http://www.electricbasement.com/review683.htm

DEF LEPPARD - X

(Universal)

Perhaps the farthest astray of their debut since Slang, Def Leppard plunge 
totally "Nsync" with modern pop rock sentiment on X. With 70% of the 
record shuffle-based AOR, yearning like yuppies in renewal, it's easy to 
make fun or shake one's head in refusal. But the good news is, for an 
Nsync-ish record, this is better than their counteparts in many ways. The 
Leps are more genuinely convincing with their material than the boy bands 
and quite frankly, the ballads are better than most of what they've done 
in the past. Instead of the techno turgidness of "Love Bites", or rather 
"Love Bytes", we get more nuance-laced and mature waves of melody as in 
"Long Long Way to Go." Also, this has more rock moments than the teen 
sensations, a la the serviceable "Four Letter Word" and the masterwork of 
the album, "Girl Like You", a striking chorus as vibrant as any Lep nugget 
in the past. The experimentation adds a fresh tone to many of the tracks 
on the record, such as on the surprisingly groovy bass line in "Everyday." 
As a whole, the record is more resolved and fluid. However, this means it 
also lacks the punch and guilty blast of even Adrenalize. Gone, for the 
most part, is the fun of the T-Rex influence we could chew on during 
Euphoria, but somehow this more serious tone may win some new fans and 
some long coming critical praise, if not from the hard rock loyalists. 
Euphoria rocked harder but this is more fresh. You take your pick.- Brian 
Coles

3 1/2 stars