The Best Bon Scott Album?
Highway to Hell, released this week in 1979, is the best Bon Scott album, not because it sold the most, but because it’s the most complete, powerful and polished work the band has ever made. It’s where everything came together. Bon’s razor-sharp lyrics, Angus and Malcolm’s tight guitar riffs and a cleaner, more focused sound are all thanks to producer Mutt Lange.
Before Highway to Hell, AC/DC was raw and fun, but sometimes messy. This album included their wild energy, but trimmed the fat. The title track is an anthem; hard, catchy, rebellious and full of swagger. Girls Got Rhythm and Shot Down in Flames are pure rock ‘n’ roll, but smarter and more refined than earlier songs. Even the deep cuts like Night Prowler show a darker, moodier side of the band with Bon at his gritty best.
Bon Scott never sounded better, a voice is full of attitude and emotion. He screamed, snarl or whispered, all in the same song. He’d always been a great frontman, however on this album, he became a icon.
Unfortunately, It’s the last album Bon made before his death, in many ways, it feels like his masterpiece. He didn’t know it was his last, but he sang like he had something to prove. Highway to Hell isn’t just a great rock album: The album was Bon Scott at his best, with a band that sounded as big as they were meant to be.
