Nazareth: Studio Albums Collection (1971-1986) [Salvo Remasters] Re-up

The Scottish hard rock quartet Nazareth had a handful of hard rock hits in the late '70s, including the proto-power ballad "Love Hurts." Formed in 1968, the band featured vocalist Dan McCafferty, guitarist Manny Charlton, bassist Pete Agnew, and drummer Darrell Sweet. The band had relocated to London by 1970, and they released their self-titled debut album in 1971. Both Nazareth and 1972's Exercises received favorable attention by British hard rockers, but it was 1973's Razamanaz that moved them into the U.K. Top Ten (both "Broken Down Angel" and "Bad Bad Boy" were hit singles). Loud 'n' Proud and Rampant (both 1974) followed the same formula, yet were slightly less successful.

Released the following year, Hair of the Dog established Nazareth as an internationally popular hard rock band. Featuring their revamped version of the Everly Brothers' "Love Hurts," the album sold over a million copies in the U.S. Until the end of the '70s, the band continued successfully as a quartet, releasing a series of Top 100 albums. In 1979, they added former Sensational Alex Harvey Band guitarist Zal Cleminson to their lineup; he left after recording two albums – 1979's No Mean City and 1980's Malice in Wonderland – and was replaced by former Spirit keyboardist John Locke. Following the 1981 live album 'Snaz, guitarist Bill Rankin also joined the group; Locke left soon after his addition and Rankin switched to keyboards.

By this time, their commercial appeal had dwindled across both the U.K. and the U.S. By the mid-'80s, Nazareth was left without a record contract, so the band was put on hiatus for a few years. They returned in 1992 with No Jive, which failed to gain an audience in America and Europe. In 1999, Nazareth resurfaced yet again with Boogaloo.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG

Nazareth

This 1971 self-titled debut may stun fans who are accustomed to the hard-driving rock and gritty power ballads that characterize Nazareth's more popular work. Nazareth is a diverse collection of songs that points the way towards the pop leanings that would dominate the group's later output. Although it lacks the consistency of later albums like Hair of the Dog and Expect No Mercy, fans of 1970s rock will find plenty to enjoy on this surprisingly adventurous disc. The overall sound is softer than the hard rock the group is best known for, but that doesn't mean the album isn't lacking in good old-fashioned rock & roll. "Witchdoctor Woman" is a moody rocker built on a slow, spooky fuzz guitar riff, and the group's sinister cover of "Morning Dew" transforms this folk classic into a hard rock epic that provides a powerful showcase for Manny Charlton's powerful but imaginative guitar work. A lot of time is also devoted to country-styled ballads like "I Had a Dream" and "Country Girl," which set dreamy melodies against a gentle backdrop of keyboards and steel guitar. The most surprising thing about Nazareth is the experimental, effects-laden approach used to bring the songs to life; the best example is the use of a voice box guitar for the much of the vocal on "Fat Man," which enhances the loneliness of the lyrics. There are also touches of orchestration, the most interesting use appearing on "Red Light Lady," a song that starts off as a steamy, guitar-heavy rocker but transforms midway through into a stately ballad driven by a powerful string arrangement. All in all, Nazareth tries out too many different styles to ever cohere, but it does effectively show off the chops and songwriting skills of this oft-underrated band. It is a necessary listen for the group's fans and may even win over '70s rock fans who wouldn't normally go for the Nazareth sound.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Exercises

