Stiff Upper Lip
Like death and taxes, you can count on AC/DC. The Australian metal men, unlike the more daring likes ofMetallica, have stuck with one virtually unchanged formula since 1973. While '90s albums such asWho Made WhoandRazor's Edgeare uneven at best, the five-years-comingStiff Upper Lipmarks a return to the group'sBack in Blackprime. Muscular, meaty, and powerful,Stiff Upper Lipboasts a dozen instantly hard and heavy classics full of macho bravado, double entendres, and, of course, Angus Young's trademark guitar. From the archetypal title track to the more portentous "House of Jazz" to the forceful, irresistible syncopation of "I Feel Safe in New York City," AC/DC are again at the top of their game.--Katherine Turman