Album Review: Phil Rudd - Head Job

The biggest surprise you’re going to get here is that the title for Phil Rudd’s first ever solo album has nothing to do with an act of intimacy, but instead relates to a state of mind. And this isn’t meant in a pejorative way. Just as people don’t expect extended reggae jams or prog rock epics from Rudd’s day band, the solo release from AC/DC’s drummer sounds exactly how you’d expect it to sound. Head Job is an exercise in straightforward pub rock.

Chords? There aren’t a lot of them, but you can’t deny the swagger and groove of the bluesy rock contained in the album’s ten tracks. While the more high profile numbers including the AC/DC-esque lead single Repo Man and the title track have their charms, it’s the album’s deeper cuts like the slightly funky No Right and the infectiously catchy The Other Side that really hit home. Vocals are handled by Allan Badger and despite a few weak moments here and there, they generally fit the stripped down tunes.

Rudd’s drumming is of course rock solid, and the man also does a fine job behind the boards giving Head Job a sound that is sleek but doesn’t remove the raw passion of the band. For those of you into experimentation, Head Job isn’t for you. If on the other hand you listen to AC/DC’s Let There Be Rock and Rose Tattoo’s Scarred For Life on a weekly basis, this record will find an immediate home in your heart.