Stiff Upper Lip

Stiff Upper Lip is the fourteenth album on which AC/DC pushes an old-school blues-rock sense to the fore and sharpens its own origin. Around the thick riffs chopped by Malcolm and Angus Young, the band thoroughly pares decoration. Inheriting the direction of the previous album, it draws closer to roots music. Consistently from the bluesy tenacity of the title track “Stiff Upper Lip,” playing that fully trusts the drive of rock and roll is exhilarating. From the speed of “Safe in New York City” and the groove of “Satellite Blues” to the momentum of “Meltdown” and the blues of “House of Jazz,” every song carries a cool, sturdy appeal. Rather than chasing flashy change or experiment, it wins on the tenacity of the rhythm and the sure strength of the hooks alone. A veteran’s ease shows in updating its long-cultivated style unforced and naturally. It is a cool, fulfilling record that lets you fully savor the appeal of grounded, mature blues rock — the Young brothers’ guitars in sharp form.