Track Listing

1. Rising Power
2. Badlands
3. Brain Shake
4. Flick Of The Switch
5. Deep In The Hole
6. Landslide
7. Guns For Hire
8. Bedlam In Belgium

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6036 in Music
• Released on: 2003-07-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

CD Description
Detractors have long called minimalist bands such as AC/DC,Bad Company and ZZ Top formulaic. By paring rock down to its most basic elements, these bands forged a musical terrain where anything less than mastery over the form would reveal gaping holes in the structure. Remember that there are no keyboards filling up space, or creating diversions on an AC/DCrecord. The point is, AC/DC's approach may not have varied an inch over the years and it may very well be a formula. Itis also a highly effective one.
FLICK OF THE SWITCH carries the spirit of the band's hard rock crunch with capable aplomb. Massive guitar riffs that could capsize a medium sizeboat, a stomping 4/4-rhythm section and Brian Johnson screeching like a banshee on the warpath. The album's highlights are the mid-tempo "Rising Power", and the bruising title track. When Johnson screams "With a flick of the switch she'll blow you sky high" on the latter, AC/DC proves itself still capable of explosive outbursts.

Customer Reviews

underrated. overlooked.
Having followed ac/dc for about 24 years, this album always strikes me as unfairly judged by most. I think this, and powerage are their most underrated works.
Its a good, solid album, and I have always preferred it to back in black and for those about to rock (yes you read me right!)
The reviewer who said give this a chance despite most other reviews was right - this was perhaps their last good album before the serious decline which started with the dreadful fly on the wall(which may have been better but for awful production).

Being one of those fans who has always 'made do' with brian johnson - not a patch on bon scott, whose vocals had character as opposed to johnsons one dimensional screech - I judge the johnson era albums more harshly, but I seriously recommend flick of the switch as worth revisiting.

In summary, buy this album, its good value in the grand scheme of ac/dc albums, its solid, coherent, has good riffs and GOOD SONGS (theyve recaptured their SOUND on their two last albums but not their SONGS) - the terms 'overlooked' and 'underrated' are used too often in relation to weak spots in a bands career, but in this case those terms were never more accurate. Dont miss out on this one. I only gave it four stars because I'm not a brain johnson fan!

A fans' classic and an all time great rock album
People who criticise this are usually music journalists (enough said), or 'casual' AC/DC fans who only really dial in to the more commercial releases. To true fans, this is a mammoth record. Angus and Malcolm produced it, deciding to go back to a rawer sound, and they achieved this in a big way, whilst still keeping the sound 'big'. The record just screams out of the speakers. It's really well recorded and mixed, with every element pretty much spot on; nice dry drums, gorgeous, rich chords and lead tones, and pure power from Brian Johnson. Johnson shines on this record. Aside from Blackie Lawless out of WASP, it's hard to find another singer who put such intensity into every note and who sung high over and over again despite knowing how hard this would be to replicate live. Angus is on top form, with fluid, blistering solos full of his usual blues lines and interesting note selection - not to mention one of the greatest vibratos in rock guitar history. The songs work well in their order, with stomping, powerful tempos being the order of the day, balanced by two ferocious and fast tracks at the end of each side. To my ears, every song is an absolute corker; every time I try to choose a handful to recommend I select 8 or so out of the 10 on there. Rising Power is, by Angus' admission, a little different, and has a great two-part solo. House Is On Fire has great ringing chords, a cracking solo, and Brian again sounding awesome. The title track is all power and energy, and Nervous Shakedown an all-time fans' classic for the band, with its meaty chord inversions, dramatically intense vocals, cool lyrics telling a tale, and majestic, chiming powerchords. Guns For Hire was a show opener - catchy and fluid, Bedlam in Belgium another relentless show of energy, with interesting lyrics about a true cop-bust at a gig. Badlands almost has a ZZ Top feel, lazy, fat, powerful chords drone out accompanied by huge vocals from Johnson.
Hard to find fault in this anywhere, but perhaps I'd recommend to turn the bass up a little, make the sound a little warmer. In short; one of my favourite records of all time.

Back to basics, but dam sure no low point!
To Start off with anyone who reads the other (two star) review for this album and takes any notice of it really should re- consider.
When AC/DC recorded Flick the switch they had come of the back of three of the greatest rock and roll masterpieces ever- Highway to hell, Back in black and For those about to rock(we salute you). All of which were produced by John "Mutt" Lange who was hired to sharpen the edges of a band who were already threatening world domination.
However for a band that had grown to megolithic proportions in just over three years another such album was not what they had in mind, All the fanfare was starting to wear the band down at live shows and the brothers young feared loseing their original and unique sound and so it was the band said farewell to 'Mutt' and decided that they would for the first time produce their own album.
AC/DC returned to the studio and recorded easily their most under-rated album which is a real shame because it really does deserve a LOT more credit. From the Kicking start of "Riseing Power" through to the electric finish of "Brain Shake" all of AC/DC's raw power and guts and glory Rock N' Roll is on display for all to hear. Obvious highlights would sertainly be "flick of the switch" and quite simply the best AC/DC song since "Back in Black" with a riff that could make lesser bands litterally cry and beg for forgiveness at their feeble efforts "nervous Shakedown".
Yes this album is back to basics but only a true fool would condem this as a bad thing, "Flick of the Switch" proves forever that AC/DC don't need no pyro's or anthing else to rock your socks off - disregard this album and you will regret it when a more sensible person kindly plays it to you. AC/DC RULE!!