It doesn’t only apply to pet punk albums:
This is from the 1979 Rolling Stone Record Guide. By 1983 the tune had changed somewhat: The older Bon Scott albums (the best ones) still hung in the one-star or, worse, bullet-box universe, but 1980’s Back in Black was awarded three stars, while its lame 1981 follow-up, For Those About to Rock, was named AC/DC’s first four-star record. I’ll have to check the ’92 edition to track the ongoing reassessment, but I think it’s safe to say that Back in Black is now considered the band’s pinnacle, a no-brainer five-star record for every hack music writer who waddles this earth. Just to illustrate how very different I am, though, I’ve always preferred the stuff that couldn’t buy a single star in 1979.
S L U S H C I T Y 
I ought to listen to the early one star stuff. The five star AC-DC-AT-THEIR-PRIME stuff leaves me cold. Think I’d prefer Status Quo (although not a lot).
By: Jon on November 28, 2008
at 5:51 pm
yeah, yeah, I know, I’m a stupid fvckin’ record reviewer…. jeez, walked into that one. At least I’ve been consistent since 1991!
By: Jon on November 28, 2008
at 5:52 pm
Lately I’ve been playing along with “Ride On” (from 1976’s Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap). Great slow bluesy number — yet not a ballad. One of the coolest things about AC/DC (and there are many cool things about AC/DC) is that they’ve never recorded a single ballad in 35 years.
By: willenvelope on November 29, 2008
at 11:00 pm
Is that entirely so? Maybe “ballad” is a cultural construct, and “Let Me Put My Love into You” is Australian for “Angel.” And how tuff is that? “I’m in tears and the cryin’ that I do is for you” becomes “Let me cut your cake with my knife.”
And we haven’t even mentioned “She’s Giving the Dog a Bone.” That’s LOVE I’m talkin’ bout, l-u-v.
By: hotdog-hotdog-hotdiggetydog on January 8, 2009
at 9:58 am