MC5 Heavy Lifting
MC5's Heavy Lifting returns as a fistful of funk-tinged hard rock that reads like a final testament and a reunion statement rolled into one. Across three professional reviews the record earned a 67.33/100 consensus score, and critics consistently point to a mix of celebration, loss, and political agitation that keeps the collection from becoming mere nostalgia. The title track “Heavy Lifting” and “Barbarians at the Gate” emerge repeatedly as standout songs, while “Hit It Hard”, “Can’t Be Found” and “Blind Eye” receive substantial praise for bringing groove and grit to the proceedings.
Critics agree that Heavy Lifting works best when it leans into collaboration and reinvention rather than imitation. Reviewers note Tom Morello and guest turns add contemporary bite, and the band’s flirtation with sax and funk gives tracks like “Hit It Hard” an unexpected swagger. The collection’s political edge is foregrounded in pieces such as “Barbarians at the Gate” and “Change, No Change”, which reviewers describe as urgent, agitational statements that update MC5’s legacy. At the same time, some assessments register uneven moments - The Observer flags a pedestrian yelp on “The Edge of the Switchblade” - making the record feel more like a coda than a full-scale resurrection.
Taken together, the professional reviews frame Heavy Lifting as a fitting, if imperfect, comeback: a celebration of legacy that balances fondness for the past with deliberate reinvention. For those searching for the best songs on Heavy Lifting, critics point you straight to “Heavy Lifting”, “Barbarians at the Gate” and the funk-forward “Hit It Hard” as the record’s most vital moments, and the consensus suggests the album is worth hearing for fans invested in MC5’s political fury and final-stage collaborations.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Heavy Lifting
2 mentions
"When the title track opens proceedings backed by Tom Morello ’s guitars"— Classic Rock Magazine
Blind Eye
2 mentions
"Dennis ‘Machine Gun’ Thompson , who also passed away this year, delivers his own parting gift in the shape of powerful drumming on Blind Eye"— Classic Rock Magazine
Barbarians at the Gate
3 mentions
"Watch On Barbarians At The Gate has a similarly familiar stomp, and new frontman and co-writer Brad Brooks is in strident voice"— Classic Rock Magazine
When the title track opens proceedings backed by Tom Morello ’s guitars
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Heavy Lifting
Barbarians at the Gate
Change, No Change
The Edge of the Switchblade
Black Boots
I Am the Fun (The Phoney)
Twenty-Five Miles
Because of Your Car
Boys Who Play with Matches
Blind Eye
Can't Be Found
Blessed Release
Hit It Hard
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 4 critics who reviewed this album
Cl
Critic's Take
MC5 sound like survivors reclaiming a throne on Heavy Lifting, and the best songs on the record - notably “Heavy Lifting” and “The Edge Of The Switchblade” - pulse with that raging-rebel attitude. Johnny Sharp’s prose celebrates the album as a fitting comeback, where Tom Morello’s guitars and William Duvall’s guest turn help illuminate why these are the best tracks on Heavy Lifting. The band’s willingness to flirt with funk and sax on cuts like “Hit It Hard” adds a joyous, maverick flourish that keeps the record alive and interesting. Overall, the reviewer frames the album as a satisfying, spirited final testament rather than a mere nostalgia trip.
Key Points
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The title track is best for modernised power and a standout guest turn from Tom Morello.
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The album’s core strengths are its celebratory comeback spirit, guest collaborations, and willingness to diversify styles.
Themes
Critic's Take
MC5's Heavy Lifting plays like a vigorous, politically charged coda, and the review makes clear the best tracks are the urgent “Barbarians At The Gate” and the rip-roaring title cut “Heavy Lifting”. Perry writes in a muscular, anecdote-laced tone that frames these songs as direct responses to contemporary outrage, praising the album's funk-tinged grooves and agitational thrust rather than imitation of the original lineup. He singles out side-two grenades “Can’t Be Found” and “Blind Eye” for their gravelly gusto, making them among the best tracks on Heavy Lifting. The narrative is emphatic but measured, treating the record as a fitting, fun and profoundly agitational farewell from Kramer and collaborators.
Key Points
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Barbarians At The Gate is the standout for its urgent, melody-rich punk detonation and political immediacy.
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The album’s core strengths are its agitational political thrust, funk-tinged grooves, and spirited, collaborative production.
Themes
Th
Critic's Take
There is a rueful pleasure in hearing MC5 return on Heavy Lifting, a record that feels like a coda rather than a resurrection. The reviewer's voice lingers on the strongest moments - “Can’t Be Found” conjures past glories and “Hit It Hard” is deliciously funky - while calling out missteps like the generic yelp on “The Edge of the Switchblade”. The album’s political burns, from “Barbarians at the Gate” to “Change, No Change”, give it real urgency even when it does not always land perfectly.
Key Points
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“Can’t Be Found” is the best track because it successfully recalls past glories and features original drummer Dennis Thompson.
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The album’s core strengths are its funk-tinged hard rock and overt political urgency, delivered with poignancy given Kramer and Thompson’s deaths.