Released: Mar 8, 2010 (Europe), Apr 20, 2010 (USA)
Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Label: Roadrunner (U.S.) / EMI
Number Of Tracks: 13
These group of pure, beer drinkin' women shaggin' Aussies know how to rock and or roll and they do it well.
No Guts. No Glory.
Reviewed by:
kalydascope, on march 08, 2010 3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Sound: Runnin' Wild, Airbourne's debut album was a smasher. It was pure rock. It was guitars, drums, bass and the absolutely scream of Joel O'Keefe's vocals. Sound Similar? Yeah sure, but this group of Aussies really got the pure rock sound well. Now, second album? If you think about it, if it works, why change it? Airbourne's second album 'No Guts. No Glory' is what every Airbourne fan would want, even more. The album itself is pure rock just like their debut album, but this one has a change that most listeners will hear. But it's not a bad thing, Airbourne in this album has become very rhythmic with their songs. When it comes to songs such as 'Blonde, Bad and Beautiful', the backing vocals aren't just yelling into the microphone, it's singing. Everything fits well and is a very smooth sound, unline 'Runnin Wild's in your face rock n roll. Now, in some cases, people won't like that. But overall the songs are well composed and have a sound which will give everyone's ear a little bit of a excitement. But of course, Airbourne's fast tempo, headbangin' songs are still in their, 'It Ain't Over 'Till It's Over' starts off with a very pleasing guitar solo by Joel, and then pumps out a quick beat which blows you away. The recording of this album is very straight forward, but that really brings out Airbourne's straight sound. Johnny K (3 Doors Down, Staind) produced this album and did a darn good job. Everything is crisp and every drum beat pumps out of my speakers. Honestly, Airbourne have put it in another gear. // 8
Lyrics and Singing: With the similarities varying, If you let your friends listen the first words would most probably be "Is this AC/DC?" Or "They sound like AC/DC". But put that aside Airbourne really does get that AC/DC sound with the lyrics. Each song has one line choruses and Verses which pump out a heavy line every beat and after all that rip out a juicy solo which you make you smile. The Lyrics are very analogical. 'Bottom Of The Well' really looks at not giving up and being strong. 'I'm Breaking Through Hell, From the Bottom of the Well." These lyrics really say 'I will not die, I will make and I will strive to win.' Of course, Airbourne's sexual lust is still there. "Blonde, Bad and Beautiful' looks at, well, should I explain? Oh what the hell, the lyrics are classic Airbourne and AC/DC, and many 80's bands. "She's got the, long legs to prove it, the back end to move it." Reminisent of to me, Kiss lyrics. Kiss looked at the woman as 'Hotter than Hell' and 'Strutter'. These lyrics are so rock n roll they pretty much scream it. 'Steel Town', however, looks upon the working class man. Every Aussie would know that song 'Working Class Man' by Jimmy Barnes? These two songs have the same concept and both have very true lyrics. "I spend my whole life dealing, with not much in return. I think most average Joe in america or anywhere would relate to that line, right? Joel knows how to write a song and they mix with the music perfectly. // 8
Impression: I say to you, Airbourne is the knight in shining armor for rock n roll. These group of pure, beer drinkin' women shaggin' Aussies know how to rock and or roll and they do it well. This album is a step up from 'Runnin' Wild', in my opinion of course. But this album is rythmic, and just has a very Kiss, and 70's AC/DC sound, and they perfect it. I understand that people will look at this and think "A group of AC/DC wannabes.' Well if that's the case mate, they're doin' a real good job of it! Rock n Roll don't get no better! // 9
No Guts. No Glory.
Reviewed by:
loco999, on march 08, 2010 1 of 4 people found this review helpful
Sound: AC/DC style low-gain guitars, powerfull bass and tough drums are well known thing for this band. Some times production "eats" guitar solo with too noisy open hit hat or too loud guitar and bass rhythm sections, but there's nothing special in these solo's you could miss. People say that Airboune is 100% copy of AC/DC, I woudn't agree with that. Airboune is Airbourne, AC/DC are gods. There is something in Airbournes sound that cannot give me full image of rock'n'roll like AC/DC does. In fact, can you hum a melody of any Airbourne's riff like you can do with plenty of AC/DC riffs? Like "Highway To Hell", "Back In Black", "Thunderstruck"...well "Thunderstruck" is pretty hard one to hum, but admit it, it's somewhere in back of your head.
All that you may get from Airbourne is powerfull chours and good rock'n'roll lyrcs. I've found only three good songs on this album, others just sound the same...you have intro -> verse -> chours -> verse -> chours -> solo (every solo sounds completely same) -> build-up with bass drum and hit hat wich is same on, I don't know, 10 of 13 song from these album... and then you've got chourse repeating 'till the end of the song. Huh, pretty dull. Three songs that I like are:
"Bottom Of The Well": although intro riff reminds me on "For Those About To Rock". Song is about beating the bad days down. There are pretty cool chours: "I'm breaking out of hell from the bottom of the well". However, vocal melody on chourse reminds me on Offspring, don't ask me why, it just does. Like I've said I don't like sound of the solo guitar it just reminds me on sick elephant abusing its trunk :D Maybe the secret of the bad sound is that when he bends the note he never vibrates the string in the same time like the mighty Angus does, I don't know. Only bad thing about this song is that it reminds me on AC/DC's "Rock N Roll Dream".
"Chewin' The Fat": to me "Chewin' The Fat" is only reason I will keep this album on my iPod. This song has more original riff then other songs, it has well-shaped vocal verse melody and pretty beautiful chours vocal melody supported with unusual guitar riff for this genre.
