This could be a huge hit!
  
  Love is the next track and, believe it or not, the only ballad on the album! I've read many reviews calling this a power ballad and I think that's a mistake. This a style of song that predates the power ballad. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it was Queen (except there's no way anybody could mistake Joe's voice for Freddie's). It's a song unlike anything Def Leppard have recorded before.
  
  Another thing I noticed - most Leppard songs are written by the majority of the group, with Joe and Phil getting most of the songwriting credit. Here, everybody gets a credit (except Rick) with Phil, Sav and Viv getting multiple credits.
  
  I'll end this review here, since others have done the song-by-song review already. Bottom line: this is the best Def Leppard Album since Hysteria. It's been on repeat on my iPod ever since I got it. Fantastic album, A+!
  
  
• Leppard's Best Since Hysteria...
  By A2IQW5W74W3U45 on 2008-05-14
  When I received Sparkle Lounge I decided I was going to "live with it" for a while before deciding what I thought. Well, I've been listening to it for a couple of weeks alongside their greatest hits package(Rock Of Ages) to see how it stacks up to material throughout their career and I think this is their best effort from start to finish since Hysteria.
  
  What I genuinely like about this album is the variety of songs on it. There are songs that remind me of OTTN and High & Dry(Hallucinate and Gotta Let It Go), one's that could easily have been on Pyromania or Hysteria(Nine Lives, Tomorrow and Bad Actress) and some that are better than some of those on Slang or X(Go, Love and Come Undone). They also give a salute to the music they grew up listening to - C'Mon C'Mon and Only The Good Die Young definitely have a 70's feel to them.
  
  Some people have always wanted Def Leppard to make another High & Dry, others would love to see "Hysteria 2" while others think Slang is the pinnacle of their recordings. Well, the reason people have those opinions is that Leppard had, and still HAS, the talent to make those albums and Songs From The Sparkle Lounge hits on everything that's great about the band. Fans of the band or anyone just looking for a good, fun rock and roll album should definitely pick this one up.
  
  
  
  
• Def Lep 2008
  By A1P0HJGQZH9FY on 2008-05-20
  I'll never understand why this one particular group sparks more debate, and splits opinions. Maybe it's their diverse career and catalog? Anyway, anyone looking for DL to sound like they did from 1981-83, remember they aren't that age (and everything else that comes with that) plus they are minus BOTH guitarists, and R. Allen plays minus an arm. Alot of people screamed when Hysteria came out, that they had gone pop etc...this started act #2 1987-1995. Nothing will ever sound or be Hysteria. Now if you used to like the band, have ever liked the band and can except all those facts I stated, go listen to the Sparkle Lounge for yourself and form your own opinion. If you cannot accept those facts and long that type of Def Leppard, don't waste your time, you will NOT like it, you do not have an open mind to this group anymore. If you never liked them and want to bas them, ok, go ahead, but what's the point? IMO
  
  Now, may take on Sparkle Lounge, is I like it, it's the only cd of theirs since probably Adrenalize that I do not skip a song. (I hardly ever listen to Adrenalize anymore but..) Is this album Hysteria? NO, Pyro? NO H&D? NO, etc etc. Is this their best album? NO (IMO) but it is the best in a long time in my opinion. X was well crafted but way too soft for my DL ears, I liked 1/2 the songs, a few were ok, rest? well.. Euphoria had a few stellar tracks that may top anything on Sparkle Lounge, but then again, there is now ALL NIGHT on Sparkle, no It's Only Love etc etc..Cmon Cmom Cmon is what Back In Your Face should have been etc..
  
  Some complain that this set sounds ruched or not as produced! It's supposed to NOT be the overproduced style they have become known for, that's the point! I could go on, but this cd finally has brought me a new DL album that I can lsiten to, LOUDLY, and not be completely embarrased by it. They definetly took a step back towards rock, and a step towards this century! Thanks for taking the time to read.
  
  D.A.
  
  
• Bold Record
  By A3SZ7EL0EGUMGQ on 2008-05-29
  Great record! So what, Mutt wasn't around, so the album sounds different. The song quality is excellent. The lyrics are great! I can listen to this whole cd with no problem at all. What I don't understand, is what these 1 star reviews are here for? Rock N' Roll is alive in 2008, and you guys arn't doing much to keep it alive. This record is great, it really is. It's a great record to listen to when driving, or doing work. Get the album. Put all your personal issues with Def Leppard aside, and realize that Rock N' Roll is Alive 2008!
  
