Jobie Reviews Music 165: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (album) by AC/DC. Requested by ActuallyApollo.

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is a 1976 hard rock album by the band AC/DC. It contains 9 tracks, encompassing 39 minutes and 49 seconds of music. AC/DC delivers some incredible hard rock tunes on this album, with each of the 9 tracks on the album being fairly enjoyable to listen to.

The album’s lyrical content is (mostly) typical for hard rock, with the titular track being a riff-filled hard rock anthem about, well, dirty deeds done dirt cheap. Bon Scott’s vocal delivery is great on this album, with tracks like “Rocker” being a great example of these well-executed vocals.

The overall musicianship that AC/DC display on this album is off the charts, with the instrumentation, in particular, being a great part of why this is. Speaking of the instrumentation on this album, it’s absolutely spectacular, with riffs and solos being present throughout the entirety of the album. Energetic hard rock anthems like “Rocker” and “There’s Gonna Be Rockin’” are perhaps the best examples of the amazing instrumentation that AC/DC presents on this album.

The album is certainly not without its quirks, however. While most of the tracks on this album are relatively fast paced hard rock/rock and roll anthems, one track in particular - that is, “Ride On”, is a comparatively slower-paced track than the other 8 tracks on the album. Think Bob Seger’s “Night Moves”, with AC/DC flair. The inclusion of the track injects some variety into the album - which, as I always say - is a great thing for any album to have.

Of course, we can’t talk about Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap without addressing “Big Balls”. Though its subject matter is quite strange (the band sings about “big balls” in a manner that could be interpreted in more than one way), the track is surprisingly enjoyable. Perhaps it's Bon Scott’s dead serious delivery of the track’s lyrical content or the unexpectedly good instrumentation, but either way, “Big Balls” is an enjoyable hard rock track nonetheless.

My favorite tracks from the album are “Dirty Deeds Done DIrt Cheap”, “Big Balls”, “Problem Child”, and “Ride On”.

Overall, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is an excellent display of musicianship by AC/DC. From energetic hard rock anthems like “Rocker” to the slower-paced rock and roll track “Ride On”, the band manage to intrigue and entertain with the 9 track album. The fact that AC/DC managed to make a song that relies solely on double entourages an enjoyable hard rock track (“Big Balls”) is a testament to how well-executed the album as a whole is. Great stuff!

Overall rating:

9.5/10

LINK TO ALBUM:

https://open.spotify.com/album/76mvVgXOde87B9aOzLXCOI