Listening to Exercises by '70s Scottish hard rockers Nazareth just one time will make you wonder how this could possibly be the same band that went on to record such hard rock classics as "Hair of the Dog," "Bad, Bad, Boy," and "Love Hurts." Exercises, the band's sophomore effort, is a collection of mostly acoustic tracks with lush harmonies and little sign of the driving in-your-face rock that they showcased on their debut Nazareth. The album has a few good moments but it certainly is a document of a band that has made a temporary mistake in deciding their musical direction. The band was known for being a pure powerful hard rock band in concert and on later releases, but on this album they decided to abandon the riff-heavy guitar assault they showcased as a live act. On tracks like "Madelaine" and "In My Time," the band comes across more like laid-back English pop balladeers Badfinger than their real contemporaries like Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy. The role of acoustic folkies does not suit Nazareth well. There are a few strong moments on the album. "Woke Up This Morning" is a strong track that provides a bluesy vocal performance by Dan McCafferty, driving rhythm, and some great slide guitar work by Manny Charlton. "Called Her Name" is another song where the listener will find the band hitting full stride and sounding much more comfortable. Unfortunately, moments like these are too far and few between on this album. Fortunately with the help of Deep Purple bassist/producer Roger Glover, the band managed to return to their hard rock style and finally captured their live sound on their follow-up album, 1973's Razamanaz, which cemented their reputation as an upper-echelon hard rock act of the '70s.

by Paul Tinelli, AMG

Tracklist:

Nazareth (1971)

01. Witchdoctor Woman - 4:07
02. Dear John - 3:47
03. Empty Arms, Empty Heart - 3:14
04. I Had A Dream - 3:22
05. Red Light Lady (Part 1 & 2) - 6:00
06. Fat Man - 3:25
07. Country Girl - 4:05
08. Morning Dew - 7:06
09. The King Is Dead - 4:44

Exercises (1972)

10. I Will Not Be Led - 3:05
11. Cat’s Eye, Apple Pie - 3:05
12. In My Time - 3:29
13. Woke Up This Morning - 3:11
14. Called Your Name - 4:30
15. Fool About You - 2:47
16. Love Now You’re Gone - 2:26
17. Madelaine - 5:54
18. Sad Song - 2:15
19. 1692 (Glencoe Massacre) - 3:55

After pursuing a Rolling Stones-styled blend of rock and country elements on their first two albums, Nazareth segued into a harder rocking style with 1973's Razamanaz. The resulting album has a lot of energy and drive and much of this can be credited to Roger Glover's production, which tempers the group's tendency to experiment with different musical styles by imposing an overall sound that play's up the group's hard rock edge. The end result is an album that rocks consistently throughout but works in intriguing musical elements to keep things interesting. For instance, "Alcatraz" and "Night Woman" work a glam-styled tribal drum rhythm into the group's sound, and "Vigilante Man" starts out as a straight blues tune but soon mutates into a stomping slice of heavy metal. The most successful experiments come when the group works a country element into their rock attack: "Broken Down Angel" sounds like an early 1970s Rolling Stones track with heavier guitars, and "Bad Bad Boy" sounds like an old rockabilly tune as played by a 1970s hard rock band. Both tunes cleverly mix some effective pop hooks into their stew of hard rock and country elements and became hit singles in England as a result. Other Razamanaz highlights include the title track, a furious rocker that became a permanent part of the band's live set list, and "Woke Up This Morning," a heavy blues tune with darkly comic lyrics about a man with terminally bad luck. To sum up, Razamanaz is one of the finest albums in the Nazareth catalog and a gem of 1970s hard rock in general.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Razamanaz - 3:50
02. Alcatraz - 4:23
03. Vigilante man - 5:21
04. Woke up this morning - 3:53
05. Night woman - 3:29
06. Bad bad boy - 3:57
07. Sold my soul - 4:49
08. Too bad too sad - 2:56
09. Broken down angel - 3:45

Bonus Tracks:

10. Hard living (B-Side of Bad bad boy) - 3:02
11. Spinning top (B-Side of Bad bad boy) - 3:07
12. Razamanaz (BBC Session) - 4:15
13. Night woman (BBC Session) - 3:26
14. Broken down angel (BBC Session) - 4:02
15. Vigilante man (BBC Session) - 5:04

