Songs from the Sparkle Lounge
by Def Leppard
  • Record Label: Mercury
  • Release Date: Apr 29, 2008
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 24 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24

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  1. BitBurn
    May 20, 2008
    4
    Nowhere near close to the glory days of Pyromania and Hysteria. Def Leppard without Mutt Lange is like bread without butter. They should stop wasting their time making records and focus exclusively on touring.
  2. Jaz
    May 21, 2008
    8
    I love Def Leppard & "Go" is a great opener, Nine Lives is good....but they need Mutt Lange to bring back the "Hysteria" - maybe he will have time now since he (Mutt) is getting a divorce.
  3. adamh.
    Aug 30, 2009
    8
    This album is outstanding. It is in most ways a logical follow up to Yeah! in that they go for a lot of the same sounds in this album. Elliot's voice is cool and gritty. I hear the Beatles on "Only the Good Die Young," and "C'mon Cmon" is the kind of feel-good hooky arena rock one would expect. But "Go" is raw and political, "Bad Actress" is sweet fun straight hard rock, "Love" This album is outstanding. It is in most ways a logical follow up to Yeah! in that they go for a lot of the same sounds in this album. Elliot's voice is cool and gritty. I hear the Beatles on "Only the Good Die Young," and "C'mon Cmon" is the kind of feel-good hooky arena rock one would expect. But "Go" is raw and political, "Bad Actress" is sweet fun straight hard rock, "Love" is a perfect ballad, and there is so much more. A no filler album! This band understands music better than anyone in their genre. If they stay on this track they will become one of the most regarded bands in rock's history.… Expand
  4. Mislav
    May 16, 2008
    6
    I like Def Leppard, and I generally prefer newer music to older music, but this is a somewhat lacking album compared to most of their previous works. 'Go' is a great opener, but Bad Actress is the only thing that comes close it its intensity throughout the remainder of the album. They just play it too safe this time around, and it's not particularly engaging.
  5. bryanw.
    May 20, 2008
    9
    Very surprised....it was really good listening....some tunes reminded me of Hsteria. The song with Mcgraw and the ballad are lousy.....but the rest is great...highly reccomended!!! After getting hopes up and purchasing x years back, i was very skeptical...but this is really good stuff!!
  6. andream.
    Jun 29, 2008
    10
    I thought there latest album sparkle was very uplifting.i have to say its one of there best. i was recently at one of there concerts were the played nine lives and it was one of best songs of the night. so they get a 10 from me.
  7. AnthonyC
    Feb 6, 2009
    10
    A rockin good cd with alot of really tight songs.Leppard keeps rockin into the 200's and beyond.
  8. nedb.
    Nov 6, 2008
    10
    This album has the classic Def Leppard feel - multiple layers of guitars and vocals and multiple layers of meaning in the lyrics, loads of detail to pick out, and polished so well it appropriately sparkles. It also has unashamed references to Def Leppard's contemporaries such as Queen, Garry Glitter, The Beatles and more. It also has some moments of uncharted stuff or Def Leppard - This album has the classic Def Leppard feel - multiple layers of guitars and vocals and multiple layers of meaning in the lyrics, loads of detail to pick out, and polished so well it appropriately sparkles. It also has unashamed references to Def Leppard's contemporaries such as Queen, Garry Glitter, The Beatles and more. It also has some moments of uncharted stuff or Def Leppard - Sav playing riff not rhythm, Girls singing backing vocals! It starts with machine gun chatter of Phil and Viv on guitar and finishes with a banshee howl from Joe on the mic. Hysteria may have been 20 years ago, but the Def Leppard magic is alive and well in this offering.… Expand
  9. MyraR.
    May 17, 2008
    9
    i am not a Def fan,but I really do like this album,and I especially like Tim on it. he rocks. He is my favorite country male singer .
  10. ShazaliS
    May 18, 2008
    10
    Yes, This is the BEST Def Lepp album since... I don't know... Hysteria?? I Looove them. I didn't buy X becos it is too poppy. It's just that Hysteria was too good, nothing can beat it. I am glad this album isn't infested with ballads. Another thing which I am glad about this album is that it's much heavier, more guitars and... did Rick Allen grow another arm? I Yes, This is the BEST Def Lepp album since... I don't know... Hysteria?? I Looove them. I didn't buy X becos it is too poppy. It's just that Hysteria was too good, nothing can beat it. I am glad this album isn't infested with ballads. Another thing which I am glad about this album is that it's much heavier, more guitars and... did Rick Allen grow another arm? I love it. Sparkle Lounge is a little different, but they don't jump ship to become emo rock band. I have no idea why they invite Tim Mcgraw, becos I couldn't differentiate their voices until I saw the video. Still, great album, but I doubt if they would reign again like 20 years ago.… Expand
  11. PerfectApproach
    May 25, 2008
    7
    It's the best effort I've seen since Euphoria (1999) at a genuine rock album. Like Euphoria, it misses the mark ever so slightly, but just enough to be forgetful. Songs like "Go" and "Bad Actress" are great guitar-driven rockers that would push Leppard onto the billboard charts. "Nine Lives" is bluesy, catchy, and will do ok. It's not the "Pour Some Sugar On Me" that I was It's the best effort I've seen since Euphoria (1999) at a genuine rock album. Like Euphoria, it misses the mark ever so slightly, but just enough to be forgetful. Songs like "Go" and "Bad Actress" are great guitar-driven rockers that would push Leppard onto the billboard charts. "Nine Lives" is bluesy, catchy, and will do ok. It's not the "Pour Some Sugar On Me" that I was hoping for though. The rest of the album simply isn't memorable. The single solitary love song on the album, "Love" is atrocious. The only redeeming quality is the beginning acoustic riff. The rest of the song sounds like Queen leftovers. The next single that is tentatively scheduled to be "C'mon C'mon," is destined for Minor League Hockey stadiums and college basketball arenas across America.… Collapse
