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It is no secret that Aussie lads Airbourne take their musical queues from classic Oz pub rawk trinity of Rose Tattoo, The Angels and AC/DC. Thrown in a dash of Priest and Maiden and you pretty much have their sound. And there is nothing wrong with that. It is a mighty template for rock which is something that Airbourne do well. Yet while their debut album, Running Wild, is riff after mother farking riff, then end result becomes a little ho-hum by the time you make the final track. The opening punch of Stand Up for Rock’n'Roll and Runnin’ Wild is some of best AC/DC inspired heavy riffage you’ll hear this year. but some limitations show by the end of the platter. No-once can deny that Airbourne pour their heart and sweat into their music. Their live show is consistently praised (a must for any decent band) and their good time rock’n'roll is done with earnest. Yet these young apprentices still have yet to learn some of the lessons from their musical masters. One thing is to get behind the beat just a little. The rhythm section’s infectious enthusiasm on Running Wild carries the songs just a little too forward. Hold it back a tad and the space will open up. That is one secret behind AC/DC’s big sound - the space. Even when playing a fast tune like Riff Raff, Angus and the lads always had a sense of time and space to work withing. A big factor in this is Phil Rudd who while a master of the steady beat, has just enough swing to help open the chords. And you can’t have that rock’n'roll swagger if on the beat all the time. The pace of the album works against the lads in creating something really sinister and sexy. The tales of braggadocio just don’t really ring true unlike an Angry or a Bon. Sure that sets the bar very high but if you are going to hoe the same ground, that is what you will be judged against. But the young upstarts from Warrnambool are giving it their all. And it sounds a lot better than the pretentious “Look at moi! I’m a serious artiste!” dreck that pollutes the ears of Pitchfork hipsters. If you need to get your Gibson SG through a Marshall jams out this winter then Airbourne will do the job nicely.