NAZARETH
"Boogaloo"
(CMC International)
"Hair of the Dog" (A&M)
"Boogaloo" (CMC International)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Listening to "Boogaloo," one tends to hear snippets of other rock'n'roll bands. There's the hip-tempo of Aerosmith, there's the blues bar vocals of John Fogarty, there's the southern-fried sound of Molly Hatchet.
But what's interesting is that Nazareth has been around for nearly 30 years - which means that the familiarity of their songs didn't come from Nazareth's mimicry of other bands. Of course, that isn't to say that the other bands mimicked Nazareth. Hopefully, you see where I'm going here.
What I'm trying to say is that Nazareth is an original. Originally formed in Scotland in the late '60s, Nazareth has continued to record and tour - with varying degrees of success - since that time. Three of the band's original members - vocalist Dan McCafferty, bassist Pete Agnew and drummer Darrell Sweet - are still bandmembers and new recruits Jimmy Murrison on guitars and keyboardist Ronnie Leahy fit the Nazareth sound like the proverbial glove.
So - what exactly is the Nazareth sound? Well, if you've heard their classic albums, such as "Razamanaz," "Loud'n'Proud," "Hair of the Dog," etc., then you pretty much know. Nazareth is straight-forward, power rock'n'roll that makes your feet want to move and your hands want to clap. It's crisp enough, heavy enough and rough enough to satisfy those who love their rock hard yet accessible enough to lure others as well.
The CD's first single, and title track, "Light Comes Down" is a bouncy, almost AC/DC-like number that quite simply rocks. "Talk Talk" is a made-for-radio hit and "Party in the Kremlin" is a funky little commentary on the current state of communism in Russia.
"Boogaloo" is proof that - even with 30 years under their belt - Nazareth is in no way ready for retirement. This CD rocks tough and it's exactly the kind of music that will make live shows a sold-out party.
Reviewed by Snidermann
In my continuing quest for classic albums, I stumbled across Nazareth's 1975 release, "Hair of the Dog." Nazareth remain on of the unsung bands in rock'n'roll history and you have to wonder why after listening to a classic like this one.
"Hair of the Dog" boasts some of the 70's most recognizable signature songs; for example, "Love Hurts" and the title song "Hair Of The Dog" (which you might remember better from its chorus rather than its title: "Now your messin' with ... a son of a bitch!").
The music herein is heavy three-chord rock with a coolly harsh, but easily acceptable, vocal style. The lyrics on this CD mostly concern lost love, betrayal, and booze - what a great combination!
"Hair of the Dog" is a hard rock classic in the truest sense of the word!
Nazareth: Dan McCafferty - lead vocals; Manny Charlton - guitar and synthesizer; Pete Agnew - bass and vocals; Darrell Sweet - drums and vocals.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This
record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it
will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the
cover makes you wanna hurl.
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Revised: 06 Jul 2020 15:12:57 -0400.
