release date: Apr. 13, 1979
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Vertigo Records - nationality: Ireland
Track highlights: 1. "Do Anything You Want To" - 2. "Toughest Street in Town" - 4. "Waiting for an Alibi" - 5. "My Sarah" - 6. "Got to Give It Up" (live) - 9. "Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) - A Rock Legend" (3 / 5)
9th studio album by Thin Lizzy. Guitarist Brian Robertson left the band in '78 and Lynott managed to persuade Gary Moore as replacement. Again, it's with Visconti producing, and with Moore on guitar this is almost naturally a strong album. 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.
I just don't find it that great. It's fine but it lacks tracks like "Romeo and the Lonely Girl" and "Southbound". Tracks like #1, #4, and #5 really come close to being great but just miss out by a little, I think. Gary Moore only stayed long enough to record the album and eventually left to pursue his own solo career which seems like a good choice when looking at his stronger blues rock style compared to the soft rock / pop / rock style of tracks #4 and #5. 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 fine skills but doesn't impress on a higher level.
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.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
