High 'n Dry

Untitled Document Def Leppard’s “High ‘N’ Dry” was originally released in 1981 on the Mercury label with 10 tracks. It was re-issued in 1984 with 2 extra bonus tracks. Then High ‘N’ Dry was re-released again in 1992, with the bonus tracks deleted. I will be reviewing the re-issue from 1984. Def Leppard rode the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with the likes of Saxon, Motorhead, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Their sound and style tended to be a little more commercialized, incorporating heavy background choruses unlike their English counterparts. Both were factors that helped them break it wide open in the United States. This was a band of teens whose ages averaged around 17 at the time of them being signed to a major label. High ‘N’ Dry was Def Leppard’s second full length release. From start to finish this album rocks. It’s full of raw energy, containing the upbeat tempo drumming of Rick Allen: the dual attack guitar riffing of Steve Clark and Pete Willis, the steady bottom end bass playing of Rick Savage and a cocktail vocal mix from Joe Elliot; a guy needing some serious throat spray! I was in high school at the time this album originally came out. It was a true party album that rates up there with the likes of AC/DC’s “Back In Black”, Quiet Riot’s “Metal Health” and Twisted Sister’s “Stay Hungry”. Songs like “Another Hit & Run” make you want to get in your car and drive over the speed limit while “High ‘N’ Dry” would be the type of song you’d listen to before going out with the guys to score some babes. “Bringin On the Heartbreak” is the ballad of the album, a song whose video helped the band gain much airplay on MTV and much needed exposure in the United States. This re-issue contains a re-mixed, bonus version of “Bringin On The Heartbreak” that has some keyboards thrown in. I prefer the original version. The other extra bonus track is “Me And My Wine”, a song in the same style as “Let It Go”. The band also made a video for “Me And My Wine”. This was truly Steve Clark’s anthem. Unfortunately he lived and died by those words due to an overdose from alcohol and drugs. In my opinon, this is the best Def Leppard album out of all their albums. “Pyromania” is a close second and “On Through The Night” right behind. Everything else after that was just crap. To quote Paul Stanley from KISS “Alive”, “If you’re down in the dumps and need something to bring you up”, forget COLD GIN, get HIGH ‘N’ DRY!