"Armed & Dangerous": cool intro with smashing chords supporetd with heavy rain of crash cymbals followed with really powerfull guitar riff. Best thing in intro is bass. When the rhytm begins the power of Streety's bass is taking you down like a heavy tank. Chours are cool, but there's nothing that can compare to the last build-up when the tempo and speed of the song raise and then the solo and the chours hit you in the head like a train. // 4
Lyrics and Singing: Rock 'n' roll is not a poetry and that's the fact. I don't expect from rock'n'roll to be lighted with higher visions of love or something like that. I expect from rock'n'roll to get me up, to make wanna break sometihng, to make me wanna shout it out loud. And that's exactly what I can get from Airbourne. You can't hear no moaning or crying from these guys. You can only hear: Fight for rock'n'roll! Booze! Women! Hard Workin'! Joel's vocals are really great, he's screaming out all what he got. Even when he needs to put up some meoldies he fits in just perfect. Can't say nothing against his vocal performance. // 10
Impression: They've made the same mistake like AC/DC with "Black Ice". You can't get commercial stadium rock'n'roll from raw Aussie pub rock. However, Airbourne did it in smaller dose than AC/DC but still you can feel it in melodical chourses like "Chewin the Fat", "Blonde, Bad and Beautiful" or "No Way, But the Hard Way". I like more their first record "Runnin' Wild" because is raw and really fast. This one reminds me a lot on AC/DC's "Black Ice", but it's only my opinion. // 5
its a decent album.. Runnin Wild was fantastic but I'm kinda let down by this one. Its still good just not as interesting and doesnt keep your attention towards the middle of the album.
I prefer Airbourne to many bands like AC/DC. They just seem like they can topple them. And Runnin' Wild is one of the best albums ever, especially the first track. No Guts is okay though, lacking the speed a little bit. I feel sorry for the americans though.. if that release date is anything to go by.
I Actually prefer Airbourne to AC/DC aswell.
Airbourne has a lot more energy and even better lyrics imo, maybe its just because im of a different generation, i didn't see AC/DC's impact. But Airbourne appeals a lot more to me, and they certainly aren't copycats, i mean, i NEVER have a AC/DC song stuck in my head but i can hum some of Airbourne songs for days!
I totally don't agree with him, rock'n'roll can have beautiul lyrics. Look a those from Ronnie James Dio ! They are wonderful and powerful, but they keep on being kickass rock'n'roll lyrics !
This band has too much AC/DC - too little everything else.
And don't bother flaming me, I like AC/DC, but where's the originality? I mean, come on, there's already one friggin' band that sounds like themselves, stop it!
Oh and if you have ever tried to write a real rock song, you know that it's the hardest kind of song to write. And honestly, nearly everything in rock has already been done, so lots of songs/bands are going to get compared to each other nowadays.
[quote kalydascope/]Johnny K (3 Doors Down, Staind) produced this album and did a darn good job. Everything is crisp and every drum beat pumps out of my speakers.[/quote]
I disagree. I think the production is poor. Not half the power the first album had, the mix is far too open, the guitars are thin and stripped right back and the bass really doesn't cut through. The first album was simple in terms of production, but everything was pumping and really filled out the space in the mix, this just sounds like the rough mix of the album.
Am I the only one that thinks Airboune sounds more like Rose Tattoo than AC/DC?
People that think they sound too much like AC/DC obviously don't know AC/DC that well (think outside of the Back in Black era).
Yeah man, I was having this argument with someone a while back. They do sound like AC/DC, but I think the Rose Tattoo sound is much more noticeable, especially in Joel O' Keeffe's voice.
Anybody else notice the poor choice of punctuation in the album title?
"No Guts, No Glory" is an album title.
"No Guts. No Glory." Is just a list of things you don't have.
LOL! Well spotted. I like Airbourne, despite the similarity to a certain other Australian band starting with A. At least they have a bit of fun and there's no whiny commercial crap like so many bands today!
Your name suggests that you're just a AC/DC fanboy so i'll keep it simple, prefering one band to another is just taste, if i'm spaz for having my own taste then so be it...
[quote]Johnny K (3 Doors Down, Staind) produced this album and did a darn good job. Everything is crisp and every drum beat pumps out of my speakers.
I disagree. I think the production is poor. Not half the power the first album had, the mix is far too open, the guitars are thin and stripped right back and the bass really doesn't cut through. The first album was simple in terms of production, but everything was pumping and really filled out the space in the mix, this just sounds like the rough mix of the album.[/quote]
+11100000. I completely agree with this. Their first album was extremely powerful and they had a unique sound to them. The production on this album tries too hard to mimic AC/DC. The guitars sound identical to AC/DC this time around (rhythem = ballbreaker-esque Malcolm Young tone). Plus Joel's voice sounds very thin in this.
@Epi Explorer: how old are you? IF AC/DC never existed, neither would Airbourne, AC/DC has one of the best hard rock albums of all time: Back In Black which would always crush whatever airbourne could put out...Airbourne is cool/nostaligic, but the vocals sound just like Brian Johnson, alot of the lyrical subject matter is the same, and the guitar and amps are about the same, I love running wild, but AC/DC are the kings of rock, end of story, listen to Highvoltage, dirty deeds, highway to hell, back in black, razors edge, live, ballbreaker, and stiff upper lip and then tell me who's the better band!?!
i like how everyone here whos slagging on airbourne has gone out and done something bigger and better hey..(notice sarcasm)
airbourne are a good, solid rock band, and modern music needs the kick up the rear that airbourne delivers! ROCK ON
and AC/DC rock too, i seen em in feb, most amazing night of my life