  
• Mixed Reactions
  By A1NAQ0ZFE9ISXS on 2008-04-29
  Now for a slightly different take. I have such mixed reactions on this one. Normally I can't find a single song on a Lep CD that I hate. Sadly, I have one for sure on this CD and a few of the others I don't really care for. Now maybe they'll grown on me or maybe not. The songs that I do love: Hallucinate, Tomorrow, Come on, Come on, Nine Lives, Gotta let it go, and Go, are what I would expect from them. (I especially love Go) The other ones just don't do it for me and the song "love" really doesn't do it for me. I just don't care for that one. I guess the biggest disappointment has to be the length of the overall CD. The songs are your average 3-4 minute songs. I would really have liked to have seen a few more songs added to the disc to make it a bit longer. At least 2 more would have been nice.
  
  Overall it's not a bad disc, I still love the Leps and will be a faithful fan no matter what. Check it out before you buy and if nothing else, grab the songs that do it for you.
  
  
• Good 'ol Rock 'n Roll
  By A2HTGW160WV13D on 2008-04-29
  11 songs and all but one rock! This is the Def Leppard you grew up with. Some shining spots: "Tomorrow", "Go", and "Come Undone". "bad Actress" is the only song I don't like. It feels like they were forcing themselves to write a rock song.
  Buy the album and you will NOT be disappionted. Trust me.
  
  
• Through The Years
  By AX5YV63W5F2GV on 2008-05-01
  After years of local ridicule (nice ridicule - but still) my 15 yr daughter even admits "it's not that bad Mom". Hubby? Well, let's just say we're hoping to see George Jones this summer..Ahem..Seriously, I love the driving rock and minor chords of Go - Even my daughter recognized Nine Lives as having a country flavor (i have to give her credit - she's 15 and hates me most days, but she's also trained in the cello {SHSSH DON'T TELL} and she agrees it's pretty good..LOL. C'Mon is just a fun song - don't like ballads but enjoy the "Queen"like sound of Love. As for "Tommorow" - well, we've been through our own loss and really appreciate the upbeat look at survival. As for the rest of the CD - I just hope they get near WI this time - just to counteract George Jones......
  
  
  
• Def Leppard = The bomb
  By A3GAUZJJ2HB0LI on 2008-05-02
  Although I did'nt grow up in the 80's, I wish I had. Def Leppard, for me is one of those bands, with the exception of a few songs, that I can take their whole collecton of albums and just press play, and I'm going to hear solid music that has evolved from album to album, and this is just the next step in evolution for Def Leppard, with a mix of their classic roots. If your a Def fan buy it, and if not, well it sucks to be you, but buy it and you might be.
  
  
• This Isn't Hysteria
  By A32DAIXG32QOCP on 2008-05-03
  For all the fanboys and girls saying this sounds like Hysteria, well thats false. This is their best cd since Adrenalize or RetroActive. This is a very good cd, but it doesn't sound like Pyro or Hysteria! So stop saying that in your reviews! Its almost a different more refined sound for them. The quality of some of the tracks don't match their previous stuff, but its still solid. But Lep flexes their muscles to Y they are the best Rock band of all time! As a 40 year old Leppard, I love this cd and got it for my birthday! My favorite song might be or is to this point Tomorrow. Hallucinate is a top down radio booming song! I hope they tour this year, because I'll go!
  
  
• Def Leppard is Back!!!
  By A3DDJ1LH6P3KL0 on 2008-05-04
  I am a long time, loyal Def Leppard fan. While they can do no wrong in my eyes, I have stated in the past that I wasn't overwhelmed with some of the material previously written. BUT- OMG, they have totally outdone themselves on this one! Songs From The Sparkle Lounge is one of the best Def Lep albums ever! Over the past 27 years, Def Leppard music has been my drug of choice. I can't help but smile when I hear one of their songs. And since Tuesday, I have been doing quite a bit of smiling. The CD starts out real strong with "Go" and doesn't falter. As far as ballads go, I have to say I don't mind a Def Leppard ballad. Joe's voice turns me into a puddle when he sings them and "Love" is no exception. I love the Queen-like drama to this one. I also love the fact that each song showcases a specific band member's personal style and yet becomes Def Leppard as a whole. If you even like Def Leppard a little, you should not pass this up! Songs From The Sparkle Lounge
  
  
• Great return
  By A4AXRDJFGQYDL on 2008-05-08
  Def Leppard have just delivered their best album since Slang.
  
  Euphoria and X had a handful of throw away tracks. Some Best Of's and a covers album followed. All they needed was a Live album in the mix and their decline would have been complete.
  Yeah! was an album they needed. A change of direction, something fun. If it was crap who cared, it's covers. It wasn't crap so that was a bonus. It seems to have breathed new life into the band. Giving them a fresh start perhaps because Songs From The Sparkle Lounge shows a renewed energy lacking for many years.
  I'd gotten used to the three year album turn around (since 93) so we've missed a cycle with no new material studio album in 2005 (after 2002's X). Yeah! Shouldn't count. This is a welcome `return to form' - yes that term will be thrown around by many-a-reviewer.
  
