It is hard to pick the album that reveals
Thin Lizzy´s best work because each album has something unique to add to the band's impressive catalogue. "Black Rose" is
Thin Lizzy´s tenth album and definitely among the strongest
Thin Lizzy albums.
So what unique elements does "Black Rose" contribute to the
Thin Lizzy discography? The album was the first to feature guitarist
Gary Moore and Scott Gorham definitely shaped up for the competition, making the two an unbeatable guitar duo. The classic twin guitars and solos are oiled and sharpened-up to be even harder, faster, more precise and louder. "Black Rose" displays the bands ability to incorporate traditional Irish themes in Rock songs. Another factor that cannot be overlooked is Phil Lynott's drenched bass sound and lines plus characteristic vocals, which are just as valuable to the sound of
Thin Lizzy as the twin guitars.
Do Anything You Want To opens the album in classic
Thin Lizzy fashion. The twin guitars and the pumping bass from Lynott are the heart and nerve of this rocker. The production by Tony Visconti is thick and today still sounds great, which of course is helped by the album being remastered on CD.
Do Anything You Want To was also released as a single.
Toughest Street In Town follows in same hard rocking style. The chord progression is brilliant and the often underrated drummer Brian Downey lays down a solid beat.
S & M falls a bit out of place, since it's a groovy funky song without a really memorable chorus. However, the bass line proves the Lynott's ability to write a good pop song. Even though it almost drowns in the layered funky rhythm the solo stands out, but all in all
S & M is the only appreciable flaw on the album.
Waiting For An Alibi is the hit single of the album and what a classic!!! The classic twin guitar riff combined with Lynott's bass makes it impossible not to tap your toe to this one. No need to go into further details - one word describes the song "Classic"
Lots of critics talk about
Gary Moore's influence on this album, but
Gary Moore actually only co-wrote two tracks on "Black Rose" - among the two is
Sarah, which is a ballad like pop song. Wrapped up in a smooth pop sound the song became one of
Thin Lizzy´s greatest hits.
Got To Give It Up is the strongest song on the album, both lyrical and musical wise. The song deals with drugs and drinking. The lyrics stand very strong when you think of Phil´s tragic death caused by abuse. Phil was using drugs and drinking heavily at the time the song was written, so maybe the song was a cry for help. The first two verses deal with coke and alcohol, while the last verse starts with the lines "I've been messing with the heavy stuff - for a time I couldn't get enough" thereby meaning heroin and the title
Got to Give it Up is self explanatory. The music is so powerful and the quartet plays tight, which underlines why so many musicians later was inspired by this band and the "Black Rose" album in particular.
Get Out Of Here is a straight forward rocker that doesn't stand out and reach same standards like all other songs with the exception of
S & M
Oddly
With Love wasn't a single since the song is the perfect blend of melody, rock and a catchy chorus. This definitely is among the best cuts on the album. The song holds lots of emotion with superb passionate melody lines and the listener is sucked in the special atmosphere of
With Love.
To readers unfamiliar with
Thin Lizzy might wonder what made
Thin Lizzy so special? By reading this review you know that the classic twin guitars and Lynott's thunderous bass is the trademark of the band plus the band plays tight and powerful like no other. The last track of "Black Rose"
Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) A rock legend should be able to answer the remaining unknown quantities why this band is so great and the album is a classic.
Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) A rock legend is a 7 minute display in rock combined with Celtic music.
Thin Lizzy was a rock band but their Irish roots was in the traditional Irish folk music and therefore
Roisin Dubh is tied together with bits of old Irish tunes like
Danny Boy and even a hint of
Whiskey in the Jar, which
Thin Lizzy previously had a hit with. This track underlines more than any that the band was a melting pot of Irish folk music, pop but most of all guitar based rock played with nerve that only has been done a handful of times since
Thin Lizzy´s era.
"Black Rose" was the first studio album to follow the highly successful live album "Live and Dangerous" and "Black Rose" has it all from pop ballads to rockers, but with unique twin guitars, thunder bass, a drummer that masters to incorporate a Celtic drum beat into a rock song and Phil Lynott´s amazing voice.
All in all - this is a great album with unique tracks played by 4 individuals that certainly made magic when they got together by the name of
Thin LizzyWritten by
Michael Monday, February 6, 2006
Show all reviews by MichaelRatingsMichael: 8/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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