I spoke about my history with Def Leppard in the Pyromania CD review. In that overview I said this about the album in today's post: "One year later, during the summer of 1981, out came High 'N' Dry which I purchased on the spot. Had you asked me on Day 1 what I thought of the album, I would have told you it was great. But I knew it wasn't. Over the next year, my interest in the album had started to wane. As did my interest in the group in general. I was looking for heavier material, and more bands were cropping up to offer just that."
I had really no intention of buying this album again, but when a mintish copy was offered very cheaply, the decision was made easy for me. I'm not sure I've heard this album since the 80s decade closed off, but I recognized most of it by memory. That's how much I used to play records back then. I had less to do in general - and not very many albums to listen to. Hearing this again raised the rating +2, but it's pure nostalgia for me. I don't think I can objectively push this album on anybody. Def Leppard were clearly shedding whatever metal roots they had and going for a more radio friendly hard rock sound. And they were good at it. Some tracks are still part of American culture's 80s obsession, especially 'Bringin' On the Heartbreak' and 'You Got Me Runnin''. There are a couple of hidden gems in here, both close off the sides: 'Switch 625' and 'No No No'. My original assessment as a teenager was spot on. But I have room for it in the collection now.
Ownership: LP: 1981 Vertigo (Germany). Single sleeve with picture inner. Got this dirt cheap directly from a local "offline" seller, that I'm certainly going to be buying a lot from going forward (or I hope to anyway...). I'll be referencing him quite a bit. I also bought a lot from him a few months ago.
8/21/22 (new entry)
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