Blow Up Your Video

Blow Up Your Video is the eleventh album on which AC/DC cut decoration and concentrated its force into the riffs of Angus and Malcolm Young, Brian Johnson’s raised voice and a straight beat. Even in the late 1980s, it sounds unchanging rock and roll without leaning on the trends of the era at all. Led by the hit opener “Heatseeker,” the songs are short and clear, pushing the physical groove that is the band’s strength to the fore without hesitation. From the catchiness of “That’s the Way I Wanna Rock ’N’ Roll” to the momentum of “Meanstreak” and “Kissin’ Dynamite,” every song is hard-edged and approachable. It is a record on which a back-to-origin stance joined with commercial success. Rather than relying on flashy tricks or a trendy sound, it clearly reaffirms the strength of the AC/DC style. Simple yet holding hooks you can hum after one listen, its strength is intact. Capping the band’s 1980s fullness, it is a powerful, steady rock-and-roll record — the appeal of the Young brothers’ riffs in full bloom.