Def Leppard is set to release Songs from the Sparkle Lounge in two days (April 29). The album is already leaked on the Internet, but I’ve been very good and not sampled any of the illicit tracks. I have, however, spent some quality time digesting the first single “Nine Lives.” In case you are not familiar, the song features country star Tim McGraw.
I don’t like it. I am trying to like it, but I swear the country twang ruins it for me. If I wanted to hear country music I’d go to Nashville. If I was in Nashville, I’d hunt down Alison Krauss and Union Station and not Tim McGraw. No disrespect to him, but his songs are not my cup of tea. Back to the Leps.
You should know by now I love Def Leppard. They are one my favorite bands of all time. I’ve always thought my life would be irrevocably different if Hysteria was never released. I keep listening to “Nine Lives” and counting references to other songs, especially Aerosmith tunes. Is the title a reference to Aerosmith? Maybe I am just nuts, or let my Aerosmith obsession cloud my judgment.
Reinvention isn’t necessarily new to DL. After all, they started out much heavier and changed their sound to fit the times. Still, there’s a reason nearly every person I know owns either Pyromania or Hysteria: the albums plain rock. So, I stuck with the Leps through the death of Steve Clark, the lean years when Grunge was king…and come Tuesday, I’ll be with them in the Sparkle Lounge.
Is it too much to ask for another song as good as “Animal?” Sigh.
Judge for yourself. I already know quite a lot of you are digging “Nine Lives.” Here’s the video: