http://www.courierpress.com/cgi/view.cgi?/199908/19/+backtorock_features.html+19990819+features

Evansville Courier & Press 
Thursday, August 19, 1999 

Back to Rock

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By Joni Hoke, Courier & Press staff writer
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It's all over the Internet - Def Leppard's back. 

That's what people say now about many rock groups that hit it big in the
'80s, even though those groups never really went anywhere, but were just
silent for years. 

That hasn't been the case with English rockers Def Leppard. Since 1980,
Lep has released a fairly steady string of albums, most with a respectable
number of singles that met with fans' approval. 

The prolific power-ballad brokers will come to Evansville Sunday to 
promote their latest album, "Euphoria." 

Since their previous effort, "Slang," was only released in 1996, the big
Internet buzz about the band being "back" refers to "Euphoria's" return to
Def Leppard's original musical style. 

While "Slang" contained only a "Pearl of Euphoria," the latest CD goes all
out with it. 

On "Slang," Def Leppard seemed to be shooting for a more meaningful 
approach to songwriting and opted for sinewy-looking graphics on the album
cover, a departure from the jagged, daggerlike Lep emblem and shallow,
riff-tinged love laments of old. On the "Euphoria" cover, the dagger-
letters — and the ballads — return, hinting at the early-style material
within. 

"Euphoria's" opening track, "Demolition Man," sets the tone for the CD's
predominantly rock content, ending with a searing guitar solo from Formula
One racer Damon "Demon" Hill. 

>From there, the band starts telling "Promises," a single which was
>written 
by producer John "Mutt" Lange and has already gotten plenty of radio
airplay. 

"Back in Your Face" tells it like it is from the band's point of view:
"I'm back in your face, and that's where I'm gonna stay." 

"Goodbye" is your typical Def Leppard ballad, but the Artist Formerly
Known as Prince-inspired "All Night," featuring guitar work by Lange, is
musically engaging and the best track on the disc. 

Track 7, "It's Only Love," offers a wan, dreamy sound, like Collective
Soul at its very worst, and quickly dwindles into another anthem dedicated
to another woman whom singer Joe Elliott will seemingly never possess the
way he wants to, another in a parade of such women. Or maybe it's the same
woman, the woman he previously implored to "Breathe a Sigh" or "Pour Some
Sugar on Me." 

Regardless of their sound, Def Leffard makes it clear that they are 
enthusiastic about making music, and, true to '80s rock, the goal appears
to be the same: Get the girl — with gusto. 

The lines in Elliott's face haven't fazed him; he still sings as if he's
consumed with finding his dream girl, pulling her onto the tour bus and
falling in love forever. 

Track 9 reaches some level of maturity, saying, "It's good to be alive,"
but the vocals still scream, "I need you, woman!" in tone. 

Somebody, please, give this band some love. 

You can do that at the show Sunday. 
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