release date: Apr. 13, 1979
format: cd (remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Vertigo / Mercury - nationality: Ireland
Track highlights: 1. "Do Anything You Want To" - 2. "Toughest Street in Town" - 4. "Waiting for an Alibi" - 5. "Sarah" - 6. "Got to Give It Up" (live) - 9. "Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) - A Rock Legend"
9th studio album by Thin Lizzy following Bad Reputation (Sep. 1977) and the release of the band's first live album Live and Dangerous (Jun. 1978) - meaning this is the first time we see 1½ years in between studio albums. Of course, the departure of guitarist Brian Robertson in '78 required time to find a substitute, and Lynott managed to persuade Gary Moore as a well-suited replacement. Again, it's with Visconti as producer, and with Moore on guitar this is almost naturally quite a strong release. Stylistically, it's close to being a natural follower to Jailbreak (1976), and it's one of the band's best received and most popular albums.
It's definitely fine but I find that it lacks tracks like "Romeo and the Lonely Girl" and "Southbound". Tracks #1, #4, and #5 really come close to being truly great but just miss out by something, I think. Gary Moore only stayed long enough to record this album and eventually left to pursue his own solo career, which seems like a reasonable choice when looking at his stronger blues rock style compared to the soft rock / pop / rock style of tracks #4 and #5. Alledgedly, Moore left for other reasons - one supposedly being that the lifestyle led by the band wasn't exactly a healthy one and Moore found he had to leave, to survive. The track "Roisin Dubh... - A Rock Legend" is interesting as it contains celtic rock guitar elements not really heard before by Thin Lizzy, although, Lynott apparently always had wanted that musical source as part of their music. The guitar solo is of course Moore's but it makes me wonder if it could be a source of inspiration to the guitar sound of Stuart Adamson of Big Country. Anyway, the track is strongly progressive and experimental showcasing new fine skills.
Anyway, I generally find the album representing a general whole by being one of the band's most coherent studio releases and basically aspiring to greatness. The best thing about it, is that all tracks are on a high level and that the album doesn't contain obvious fillers.
Strongly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
