Me love this thread long time....no matter where it calls home.

Extreme career move... Cobra pit

Sheesh! I freak out when I see the garden hose on the front lawn. There is no amount of money that can convince me to take that job.

Weather has been pretty cool lately. Cool in that I've had to wear long sleeves during the evenings. Today is nice and warm. Perfect.

I'm curious to see if they censor this threads title.

Took you long enough to get this one up and running. 

Black Ice. I haven't listened to this one since my original review. So I have had the luxury of distance between the two and I can say that this one is so much better than I remember it being. And finishing this one off as the final studio album for this marathon of mine, I can finally put it in context with their entire catalog. First off, this is the most "melodic", radio-friendly AC/DC album. By that I mean, Brian Johnson with his voice clearly gone on the last album and road wear of tours year in and year out, he is forced to sing more rather than relying solely on his patented growl approach. And this is a good thing. Also of note is that Angus really has expanded his playing and doesn't rely solely on his bag of riffs. It's still vintage stuff, but so much more.

The songwriting is also a bit broader which lends itself nicely to distinguishing itself from one song to the next. So there is no "it all sounds the same" card to play from fans and non fans alike. For an example of how different this one is, just one listen to Rock 'n' Roll Dream is all you need to hear to know that they made a conscious effort to do something different. It's a great f*cking song and so unlike anything Brian has sung before. Love it.
So, I can definitely say this is their best album since For Those About To Rock. The only song that really falls into the vintage AC/DC of their classic songs would be their first single for Rock N' Roll Train, which is a great track by the way. So, I have to give this one a higher rating this time around.

Fave Songs: Rock N' Roll Train, Skies On Fire, Big Jack, Anything Goes, She Likes Rock N' Roll, Money Made and Rock 'n' Roll Dream. MVP goes to....Anything Goes.

I actually like the Album cover as well as the alternate covers that each came with different designs and not just different colored logos.

Stiff Upper Lip. This is on par with Ballbreaker IMO. There are a couple catchy songs and riffs. But the rest of the album sees them falling back into automatic pilot mode. For one, there's really only so much Angus can do with the same bag of riffs that he does have. Every once in awhile he pulls something out that's completely fresh, if not original. Another thing about Stiff Upper Lip is that Brian Johnson's voice is really starting to show it's wear and tear. Yes, I know what your thinking "Hey dude, his voice was like that from day 1". True. But he really is starting to crack here.

If there ever was a case to be made about how all AC/DC songs sound the same, this is the album that is guilty of that. I have to point out that Safe In New York City is hands down the worst song that AC/DC has ever recorded. Ugh.

Fave Songs: Satellite Blues, House Of Jazz and Can't Stand Still

I always thought that the Album Cover was somewhat interesting in making Angus a statue for all to worship, which back in the 70's-80's would have been a fitting tribute as he was worshiped by all. But now, it just reminds me of when Michael Jackson totally lost it and decided to turn himself into a statue so that he could worship himself, since no one else was doing so. Don't go down that path Angus! Come back!!!!

Added Episode 3: Three