LAST LISTENED TO a few days ago
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT good
RATING
There is something pretty primitive about AC/DC. Their formula that they have perfected over more than thirty years is pretty simple: basic 4/4 drums, classic rock-screech vocals and giant, giant chords. Where their particular appeal lies is in how they weave these most basic of rock elements together, which they so do in a way that combines exciting, charged dynamics with space and air.
In many ways Sin City is one of the best examples of that style. It begins with large chords, before turning into a typical mid-tempo AC/DC head-nodder. Soon the guitar cuts back to choppier chords as the vocal comes in and the rolling bass becomes more noticable. There is air and space through this verse, that flows over the dynamic tension of guitar and drums. Shortly, however, this space is lost when the guitar comes back in full, building the the verse to the chorus, which in turn builds to a guitar solo that takes things even higher.
From this height almost everything is stripped away, leaving only the bass, hi-hat and vocals. The space left is great and yet is quite tense as it's certainly only a matter of time before a huge guitar comes crashing back in. Which it does and it is wonderous.
Many other artists have used a similar technique to this in the past, but few with quite as much success as AC/DC had here. They recorded this in '78, on their (depending on who's counting) fourth LP. That they are still at it today is a testament to AC/DC who, in their thirty years, have seen pretenders come and then go, but have never really been challenged as Kings in the land of hard rock.
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