Music review: Down 鈥檔鈥� Outz 鈥� 鈥楾his Is How We Roll鈥�
With Def Leppard鈥檚 2019 tour completed, now comes the announcement that the British icons will be joining fellow rockers M枚tley Cr眉e and Poison for a stadium tour in 2020.
Additionally, Def Leppard fans have another reason to be excited. Frontman Joe Elliott鈥檚 side project has just released a new album. Originally formed as a tribute to the influence of Mott the Hoople, Down 鈥榥鈥� Outz delivers a generous helping of classic rock straight out of the 1970s with 鈥淭his Is How We Roll.鈥�
It鈥檚 the band鈥檚 third album and features Elliott on vocals, Paul Guerin and Guy Griffin (Quireboys) on guitars, Share Ross (Vixen) on bass, Phil Martini (Wayward Sons) on drums and Keith Weir (Quireboys) on keyboards.
The new album was recorded over a five-year period and contains 11 new arrangements penned by Elliott and one cover track.
The album opener, 鈥淎nother Man鈥檚 War,鈥� loads up the ammo and pounds out a piano and guitar aural assault that draws influence from Ian Hunter鈥檚 鈥淓ngland Rocks鈥� from 1977.
The title track is a straightforward rocker that salutes the band鈥檚 lifestyle as it carries a Humble Pie vibe with a gang of guitars keeping pace with Elliott鈥檚 spirited vocals as he declares, 鈥淚f you wanna play/You gotta pay the toll.鈥�
Elliott crafts a touching tribute to David Bowie with 鈥淕oodnight Mr. Jones.鈥� While Bowie may be gone, Elliott demonstrates Bowie鈥檚 influence on his career with a number that has the comforting feel of Bowie鈥檚 鈥淟ife on Mars鈥� and features a beautiful guitar solo by Guerin.
The 60-year-old Elliott sounds as good today as he did back in 1983, belting out rock anthems like 鈥淧hotograph,鈥� 鈥淔oolin'鈥� and 鈥淩ock of Ages鈥� from Def Leppard鈥檚 鈥淧yromania.鈥�
Elliott offers a strong performance on 鈥淟ast Man Standing.鈥� Filled with piano, lush harmonies and light orchestration, the tune speaks about coming to terms with our mortality and the continuous search for a meaningful existence.
Other highlights include the reflective 鈥淲alking to Babylon,鈥� the whimsical 鈥淐reatures鈥� and a muscular cover of the Tubes鈥� 鈥淲hite Punks on Dope.鈥�
With the majority of the album possessing influences from a variety of artists, 鈥淏oys Don鈥檛 Cry鈥� is a rousing number that channels the rock attitude of Def Leppard as Elliott sings, 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to live your life like it鈥檚 the last day on earth.鈥�
鈥淭his Is How We Roll鈥� is proof that after 40-plus years of dishing out solid rock music, Elliott is anything but down and out.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.