Slang (album)
Album |
Name = Slang | Type = Album | Artist = Def Leppard | Cover = Def Leppard - Slang.jpg | Background = orange | Released = May 13, 1996 | Recorded = 1995 in Spain and Fine Bow Lane Studios in Dublin, Ireland | Genre = Hard Rock | Length = 45:58 | Label = Mercury | Producer = Def Leppard,
Pete Woodroffe | Reviews =
* All Music Guide (3/5) link | Last album = Retro Active
(1993) | This album = Slang
(1996) | Next album = Euphoria
(1999)Slang is the eighth album by British hard rock band Def Leppard, released in 1996. The album marked a radical musical departure from their signature sound, and was produced by the band with Pete Woodroffe.
In the mid-90s, the musical climate had turned very hostile to "pop metal" groups, and most of them vanished following dismal album sales. Def Leppard thus decided to move away from the sound that had made them popular in the previous decade. Recent deaths and divorces within the band played heavily in the writing sessions, which were also being influenced by themembers' musical tastes at the time.
For the first time since 1981, longtime producer Mutt Lange was nowhere to be found, and the band changed another habit by recording together as a band, in a townhouse in Marbella, Spain. Slang would feature less production in favor of a more organic sound, such as drummer Rick Allen's reversion to a semi-acoustic kit.
Songs such as "Turn to Dust" and "Pearl of Euphoria" introduced sitar and other East Indian instrumentation. The album's lyrical content featured a darker and more introspective turn for the most part, with lighter fare restricted to the Prince-influenced "Slang". Vivian Campbell, who joined Def Leppard after the recording of Adrenalize, ended up contributing to two songs, mainly on the single "Work It Out".
All these changes seemed to be too much for the band's remaining fans (even their classic logo was modified on the cover of the album). While Slang was favorably reviewed for the most part, it was the first Def Leppard album to fail to achieve platinum sales in the US.
Elsewhere, the album performed better: it placed four singles on the UK charts, and did go platinum in Canada. However, the subsequent world tour played to much smaller crowds. Attempts to promote the new material during shows were met with silence, and the band was forced to revert to their better-known 80s catalog that ironically was being shunned on rock radio.
There were some positives as the band performed for the first time in Southeast Asia, South Africa and South America to sold-out venues. However, for all their desire to grow as artists, it was clearly not what the fans expected or wanted for the next phase of Def Leppard.
#"Truth?" (Campbell, Collen, Elliott, Savage) â€" 3:00#"Turn to Dust" (Collen) â€" 4:21#"Slang" (Collen, Elliott) â€" 2:37#"All I Want Is Everything" (Elliott) â€" 5:20#"Work It Out" (Campbell) â€" 4:49#"Breathe a Sigh" (Collen) â€" 4:06#"Deliver Me" (Collen, Elliott) â€" 3:04#"Gift of Flesh" (Collen) â€" 3:48#"Blood Runs Cold" (Collen, Elliott) â€" 4:26#"Where Does Love Go When It Dies" (Collen, Elliott) â€" 4:04#"Pearl of Euphoria" (Collen, Elliott, Savage) â€" 6:21Def Leppard
*Rick Allen - percussion, drums
*Vivian Campbell - dulcimer, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals, background vocals
*Phil Collen - acoustic guitar, mandolin, electric guitar, vocals, background vocals
*Joe Elliott - bass, guitar, vocals
*Rick Savage - synthesizer, acoustic guitar, bass, vocals, background vocals
Additional personnel
*Malvin Mortimer - background vocals
*Pete Woodroffe - piano, keyboard
*Gavyn Wright - orchestra leader*Producers: Def Leppard, Pete Woodroffe
*Engineers: Ger McDonnell, Will Shapland, Pete Woodroffe
*Mixing: Pete Woodroffe
*Mixing assistant: Matt Pakucko
*Mastering: Bob Ludwig
*Programming: Bobby Brooks, Brad Buxer, Hugh Drumm, Ger McDonnell
*String arrangements: Craig Pruess
*Percussion arrangement: Craig Pruess
*Art direction: Jeff Murray
*Design: Jager de Paola
*Photography: Cynthia Levine, Jeff Rooney
*Liner note producer: Terry Zoakitny*"Slang" (Worldwide, except US)
*"Work It Out"
*"All I Want Is Everything" (Worldwide, except US)
*"Truth?" (North America, radio only)
*"Breathe A Sigh" (UK only)
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