After putting themselves on the hard rock map with Razamanaz, Nazareth took their new, forceful style even further the next year on Loud & Proud. With Roger Glover once again at the controls, the group added even higher levels of distortion and energy to create one of the hardest rocking items in their catalog: "Go Down Fighting" starts the album with a sonic boom thanks to its blend of furious riffing with a breathless tempo, and the group's cover of "Teenage Nervous Breakdown" transforms this Little Feat into a runaway locomotive of hard rock riffing. However, the album's definitive moment of heaviness is their extended reworking of Bob Dylan's "The Ballad of Hollis Brown," which drenches the tune in ungodly levels of feedback to create an ominous, horror movie-style feel. Loud & Proud also produced another hit single for the group with a cover of Joni Mitchell's "This Flight Tonight," which transforms the wistful original into a throbbing rock song. The end result of this ultra-heavy approach is that the album lacks the accessibility and high level of experimentation that characterized Razamanaz. That said, the album does retain a few stylistic curve balls to keep listeners on their toes: "Turn on Your Receiver" is a mid-tempo slice of country rock (complete with an exaggerated Southern accent in the vocal) and "Child in the Sun," a stately ballad dominated by acoustic guitars. In the end, Loud & Proud lacks the crossover appeal of Razamanaz but remains a bracing collection of rockers that will entertain Nazareth fans and anyone else with a yen for 1970s hard rock.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Go down fighting - 3:06
02. Not faking it - 4:01
03. Turn on your receiver - 3:20
04. Teenage nervous breakdown - 3:43
05. Freewheeler - 5:32
06. This flight tonight - 3:24
07. Child in the sun - 4:52
08. The ballad of Hollis Brown - 9:12

Bonus Tracks:

09. Turn on your receiver (BBC Session) - 3:38
10. Too bad too sad (BBC Session) - 2:52
11. Razamanaz (BBC Session) - 3:53
12. Bad bad boy (BBC Session) - 3:35

Nazareth's second album of 1974 finds the group tempering the four-on-the-floor hard rock attack they developed on Loud and Proud by working a surprising and effective Southern rock edge into the songs. The end result is an album that sounds like a crossbreeding of early AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd at their hardest rocking. Some of the country-tinged highlights include "Glad When You're Gone," a funny kissoff to an unwanted lover that pairs hillbilly-styled singing with wah-wah-drenched guitar riffs, and "Jet Lag," a tongue-in-cheek look at life as a touring rock & roller that is driven by some. However, the finest song in this vein is the powerful opener "Silver Dollar Forger"; this hard rocking tale of an outlaw racing home with the cops on his tail has a suprisingly elaborate arrangement and plenty of driving guitar riffs. It feels like the theme song to the great 1970s car chase movie that never was. Rampant also spawned a hit single and radio favorite with "Shanghai'd in Shanghai," a pile-driving rocker that works an effective stomping beat into its shout-along chorus. The downside of this album is that it lacks the experimental edge of Razamanaz; there is little variation in the style or musical elements from song to song. That said, Rampant is a consistently energetic and engaging collection of Southern-tinged hard rock that will please Nazareth's fanbase and may even win over fans of groups like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet with its effective grasp of Southern boogie.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Silver Dollar Forger - 5:37
02. Glad when you're gone - 4:17
03. Loved and lost - 5:12
04. Shanghai'd in Shanghai - 3:44
05. Jet lag - 6:43
06. Light my way - 4:10
07. Sunshine - 4:15
08. (A) Shapes of things (B) Space safari - 6:19

Bonus Tracks:

09. Down (B-Side of Love hurts) - 3:55
10. Razamanaz (BBC live recording) - 4:33
11. Night woman (BBC live recording) - 4:01
12. Alcatraz (BBC live recording) - 4:23
13. Vigilante man (BBC live recording) - 5:43
14. Morning dew (BBC live recording) - 7:38
15. Broken down angel (BBC live recording) - 4:26
16. Woke up this morning (BBC live recording) - 4:58

