Dynamiiiiiite!!!!!. Review on Blackout - Scorpions

Blackout was the first Scorpions album to go platinum in the U.S.A and their most commercially successful when it was released (Love at first sting and Crazy World beat it down later). It was perhaps the astounding energy levels of all five members of the band that made the U.S.A wake up from its sleepy indifference to the band and make a beeline for the album. Lovedrive in 1979 established the Scorpions sound and if anybody thought the band was again losing its way in Animal Magnetism, Blackout firmly cemented Scorpions place as a legendary hard rock band. OK, so what makes this album so special? There is the title track, also the album's opener, of course. But the real test of this album's greatness lies in that it did not melt away disappointingly after the opening track. Instead, it just got better and better, and following up a track like Blackout so brilliantly is no mean feat, as we shall see. Blackout: If you are confused about whether Scorpions is really for you, just check out the sample on Amazon.com. If this song doesn't get you hooked on Scorpions, nothing else, save Winds of change, will. Throughout the album, the band consistently gets the opening bars right. In this song too, the opening riffs give you a very good idea of the frenzied vent of energy that is about to follow. Yes, the band really play their hearts out. Not a hint of weakness here. Klaus Meine - he was rehabilitating from surgery after succumbing to problems in his voice, you wouldn't believe it listening to this song - is red-hot as the lead vocalist. Matthias Jabs takes you on a roller-coaster ride with his incredible guitar solos while Rudolf Schenker as the other guitarist backs him up with heavy-duty riffs. All the while, Francoiz Buccholz, the bassist, and Herman Rarebell at the drums keep the rhythm section in top gear. Not a second is wasted at all in this song, better don't listen to this song when you're studying - you'll have to keep aside your books! 10/10 (Make that 12.) Can't live without you: After the uncompromisingly heavy-duty opener, this is a bit of a let-down as it's a lot more pop-oriented. A lot like Panama by Van Halen, although that song was released two years later. No, this is not a mushy love song, this is a peppy tribute to the people any rock band owes its existence to - their fans. Again, the band doesn't fail to impress with its playing. So, what's the problem? Well, you don't expect a peppy, pop number, albeit with heavy-duty guitars and drums, from Scorpions. On the bright side, this allows you to catch your breath after the knock-out punch of Blackout. 7/10 No one like you: The album hots up again with this simply amazing power ballad. If the mention of ballad brings to your mind something like Still loving you, then this track is not a ballad at all. It opens at full-throttle with Schenker following Jabs superbly. The tune is in three parts - a slow section without drums, a repeat of that section with drums and then the chorus There's no one like you... at full blast. This was THE song that got me addicted to Scorpions. Towards the end of the song, Jabs plays another brilliant solo, making you thing even the sky's not the limit for him. Klaus Meine delivers a very sincere performance, actually making you enjoy the rudimentary https://lyrics. 10/10 You give me all I need: This is the forerunner of Still loving you. It's difficult to follow a song like No one like you with something equally good and the Scorpions don't do it. But the trick employed here is keeping the songs short and crisp. The band doesn't linger on any notes, they keep marching ahead ruthlessly. This song has all the elements of a Scorpions ballad - a beautiful acoustic opening, a melodious slow section,a chorus and a guitar solo - tightly packed into 3 1/2 minutes. So, your mild irritation at yet another love song quickly disappears as the hairy Germans work their magic.9/10 Now!: Now, the album touches an altogether new level. The lyrics don't really make sense and you don't have a clue as to the point of the song. But that hardly matters as this 2 1/2 minute tornado gives you no time to relate to the words. This album starts and finishes in top gear, with the band members combining brilliantly. Before you can say, ''What on earth..'', you're through with the song. 10/10 Dynamite: Just in case you stand up and say, ''That's all? I can take this and more.'', there's Dynamite to blow away your defences. This would be heavy-metal but for the usual absence of a dark theme. If only the band had stopped writing one love song after another! Back to the song, the band sticks to the success formula - short, crisp and fast. You will head-bang to your heart's content till your neck cries with pain. 10/10 Arizona: At last, the band has mercy on you and slows down the tempo a little. The intro reminds you of the 1984 monster rocker Rock you like a hurricane. The difference is that this time the band deals in 'happy' notes. This is surely the sweetest Scorpions song I have heard. Again, the theme is pretty pointless - about the American country landscape, the girls, etc etc - but the sheer energy of the band keeps the song going. A lot more melodious than the preceding two rockers. 9/10 China White: I have never understood the whole point of inserting this song in this album. At almost 7 minutes, it's way too long by Scorpions standards. Led Zeppelin, Metallica and Iron Maiden are renowned for their mammoth epics, but it simply doesn't work for Scorpions. The pace too is much slower and the tune seems rather disjointed. On the other hand, this song has the most meaningful lyrics of the album as the band urges people to love each other to put an end to war and bloodshed. Still not a bad song at all, so 7/10. When the smoke is going down: Another ballad, but this time it's about a rock star staring at the empty arena from the stage after the crowds have left. A fitting end to a fabulous performance of rock music. The song does drag a little towards the end, but as far as closers go, it's still damn good. 8/10 Overall, Blackout has a very consistent sound and sets a terrific pace. But for Winds of change dotting Crazy World's cover, this would have been a better album than the latter. And - here I will go against popular opinion - it's certainly better than Love at first sting. These three, alongwith Lovedrive, are must-buy Scorpions albums. Talking about the band in general, I think it sure would have helped if they had outsourced the lyrics department. That would have allowed them to take up themes with more substance. But then, if the purely guitar-driven Scorpions hadn't peaked in the 80s, hard rock would have become almost identical to pop. So it was all for the best, I guess. Comments most welcome.