def leppard mirror ball: live & more

Released: 20 June 2011 Label: Frontiers

Well, let’s face it, if you’re a die-hard Def Leppard fan, you knew it was gonna happen; a live album with a DVD. Mirror Ball: Live & More has the answer you’ve all been waiting for; it’s quenched that thirst that your rock and roll palette has been waiting for.

Get your backsides in gear for song one, Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop). Well if it’s good enough for a live song, it’s damn well good enough for a live album opening song! With those rough and raunchy vocals in conjunction with that finger-licking solo, it’s time for lift off! Oh sweet Jesus they’ve landed!

Where would a live album be without Rocket? Where do you think? As soon as it hit the chorus, those dedicated fans may as well have been part of the band; yes, they raised the roof to say the least. Seriously I am surprised how good the vocals were.

Make Love Like a Man. Once you listen to this song live it’ll be a tight skirt, big hair and stilettos time. On the technical side it’s well mixed. The interlinking charisma between the songs brings the album alive! It’s a display of the legacy that the band has earned over the years; it shows it wasn’t just The Full Monty that made Sheffield famous!

The version of Love Bites is much more chilled than the original version. I’m not gonna say much more about this song or describe it; I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.

For the goodbye song we get Rock On. You’ve just gotta think to yourself, what would you chose as a final song for a live show? To put it bluntly, Def Leppard haven’t made a bad one! With the audience roaring and cheering, it’s a case of, ‘yeah sounds like they’re having a good time’. Seriously you can almost picture the sweat that would be dripping off you if you were at that concert just by hearing this song. It puts the final shimmer on the first session of the album!

A good choice for the first CD; everyone knows a live album can’t sound rehearsed. There’s performing well, but you still need to work up an audience and capture the atmosphere! Hats off guys you’ve chosen the right songs to prove your history hasn’t gone to waste!

The first blow of round two is Two Steps Behind. Yeah, yeah some argue it’s easy to swallow because it was a major hit, but really it was nicely done. It’s not the easiest song to flourish; being one of the slower songs on the album, it can either sink or swim. It’s the slower ones where all the emotion lies and to bring it out is one hell of a job. Husky as his vocals are, Elliott still managed to weave together the right texture for the song.

Bringin’ on the Heartbreak; now we’re talking. If there was ever a song born for a live album it’s this one! It was sensational! Instrumentally it was flawless; clearly the most gob-smacking performance of the album. Hearing the audience wailing the chorus was spine-chilling! Put it this way, after hearing this song live on an album, I’d hope to hell I’d get to a concert and see it with my own eyes!

Of course Pour Some Sugar on Me had to be fitted in somewhere. The song that everyone knows from some place, time or situation missing off a live album…..yeah right, like that’s ever gonna happen. I admit it wasn’t bad; just listening to the song works up a sweat live or not live. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this but it could have been a little tighter (please don’t hate me). There’s no doubt about it, it wasn’t horrific it just didn’t reach its full potential.

Yeah, yeah it’s included… Let’s Get Rocked; what a way to say goodbye. Like Pour Some Sugar on Me, gigs hold a great deal of songs such as Let’s Get Rocked. I don’t know how to break this but, it’s worth the listen (well worth), but maybe too much store was laid on the song for it to fill its full capacity. I’m not knocking it or anything, just being really picky. I will say one thing, atmospherically it’s unbeatable!

To round off I’d say disc two was a little tender at points; there was a big difference between its highs and lows. Still, it’s not a write off!

So we’ve hit the Bonus Live round and up first it’s Action. Musically, it’s Def Leppard to a T. Yes disc two did get a little knock kneed at times, but we were back in action! Job done!

Next stage it’s the New Songs. Another Def Leppard song that’s gonna take some knocking is Undefeated; to be blunt, it’s good. It’s back to those gruff vocals and slaying solos; at a push it’s brought Def Leppard back to their roots. Good going guys!

To end the ‘new songs’ section we have It’s All About Believin'. Musically it’s well put together, but to be frank if it wasn’t for Elliott’s notable vocals, you’d think the band had changed course. But hey, there are more than two songs on the new album.

As we move on to round three, we hit the DVD. When I say DVD I’m not talking motion picture. Oscar winner or no, it’s the little things that count; the behind the scenes stuff for example. It makes this collaboration personal to the fans; hats off guys for going that extra mile. They really are giving access all areas!

Ok we hit the final landmark, the Music Videos. Come on, would it be fair for me to give away every ounce of the album? I think I’ll leave the music videos to your judgement.

Well folks, I must admit, they haven’t cut any corners with this little number. From live performances, studio performances, DVDs and music videos, they’ve got nothing much left to cover. Def Leppard fan or not, there’s something in it for all of us leaving no rock unturned!  These last few words go to all the Def Leppard fans out there, Mirror Ball: Live & More is one of the biggest rewards you can get from being their fan!

by Kathryn Longbottom