Can anyone else explain to me how DEF LEPPARD, with all their pomposity and idiocy toward the fans that supported them in the beginning, still have any significance at all? How can a band basically tell their entire fan base that made in the beginning to piss off and get away with it? Further, how can a band that clearly let success completely ruin them continue to hang around? OK, maybe these are dumb questions because the biggest Metal band of all time (METALLICA) did it, but seriously folks!

Giving DEF LEPPARD the benefit of the doubt since most Metal fans have grown to hate HYSTERIA, I'll count that one in the good list and say that DEF LEPPARD hasn't recorded a solid record in 21 years. Well, that streak ends with "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge". As a LEPPARD hater myself, the poison pen was out and ready to crucify this record as another dose of pop, 70s influenced glam garbage that would end up thrown across the room as thoughts of "On Through The Night" and "High & Dry" crept into my mind. It didn't happen though. For the first time since I was a teenager, a DEF LEPPARD album actually entertained me.

So is "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge" perfect? Hardly. First and foremost, DEF LEPPARD, even through most of their ridiculously bad two decades of crap, has at least come up with cool album artwork for their discs. Without any question, the cover for "Sparkle Lounge" is ridiculously bad. With its purposeful cut and paste look, the album art truly feels like no one cared at all about what was thrown on it. I guess it's better than putting an "X" on the cover though. It's lame. Secondly, the title of the album itself is terrible. "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge" just sounds like what's contained inside is trash. The outward approach to this release was immediately terrible.

But, surprisingly, you put this disc on and it's simply not what you would think. It's not really the hellraising thunder of the band's first three albums, but the songs on "Sparkle Lounge" have a fun element of hooks, grooves, and a raw grit that DEF LEPPARD hasn't exhibited in years and years. Vocalist Joe Elliott can't sing much anymore, but has seemingly found ways to incorporate his visibly blown voice into songs so that the cracking and jaggedness of his sound adds character. When you listen to songs like the first single, "Nine Lives", there's no denying that the voice is shot, but it works anyway. Throughout "Sparkle Lounge", there's barely a moment when Elliott reaches for any of the notes he used to hit, but the songs don't call for it either. Songs like "C'mon C'mon" reflect his embracing of his lower register, and it works well.

As for the rest of the band, they are DEF LEPPARD. That comes with an expectation. They meet it, but show some sides of their music that truly hasn't been experienced since "On Through The Night". Instead of their typical overpolishing of each and every note of every song, there's a true grit going on there - especially in the guitars. Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen sound like they are playing through actual amps instead of directly into a Pro-Tools rig, and this barroom sound enhances the sound greatly. Most noticeable is the difference in sound from drummer Rick Allen. Since he lost his arm, the electronic drum set they built for him has traditionally lacked feeling but been big on bombastic sound. On "Sparkle Lounge", it sounds like he's playing a regular drum kit for the first time in 25 years; a raw ended, powerful sound without being overpowering or sounding electronically enhanced.

It's very surprising that at this point in DEF LEPPARD's career that they could find their way to make a solid effort, but that's exactly what they've done. Sure, they are more of a Rock band now than the NWOBHM band that barnstormed the world from '82-'89, but at least they've created a viable release that can please both the girls that still like them and their boyfriends that gave up on them a lifetime ago. Solid stuff, here.