After slowly but surely building a fanbase around the world with albums like Razamanaz and Loud 'N' Proud, Nazareth finally hit the big time in 1975 with Hair of the Dog. The title track sets the mood for this stark album of hard rock with its combination of relentless guitar riffs, a throbbing, cowbell-driven beat, and an angry vocal from Dan McCafferty that denounces a "heart-breaker, soul-shaker." The end result is a memorably ferocious rocker that has become a staple of hard rock radio stations. The remainder of the album divides its time between similarly pulverizing hard rock fare and some intriguing experiments with the group's sound. In the rocker category, notable tracks include "Miss Misery," a bad romance lament driven by a doomy riff worthy of Black Sabbath, and "Changin' Times," a throbbing hard rock tune driven by a hypnotic, circular-sounding guitar riff. In the experimental category, the big highlight is "Please Don't Judas Me," an epic tune about paranoia that trades heavy metal riffs for a spooky, synthesizer-dominated atmosphere that is further enhanced by some light, Pink Floyd-styled slide guitar work. The American edition of this album also included a surprise hit for the group with their power ballad reinterpretation of the Everly Brothers classic "Love Hurts." However, the album's surprise highlight is a song that bridges the gap between the straight hard rock and experimental songs, "Beggars Day/Rose in Heather"; it starts out as a stomping rocker but smoothly transforms itself midway through into a gentle and spacey instrumental where soaring synthesizer lines support some moody guitar work. All in all, Hair of the Dog is the finest album in the Nazareth catalog. It is a necessity for both the group's fans and anyone who loves 1970s hard rock.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Hair of the dog - 4:11
02. Miss misery - 4:43
03. Guilty - 3:41
04. Changin' times - 6:00
05. A: Beggar's day B: Rose in the heather - 6:30
06. Whiskey drinkin' woman - 5:30
07. Please don't Judas me - 9:44

Bonus Tracks:

08. Love hurts (Single) - 3:52
09. My white bicycle (Single) - 3:26
10. Holy roller (Single) - 3:25
11. Railroad boy (B-Side of Holy roller) - 4:07
12. Hair of the dog (BBC Live recording) - 3:47
13. Holy roller (BBC Live recording) - 4:22
14. Teenage nervous breakdown (BBC Live recording) - 4:22
15. This flight tonight (BBC Live recording) - 3:38
16. Road ladies (BBC Live recording) - 7:03

Close Enough for Rock 'n' Roll

After cornering the hard rock market in 1975 with the international success of Hair of the Dog, Nazareth surprised fans and listeners alike the next year when they traded that style for a softer, more AOR approach on Close Enough for Rock & Roll. The resulting album isn't as successful as their previous one, but is a tuneful affair that offers plenty of highlights for the Nazareth fan. This time out, they go for an across-the-board experimental approach that covers everything from their traditional hard rock to country-rock and even straight pop tunes. The ultimate example of this experimentation is "Telegram," a four-part rock opera about life on tour for a rock band that starts as a frenzied rocker and ends a piano-led sing-along. Other strong tracks include "You're the Violin," a hard rocking love song that includes plenty of inventive guitar work to bring its music as love metaphors to life, and "Carry Out Feelings," a poppy love lament that successfully incorporates a reggae groove into the band's sound. Although hard rock is downplayed in general on this album, Close Enough for Rock & Roll does sport a few sharp rockers: "Born Under the Wrong Side" uses driving voice box guitar riffs to create a menacing atmosphere, and "Lift the Lid" is an effective slice of boogie rock. All in all, Close Enough for Rock & Roll is too unfocused to fully succeed as an album but offers solid tunes and the quality musicianship necessary to back them up. Casual fans may want to pick up the album's radio hits on a compilation, but this album is a worthwhile listen for the hardcore Nazareth addict.

Play 'n' the Game

Play 'N' the Game found Nazareth continuing in the AOR direction they established with Close Enough for Rock 'n' Roll. Like that album, it trades the driving rock that made the group famous for an experimental sound that toys with several different musical genres. For instance, "Down Home Girl" is a stab at Southern rock, and the group's cover of the Beach Boys classic "Wild Honey" slows down that song's tempo to create an effects-laden psychedelic atmosphere. Elsewhere, the group covers the hard rock bases with "Someone to Roll" and "Born to Love," a pair of energetic, guitar-driven rockers that would have fit in fine on Razamanaz or Loud & Proud. They also cross-breed the energy of these tracks with pop hooks on "L.A. Girls," a nimble bit of pop/rock fusion where speedy guitar riffs duke it out a with handclap-driven pop song beat. However, the undeniable highlights of Play 'N' the Game are its ballads: "I Want to Do Everything for You" is a promise of eternal love built on a swinging and pleasingly earthy bass groove and "I Don't Want to Go on Without You" is a moody tale of lost love that shows off Manny Charlton's ability to craft the soft but powerful guitar riffs necessary for a good power ballad. This album benefits from a more consistent overall sound than Close Enough for Rock 'n' Roll, but its shifts in tone are too abrupt for their own good, making the proceedings come off as a loose collection of songs instead of a fully conceived album. Despite this problem, Play 'N' the Game is an effective slice of AOR that will please the Nazareth fan base.

Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

Close Enough for Rock 'n' Roll (1976)

01. Telegram Part 1-4 - 7:49
02. Vicki - 2:21
03. Homesick again - 4:34
04. Vancouver shakedown - 4:05
05. Born under the wrong sign - 3:56
06. Loretta - 3:18
07. Carry out feelings - 3:19
08. Lift the lid - 3:53
09. You're the violin - 4:45

Play 'n' the Game (1976)

10. Somebody to roll - 3:55
11. Down home girl - 5:04
12. Flying - 4:19
13. Waiting for the man - 4:54
14. Born to love - 3:58
15. I want to do everything for you - 4:19
16. I don't want to go on without you - 3:47
17. Wild honey - 3:02
18. L. A. Girls - 3:49

Bonus Tracks:

19. Good love (Bonus track) (B-Side of I don't want to go on without you) - 3:52

On this 1977 album, Nazareth makes a full-blooded return to the hard rock sound they had neglected since their success with Hair of the Dog. The result is a potent, driving slab of hard rock that will please Nazareth fans and devotees of 1970s hard rock alike. The album sets its frenzied tone right off the bat with its title track, a blistering rocker that features Dan McCafferty spitting out a sharp-edged vocal about life's cruelty over a series of fast and relentless guitar riffs. The remainder of the album prominently features a similarly brutal string of rockers: standouts include "Revenge Is Sweet," a paean to getting even that combines chugging guitar riffs with a stomping beat, and "Gimme What's Mine," a fierce declaration of dominance that layers Southern rock-styled riffs over a churning bassline. Despite this preponderance of hard rocking tunes, Expect No Mercy isn't just a guitar-fest. It also takes time to explore country-rock (there is an excellent, rocked-up cover of the country standard "Busted" as well as a honky tonk-style original called "Place in Your Heart") and even a little bit of funk (a hard-grooving slice of funk-rock fusion called "New York Broken Toy"). The album never takes the daring stylistic chance within the hard rock formula that distinguished Razamanaz or Hair of the Dog, but this is minor quibble in light of the album's high levels of consistency and quality. In short, Expect No Mercy is a treat for Nazareth fans and a solid listen for any hard rock fan who wants a good indication of the group's style.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Expect no mercy - 3:26
02. Gone dead train - 3:44
03. Shot me down - 3:30
04. Revenge is sweet - 3:04
05. Gimme what's mine - 3:46
06. Kentucky fried blues - 3:08
07. New York broken toy - 3:38
08. Busted - 3:40
09. Place in your heart - 3:02
10. All the king's horses - 4:23

Bonus Tracks:

11. Kentucky fried blues (Alternative Version) - 3:17
12. Gone dead train (Alternative Version) - 3:25
13. Shot me down (Alternative Version) - 3:44
14. Greens (Alternative Version) - 2:54
15. Life of a dog (Alternative Version) - 4:16
16. New York broken toy (Alternative Version) - 3:50
17. Revenge is sweet (Alternative Version) - 3:08
18. Desolation road (Alternative Version) - 3:10
19. Can't keep a good man down (Alternative Version) - 4:18
20. Moonlight eyes (Alternative Version) - 2:49

