Def Leppard • Yeah!

B+

Ever since they began courting and ultimately regurgitating the commercial ballad, Def Leppard has struggled to regain the same kind of energy (and respect) that marked their early efforts. Simply put, Def Leppard lost its edge. This time out, the lads opt to recapture their rock roots by covering the music that most inspired them (1970s rock and glam). The end result is Yeah!, Def Leppard's most energetic and fun album since Hysteria. Queen, David Bowie, T. Rex, Badfinger, and Thin Lizzy are all covered here ("20th Century Boy," "Rock On" & "Don't Believe A Word" are excellent renditions). Admittedly, a few songs fall short of the mark and the album is perhaps too long for it's own good, but fans of 70s rock will have little to complain about. Old-school Def Leppard fans, those who felt betrayed by the band's mainstream success and shift toward pop, will still complain and lament the loss of Steve Clark, but for those who preferred Hysteria to High & Dry, Yeah! will find a welcomed home.