  11 new songs here. 8 of them under (or around) the 3:30 mark. Only two over 4 minutes. That's a change. I like the album title. It too is a change. The title X was a cop-out, Euphoria was a tad ancient.
  
  Go - What a great opener. Frantic guitar work, nice anthem-like harmonies
  
  Nine Lives - Tim McGraw (country? gag) might have one of the hottest females in the world as his wife but can the guy rock? Yes, it seems he can. Wasn't sure about this one when I heard about it but it's a great song. Would it have been even better without TM - Yes, but certainly would have garnered the publicity. Smart.
  
  C'mon C'mon - might have a clichéd title and you know you're going to get a lot of c'mon's in the chorus but it's a great catchy song. Sounds a bit like Back In Your Face (from Euphoria) but much better. Leads into
  
  Love - which is a Rick Savage written ballad. Not as good as Goodbye (one of his from Euphoria) but a nice track. Good balance of softness and rock. Sounds a lot like Queen's Jealousy (from their Jazz album - "Oh how wrong can you be?")
  
  Tomorrow - `s chorus stats: "I wanna break down, I'm gonna shake down" which to me sounds a tad clichéd perhaps. That style of singing two identical lines but changing one or two word's been done a hundred times. Good catchy track regardless - given the subject. Rock's nicely.
  
  Cruise Control - is a slower rock number. Continues Vivian's high quality writing output. Though far from classic, it's a good track. This song, however, starts a run of three songs that perhaps have a lesser creative quality than the rest of the album. While good tracks they lack a bit of punch.
  
  Hallucinate - is face paced, standard rock fare. A nice track. Second of the three.
  
  Only The Good Die Young - sounds like a track from the Euphoria era. Perhaps the poppiest track here. Pleasant enough. Perhaps my comment about Vivian's output is a bit stretched here though. Got me thinking of Billy Joel which isn't a good thing. Not that it sounds anything like his song. Third in the run.
  
  Bad Actress - is different from any other Def Lep song. Super fast paced. Very good. Nice to hear something completely different from the boys. Nice work Joe.
  
  Come Undone - is standard fare. Nice mid range rock.
  
  Gotta Let It Go - is a different kind of closing track that what we've become used to. Could easily have been the opening track if they were looking for a track that gave the listener a taste of what was to come without revealing all.
  
  This album is what Euphoria tried to be and what X should have been. Will it be a hit? Probably not. Should it be? OF COURSE!!!
  
  BUY IT!!
  
  
  
  
• "I'm Back In Your Face.... Like I've Never Been Away"
  By A29W9YSLGMW7HS on 2008-05-08
  I've been a Leppard fan since 1982 and must say Sparkle Lounge is the best album they've released since Adrenalize by a LONG shot (not counting Greating Hits comps, etc.).
  
  After a string of sub-par recordings I'd lost faith that I'd ever hear a really good (new) record from Def Leppard again. Save for a few songs from Euphoria I actually disliked the majority of the band's output the past 15 years.
  
  FINALLY, Sparkle Lounge has renewed my faith. Is this as hard as Hign N' Dry or will it be as popular worldwide as Pyromania or Hysteria? No, but times have changed and the days of DL (or any other 80's rock band) selling 15 million albums is over. But the songs on S.L. are really, really good. It has a bit of Euphoria / Adrenalize feel to it, but much more 70's-ish in it's approach. At times you can hear obvious similarities to Queen, ELO and dare I say it's even a bit Beatles-esque in places.
  
  And guitars, guitars, guitars... all over the place. Phil Collen's work is superb. The only negative thing I have to say (and I say this about almost all music now-a-days) is that Vivian's guitar sounds like it's been tuned down somewhat and is a bit too dark (modern) for my 80's whammy-bar tastes. Other than that this album is a homerun for a band whose batting average has been below the Mendoza line since 1993.
  
  Is this album going to change the nay-sayer's views about the band? Of course not. If you didn't like Def Leppard in 1983 you're not going to like them now. However, if you did like the band in 1983, but forgot about them after Hysteria you may wish to jump back on the bandwagon... Sparkle Lounge is excellent.
  
  
• A Step Back in the Right Direction
  By A32X2WIG8N8OQW on 2008-05-14
  So the "Sparkle Lounge" sounds more like Liberace's living room than anything one might associate with Def Leppard. But in reality, the "Sparkle Lounge" was where the band would get together while on tour to work on new material. This album is the fruits of those musical labors.
  