This 1978 album found Nazareth continuing to mine the combination of stripped-down hard rock and roots rock sounds explored on 1977's Expect No Mercy. No Mean City is also notable because the veteran Scottish rock outfit expanded its lineup for the first time with addition of guitarist Zal Cleminson, formerly of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. He helped the band create a gutsy twin-guitar attack that stamps its authority all over the album: prime example of the group's new firepower include "Just to Get Into It," a blinding speed rocker that provides the album with a fitting opener, and "Simple Solution," a hard-driving slab of boogie rock that sets cynical lyrics against the backdrop of a gritty, hypnotic guitar riff. Another major highlight is "May the Sunshine," which starts as a Celtic-inflected acoustic tune, but soon adds electric guitars and rumbling bassline to become a stomping folk metal tune in the style of Led Zeppelin. However, the album's secret gem is "Star," a power ballad about a love affair broken up by the music biz that is driven by a sweetly harmonized guitar riff almost as heart-tugging as the song's lyrics. The problems with No Mean City is that while all of its rockers are sturdy, some of them pale in comparison to these highlights: an example is "Claim to Fame," a rocker that relies upon endless repetition of its central riff but is saved by a ferocious vocal from Dan McCafferty. Also, the emphasis on heavy twin-guitar means there is less of the experimentation that distinguishes the best Nazareth album. That said, No Mean City remains a bracing and electric set of hard rock tunes that is well worth a listen for both Nazareth fans and anyone addicted to 1970s hard rock.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Just To Get Into It - 4:22
02. May The Sunshine - 4:52
03. Simple Solution (Part 1&2) - 4:58
04. Star - 4:54
05. Claim To Fame - 4:27
06. Whatever You Want Babe - 3:42
07. What's In It For Me - 4:16
08. No Mean City (Part 1&2) - 6:25

Bonus Tracks:

09. May The Sunshine (Single Mix, bonus track) - 3:32
10. Snaefell (bonus track) - 3:38

As the 1980s began, Nazareth decided to return to the AOR experimentation they had toyed with during the 1970s on albums like Close Enough for Rock & Roll and Play 'N the Game. They also made a play for AOR viability by hiring West Coast session legend Jeff "Skunk" Baxter to produce the album. However, they managed to retain their identity as a hard rocking group this time out by tempering their pop experimentation with a tougher sound that took advantage of their new dual-guitar lineup. The end result is an album that effectively blends the energy and firepower that fueled Nazareth's best hard rock recordings with a slick, radio-friendly soundscape that is easy on the ears. A good example of this careful balance is the album opener "Holiday," a witty send-up of rich rock & rollers that effectively layers a sing-along chorus done in a mock-calypso style and some slick harmonies over its boogie beat and fat power chords. Other experimental highlights include "Big Boy," a mid-tempo rocker with a reggae chorus, and "Ship of Dreams," an acoustic rocker with a Spanish-inspired flamenco melody. Meanwhile, the group satisfies their hard rock fanbase with tracks like "Talkin to One of the Boys," a lightning-speed rocker built on a blinding dual-guitar riff, and "Showdown at the Border," an insistent guitar showcase with riffs and solos to spare. Malice in Wonderland also produced a notable hit for Nazareth in "Heart's Grown Cold," a kiss-off ballad that starts with a delicate acoustic melody and builds into an all-stops-out production where bombastic guitars support a group of backup singers wailing the song's chorus. All in all, Malice in Wonderland is one of the high points in Nazareth's career and the best-ever fusion of their hard rock and AOR tendencies. In short, it's required listening for the group's fans and also an album likely to please hard rock lovers and AOR fanatics alike.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Holiday - 3:36
02. Showdown at the Border - 4:09
03. Talkin' to One of the Boys - 4:14
04. Heart's Grown Cold - 4:14
05. Fast Cars - 4:35
06. Big Boy - 3:36
07. Talkin' Bout Love - 3:57
08. Fallen Angel - 4:42
09. Ship of Dreams - 4:07
10. Turning a New Leaf - 3:57

Bonus Tracks:

11. I Want to Do Everything for You (live) (bonus) - 5:13
12. Showdown at the Border (live) (bonus) - 4:19
13. Beggars Day (live) (bonus) - 3:55
14. Big Boy (live) (bonus) - 5:18
15. Holiday/This Flight Tonight (live) (bonus) - 7:07
16. Expect No Mercy (live) (bonus) - 3:46
17. Broken Down Angel (live) (bonus) - 5:00

