Accept: I'm A Rebel (Platinum Edition)

After seriously misfiring with their self titled debut, German metal titans Accept simply exploded out of the starting blocks on the 1980 follow up, I'm A Rebel. It's the title track that does the early shit kicking, a snot nosed attitude that even reminds of Aussie rabble rousers Rose Tattoo evident as Udo finds the bark that would make his name. It's also the band's first anthemic chant-along and while it may not quite have created the mould from which Accept would go on to forge their future sound, it can at least be seen as a sure footed prototype. It isn't all quite plain sailing for the line-up of Udo on vocals, Wolf Hoffmann and Jörg Fischer on guitars, Peter Baltes on bass and new drummer (and the band's ex-roadie) Stefan Kaufmann, "Save Us" almost a hybrid of Dynasty era Kiss and Abba (just dig that fruity bass line) as the vocals rasp and rattle, while the smoothly sung, Baltes fronted "No Time To Lose" heads in a more melodic Tygers Of Pan Tang or Praying Mantis direction. However, when the band get their heads down and rock out, as they do on the sparky "Thunder And Lighting", proud and strutting "China Lady", or more mainstream "Do It", there are strong hints of what this legendary outfit would go on to become. Although with Baltes also handling vocals on the faux-Rainbow smoothness of "The King", and "I Wanna Be No Hero" again introducing a strangely disco bass bump, they weren't the finished article yet.

Unlike the debut reissue in this series, I'm A Rebel comes with a bonus cut, a live romp of "I'm A Rebel", rather oddly, performed by Dirkschneider on their recent tour. The rabid manner in which it's lapped up and sung back at the band by the audience, surely reinforcing what Accept already knew… with this aggressive and individual attack, they were on to something.

In the long list of Accept's greatest moments, I'm A Rebel enters the fray much nearer the bottom than it does the top. Yet the influence and importance it played on what came next can't be underestimated. Also it's worth noting that in more melodic rock circles both this album and Accept's third, Breaker, are seen by many as the band's crowning achievements. I can't say that I quite see things the same way, yet there's no denying that I'm A Rebel has enough gruff, naive charm to make it much more engaging than its status as mere scene setter for future, fierier, Accept forays would suggest.

These "Platinum Edition" reissues will only be available in North and South America, Asia, Russia, Turkey and the Baltic Countries.

See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!

Track Listing
1. I'm A Rebel
2. Save Us
3. No Time To Lose
4. Thunder And Lightning
5. China Lady
6. I Wanna Be No Hero
7. The King
8. Do It
Bonus Track
9. I'm A Rebel (Live)

Added: April 15th 2017
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: I'm A Rebel at AFM Records
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Language: english

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