  Simply put this is a step back in the right direction after the terrible misstep of 2002's "X" which left some fans (including this one) wondering if in addition to being "def", the Lep might also be eunechs.
  
  2006's cover album "Yeah!" showed some promise, but being a covers album it was tough to discern whether the Lep had regained their swagger or if they were just aping the swagger of the bands/musicians they were covering.
  
  Luckily, "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge" confirms that the Lep has indeed regained their swagger and attitude. With only one slow song, Love the album is considerably more uptempo and rollicking than the band has been since 1999's "Euphoria" album. If anything the material is considerably stronger than that on "Euphoria" making this possibly their strongest album since the passing of guitarist Steve Clark.
  
  The music is catchy and upbeat, the harmonies are there, the driving guitars are there, and you can even hear Lep tipping a hat to the likes of ELO and Queen on "Love" which, with its grandiose strings and tight harmonies, is one of the band's best slow songs in quite awhile.
  
  The one weak point-- the lyrics. Granted, Def Leppard's lyrics have never been within the realm of deep or profound and the one album in which they did go deep (1996's "Slang") was not well received because it was largely not what the fans had come to love and expect of the band. The lyrics are traditional Def Leppard, simple and to the point but the low point on the album is "Bad Actress" which musically is a solid song but the lyrics are so cheesy and lamer than any of the recent ill-fated Kentucky Derby horses that it really takes away from a song that had the potential to be so much better.
  
  Returning to good fun hair metal that put them on the map in the eighties was a recipe for success and this album is a true return to form of what this band is truly capable of. Fans of the "High 'n' Dry" through "Hysteria" era should be quite happy with this album.
  
  
• Excellent Hard Rock CD that hits it Right On The Money!
  By A1WE3EDO2WIJPK on 2008-05-14
  Def Leppard has again created an excellent collection of hook filled modern rock songs. For a long while, Def Leppard has been trying to erase the stigma of being a metal band. They have not written anything that even sounds like metal since 1983's Pyromania CD. That was 25 years ago! Yet still people come to this site and give a 1 star review saying that it sounds nothing like Pyromania. I just don't get it. They are a different band now and have been for over 20 years. Since re-inventing themselves with 1987's Hysteria, Def Leppard have been much more interested in the art of songwriting and they have shined at that consistently throughout all of the 90s up to now in 2008. They have been writing radio-friendly, commercial songs with stellar sound production, amazing and cutting edge vocal harmonies, and great musicianship for many many years. That is who Def Leppard is. So, don't expect metal because you won't get it. This is great Modern Rock! That's right - Modern. Def Leppard don't want the stigma of being an 80s band either. Anyone who has heard their recent material will tell you that they have succeeded at that.
  
  While 1996's Slang was experimental rock, 1999's Euphoria was a bit of a step back to their arena rock sound with a modern touch. 2002's X was a modern rock CD with many pop elements. All of these CDs had excellent songs. That is the one constant.
  
  Now, we get to 2008's Songs From The Sparkle Lounge. While X was a modern rock CD with a pop edge, Sparkle Lounge is a modern rock CD with a Hard Rock edge. When trying to find a comparison to this CD, I simply can't. It really is a Brand New kind of Def Leppard album. Sure there are moments that remind me of Hysteria, Adrenalize, Slang, and X. But overall, they are keeping it fresh and modern...they are not stepping backwards at all.
  
  This really is a Def Leppard CD that everyone has to have. If you liked Hysteria because of the excellent production and amazing songs, you will love these songs. If you liked Slang because it was experimental and new, you will love the freshness of these songs. If you liked X because of the songwriting, you will love these songs. If you hated X because it was too poppy, you have to hear these Hard Rock songs. I can go on and on. The only group that won't like it are the people who are still waiting for the band to regress 25 years to High and Dry and Pyromania. I feel bad for those people.
  
  The main thing that sticks out on this CD is that every song is Great! In terms of structure, melody, harmonies, guitar solos (absolute killer solos by Viv and Phil), varied styles, Def Leppard is as good as ever!
  
  My one negative about this CD is that it is too short. The songs are all between 3 and 4 minutes. I would have loved if they expanded on a couple of the songs and added some more parts. The CD has 11 songs on it. In knowing that all the songs were going to be short, I would have hoped the band would give us more of them...like 15 or 16. For that reason, I give the CD 4 and 1/2 stars. I rounded up to five for this review since amazon does not allow half stars.
  
  In conclusion, pick this CD up and make up your own mind. It definitely isn't one that you want to ignore.
  
  

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