#Thin lizzy fighting full#

And as a trio, their sound was tight and sparse with a minimum of extra instrumentation. Phil LynottвЂ™s vocals were always a cut or two above most rock vocalists of the day вЂ“ being less histrionic and more expressive вЂ“ a perfect vehicle for his thoughtful, soulful lyrics. This was also expressed in Jim FitzpatrickвЂ™s sleeve design, which combined a pop-art, vaguely sci-fi themed front cover with a shamrock on the back. Work soon began though on the bandвЂ™s third album, Vagabonds Of The Western World, which although not their most successful commercially, has stood the test of time exceptionally well and captures a moment in the bandвЂ™s development when they managed to absorb their distinct Irish roots into a hard-edged, powerful rock format and deliver a unique and compelling sound. A month later, determined to capitalise on their breakthrough, a second single, вЂRandolphвЂ™s TangoвЂ™, came out and unfortunately failed to make anywhere near the same impression. Both records had a distinct Irish folk feel about them rather than the hard rock sound that they subsequently fashioned but neither made a dent on the charts, although they now had an impressive repertoire of songs, a growing reputation as a superb live band and were starting to pick up more and more вЂundergroundвЂ™ radio play.ДЄll they needed was a lucky break, which duly came along in November 1972 when Thin LizzyвЂ™s reverb-drenched, riff-loaded arrangement of an old Irish folk ballad, вЂWhiskey In The JarвЂ™, was released as a single and reached No. Their debut album, Thin Lizzy, was released in April 1971 followed by constant gigging and a second album, Shades of a Blue Orphanage, a year later. Parlophone Ireland signed them up for one low-key, Lynott-penned single called вЂThe FarmerвЂ™, after which they became a trio when Wrixon left, and then signed to Decca and moved to London. Strangely enough, that leap forward as a writer is somewhat overshadowed by a triumph of the band, in how they completely steal Bob Seger's 'Rosalie' turning it into their own anthem, but that again is a testament to the strength of this incarnation of Thin Lizzy, who truly begin their classic era with this dynamic LP.The band started out in Dublin in 1969 when one night Eric Bell (guitar, vocals) and Eric Wrixon (keyboards), both ex-members of Van MorrisonвЂ™s band Them, went to see a band called Orphanage play and were so impressed with the bandвЂ™s rhythm section of Phil Lynott (bass, vocals) and Brian Downey (drums), that they approached them after their gig and suggested the four of them form a group. Whether he's writing hard-charging rockers like 'Wild One,' jazzy Springsteen-isms of 'For Those Who Love to Live' or combining both on 'Freedom Song,' his songs manage to be both mythic and commonplace, and when delivered by the vital, visceral lineup he has here, they're invigorating.

#Thin lizzy fighting full#

That's especially true because of the other development here: the full flourishing of Phil Lynott as a rock & roll poet.

It's hard not to thrill at their harmonizing twin-lead interplay, which is enough to excuse the rather pedestrian nature of their original tunes here ( Robertson penned the boogie 'Silver Dollar,' Gorham the closer 'Ballad of a Hard Man'). First, there's the integration of guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, who get to unleash furious playing on every track here. If that record was smooth and relaxed, Fighting is a tense, coiled, vicious rock & roll album, as hard as Vagabonds's toughest moments but more accomplished, the sound of a band truly coming into its own. It's hard not to interpret the 'fighting my way back' chorus of the title track on Thin Lizzy's fifth album as the band's way of bouncing back from the uncommonly subdued Night Life.