After effectively bridging the gap between hard rock and AOR sounds on Malicein Wonderland, Nazareth tips the scale in the wrong direction with this misguided followup. The biggest problem with The Fool Circle is the overbearing slickness of its production, which saps much of the energy from the proceeding by putting too heavy a focus on the pop elements of each song. For instance, tinkly piano sounds are allowed to overwhelm the guitar on the album's biggest single, "Dressed to Kill." The lyrics also suffer this time out because they strain to make political commentary and come off painfully heavy handed as a result; the obvious example is "Pop the Silo," a cautionary tale about nuclear warfare whose paranoid scenario is so exaggerated that it becomes unintentionally humorous. The group had lost guitarist Zal Cleminson by this time, and his loss is felt in the group's less-than-muscular delivery on this album (however, Cleminson appears briefly on a thrown-in live version of Eric Clapton classic "Cocaine," and the momentary shot of excitement it gives to this album only makes the remaining songs look even more lifeless by comparison). Despite all these problems, The Fool Circle isn't a complete loss: "Let Me Be Your Leader" combines some of the album's better politically-oriented lyrics with a sinuous reggae groove, and the aforementioned "Cocaine" successfully transforms that mid-tempo rocker into an acoustic-styled reggae. Just the same, The Fool Circle is one of the more disappointing albums in the group's catalog and can only be recommended to Nazareth completists.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Tracklist:

01. Dressed To Kill - 3:32
02. Another Year - 3:31
03. Moonlight Eyes - 3:36
04. Pop The Silo - 3:20
05. Let Me Be Your Leader - 3:51
06. We Are The People - 3:36
07. Every Young Man's Dream - 3:18
08. Little Part Of You - 3:30
09. Cocaine (live) - 4:36
10. Victoria - 3:21

Bonus Tracks:

11. Morgantau (bonus) - 4:01
12. Crazy (a suitable case for treatment) (bonus) - 3:25
13. Razamanaz (live) (bonus) - 4:23
14. Heart's Grown Cold (live) (bonus) - 5:44
15. Talkin' To One Of The Boys (live) (bonus) - 4:44
16. Hair Of The Dog (live) (bonus) - 4:54

2XS

After spending much of 1981 involved in a successful tour, Nazareth returned to the studio with a newfound sense of vigor the next year. The album they produced was 2XS, an outing that stands alongside Malice in Wonderland as one of their finest achievements during the 1980s. Although its sound goes for the sonic sleekness of AOR, it does not skimp on the hard rock elements. For instance, "Love Leads to Madness" boasts the kind of sumptuous power ballad melody that helped it become a radio favorite but is also layered with plenty of surprisingly heavy power chords. 2XS also finds the group cranking out some of their most furious rockers since the days of Expect No Mercy and No Mean City: "Boys in the Band" is guitar-fuelled declaration of intent that moves at a head-spinning double-time tempo, and "Gatecrash" is a party rocker that swings with the raucous verve of early hits like "Bad Bad Boy." Another surprising element of 2XS is the way it works a surprising new wave element into the group's style: "You Love Another" is a creepy, synthesizer-drenched breakup ballad that would have fit in fine on one of the Cars' early albums, and "Preservation" infuses the Nazareth rock sound with a churning bassline and burbling electronic sounds. The end result of all these elements is an album that creates an effective and personalized fusion of hard rock and AOR elements. It may not contain enough of either style for purist fans of those genres, but Nazareth fans and adventurous rock fans will find plenty to enjoy on 2XS.

by Donald A. Guarisco, AMG

Sound Elixir
After Nazareth's 12-year association with A&M Records ended in 1982, the group signed with MCA Records, and shortly thereafter, they released what would be their last major-label collection on new material, Sound Elixir. By 1983, when this recording was first issued on MCA, Nazareth was clearly declining commercially and artistically. Yet, like every Nazareth recording, there are plenty of bright spots that fans of the band should enjoy. Highlights include powerful opener "Why Don't You Read the Book" and "Rain on the Window." While there's nothing really bad about Sound Elixir, it's very removed from the best Nazareth material of the '70s, both in terms of musical intentions and also technical and artistic execution.