  12. SteveA.
    Jun 12, 2008
    10
    Excellent return to more guitar-driven rock!
  13. DamienS.
    Jun 26, 2008
    5
    This is easily the worst album of Def Leppard's mostly-stellar career. The few songs where they truly throw themselves into something approaching the '70s glam rock that populated the 2006 covers album "Yeah!" ("C'mon C'mon," "Hallucinate," "Gotta Let It Go," and "Only the Good Die Young") showcase a newfound energy within the band, but that energy does not find its This is easily the worst album of Def Leppard's mostly-stellar career. The few songs where they truly throw themselves into something approaching the '70s glam rock that populated the 2006 covers album "Yeah!" ("C'mon C'mon," "Hallucinate," "Gotta Let It Go," and "Only the Good Die Young") showcase a newfound energy within the band, but that energy does not find its way onto the other tracks (espeically "Love" and "Bad Actress," two of the sleepiest performances in rock history) as the band trudges through a heavier version of their patented sound minus the hooks that were so plentiful in their heyday. Also, a note for country fans: "Nine Lives" is simply not the slightest bit country and Tim McGraw's presence is so unnecessary that it could easily go unnoticed. I've listened through it 4 times now (it is, after all, a Def Leppard album) and I simply cannot rank the album as a whole or any single song on it as belonging among the band's earlier output. Here's hoping they push the '70s glam rock envelope more on their next album and leave the attempts at recreating the '80s behind.… Expand
  14. DanM.
    Jun 29, 2008
    8
    The more I listen to this new album, the more I like it! Some good rockin tunes to crank up on the stereo. Cruise Control is awesome, even though it is a different sounding Lep track. Only the good die young, C'mon C'mon & Go are all good head moving, toe tapping tunes. Can't wait to see Lep live herein NZ in November!!!
  15. danielcardoso
    Apr 12, 2013
    5
    It's an average album. It has ups and downs. The album's first songs are epic and awesome, but then it just lacks in quality as it's not consistent. Go is an epic song, opening the spectacle with strength. Nine Lives and C'mon are awesome. Then the album starts to let me down. Hallucinate is hearable and Gotta Let It Go is awesome but Elliott's ballads are awful. They remind me of cheesyIt's an average album. It has ups and downs. The album's first songs are epic and awesome, but then it just lacks in quality as it's not consistent. Go is an epic song, opening the spectacle with strength. Nine Lives and C'mon are awesome. Then the album starts to let me down. Hallucinate is hearable and Gotta Let It Go is awesome but Elliott's ballads are awful. They remind me of cheesy awful boys bands. Anyway the album is an average artwork… Expand
  16. warrenwoodhouse
    Feb 25, 2014
    9
    I have been a fan of Def Leppard since the age of 14 and it’s been one of the albums that I have been mostly listening too. You might disagree if you’re not into rock; I assure you that listening to this album would make you agree to rock.
    It’s not always shouting, in this case, Def Leppard introduce another way to get bromance through lyrics which are easy on the ears and makes you want    I have been a fan of Def Leppard since the age of 14 and it’s been one of the albums that I have been mostly listening too. You might disagree if you’re not into rock; I assure you that listening to this album would make you agree to rock.
    It’s not always shouting, in this case, Def Leppard introduce another way to get bromance through lyrics which are easy on the ears and makes you want to sing along, even if you’re not up for it.
    I like the music on this album as it makes me happy and is a great experience if you want to get into rock music.
    I got interested in this wonderful Sheffield British Hard Rock band and I’m sure that you would too.
    “Vault” says everything about me and my personality and is the main reason for why I wanted to do this review.
    I like this band and it’s the reason for why I got into listening to rock music.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
47

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. AllMusic
    60
    It's a partially successful successor to "Yeah!," following through on some of the overall feel and punch but lacking enough songs to truly bring it across the goal line.
    Read full review
  2. Billboard
    60
    The band's first new set since 2002 is full of these well-intentioned attempts to recapture some of that '80s pyromania (or in the case of the absurdly large power ballad 'Love,' herculean '70s prog-rock balladry), but without producer Robert "Mutt" Lange, who left for the much more profitable world of country years ago, the results are solid if unspectacular.
    Read full review
  3. NOW Magazine
    60
    While they must know they won’t be reinventing the wheel any time soon, Sparkle Lounge is their most upbeat music in a while.
    Read full review
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