AC/DC figured out the magic formula a long time ago. Phil Rudd keeps time. Cliff Williams plays pulsating eighth notes on the root of the chord. Malcolm Young plays great heavy guitar riffs with plenty of space. Angus kicks in a solo that is short enough to keep the attention of pop music fans. Brian Johnson yelps his way through lyrics about rock & roll with a big sing-along chorus. The guitars are produced like a metal album while everything else has a poppy sheen.

It’s a great formula, and when you have such a thing there is not much reason to change it. A formula can get overworked and bland, and it did for this band on several albums in the 90s. So what does AC/DC do? Wait 8 years, then come back with exactly the same formula but a new sense of energy and songcraft. Who cares that these tracks are all basically the same song with varying tempos and different riffs? They all rock as hard as anything the band ever put out.

Sure, they throw in some changes like Brian actually trying to sing and Angus playing with a slide, but those are only dressing. The body of the song is still the same old AC/DC. In a time when innovation is heralded at any cost, I applaud AC/DC for continuing to make the same great music they’ve been doing for 30 years.