by Jason Anderson, AMG

Tracklist:

2XS (1982)

01. Love Leads To Madness - 4:04
02. Boys In The Band - 3:04
03. You Love Another - 3:56
04. Gatecrash - 3:20
05. Games - 4:46
06. Back To The Trenches - 4:00
07. Dream On - 3:25
08. Lonely In The Night - 4:21
09. Perservation - 4:01
10. Take The Rap - 2:40
11. Mexico - 2:50

Sound Elixir (1983)

12. All Nite Radio - 4:08
13. Milk & Honey - 4:05
14. Whippin' Boy - 4:41
15. Rain On The Window - 4:21
16. Backroom Boys - 3:19
17. Why Don't You Read The Book - 3:43
18. I Ran - 4:27
19. Rags To Riches - 3:23
20. Local Still - 3:30
21. Where Are You Now - 3:54

Cinema

In the mid-'80s, while big hair and flashy light shows were taking over what was then being called heavy metal, bands like Nazareth – who had helped to define that genre in the '70s – found it harder and harder to maintain an audience. Released in 1986, Cinema did little to stifle that decline, but the disc is nonetheless a solid offering from the veteran hard rockers. There had been many lineup changes by the time this record hit the stores, so capturing any of the elusive early-career magic probably wasn't impossible, but Dan McCafferty's voice is in decent form on Cinema and songs like "Just Another Heartache," "Other Side of You," "One From the Heart," and "A Veteran's Song" are quality songs, enhanced by the vocalist's signature rasp. Certainly a healthy enough recording to interest serious fans of the band, Cinema doesn't quite hold up to Nazareth's best mid- to late-'70s releases, but might just surprise listeners curious about the group's evolution.

by Jason Anderson, AMG

Tracklist CD1 - The Catch (1984):

01. Party Down - 6:25
02. Ruby Tuesday - 3:27
03. Last Exit Brooklyn - 3:59
04. Moondance - 4:44
05. Love Of Freedom - 4:29
06. This Month's Messiah - 5:17
07. You Don't Believe In Us - 6:38
08. Sweetheart Tree - 3:02
09. Road To Nowhere - 4:01

Bonus Tracks:

10. Do You Think About It (EP B-side) - 3:46
11. Party Down (Single Version) - 4:54


Tracklist CD2 - Cinema (1986):

01. Cinema - 4:42
02. Juliet - 4:09
03. Just Another Heartache - 5:04
04. Other Side Of You - 3:45
05. Hit The Fan - 3:36
06. One From The Heart - 4:23
07. Salty Salty - 3:48
08. White Boy - 5:08
09. A Veterans Song - 5:29

Bonus Tracks:

10. Beggar's Day (BBC Live Version) - 4:12
11. Cocaine (BBC Live Version) - 3:55
12. Party Down (BBC Live Version) - 4:13
13. This Month's Messiah (BBC Live Version) - 5:23
14. This Flight Tonight (BBC Live Version) - 4:03
15. Bad Bad Boy (BBC Live Version) - 4:45
16. Teenage Nervous Breakdown (BBC Live Version) - 4:18






Tracklist CD1 - Snakes 'n' Ladders:

Треклист:
Disc1:
01. Animals
02. Lady Luck
03. Hang On To A Dream
04. Piece Of My Heart
05. Trouble
06. The Key
07. Back To School
08. Girls
09. Donna - Get Off That Crack
10. See You See Me
11. Helpless
12. Winner On The Night
13. Woke Up This Morning (Live)
14. Bad Bad Boy (Live)


Tracklist CD2 - No Jive:

01. Hire And Fire
02. Do You Wanna Play House
03. Right Between The Eyes
04. Every Time It Rains
05. Keeping Our Love Alive
06. Thinkin' Man's Nightmare
07. Cover Your Heart
08. Lap Of Luxury
09. The Rowan Tree/Tell Me That You Love Me
10. Cry Wolf
11. This Flight Tonight 1991
12. Tell Me That You Love Me (Single Version)


All thanks go to gerrV