Album title: Vagabonds of the Western World
Artiste: Thin Lizzy
Genre: Hard rock, blues
Year: 1973
Label: Decca
Producer: Nick Tauber
Chronological position: Third album
Notes: The first to feature cover art by Lynott's friend Jim Fitzpatrick, who would go on to illustrate many of the band's later, better known albums.
Album chart position:
Singles: “The rocker” (also “Whiskey in the jar”, though that wasn't on the original album and was released as a separate single)
Lineup: Same as before. Also features radio DJ David "Kid" Jensen on vocals (spoken vocal only on "Hero and the Madman"), Jan Schelhaas on organ and Fiachra Trench's string arrangements on the closer.
By the time their third album was due, Decca were, understandably, getting impatient. There had been two albums from these guys and not only had there not been a hit single (or even a moderately successful one), the albums themselves had totally bombed. That all changed when during a jam session they started messing around with the arrangement of some traditional Irish songs, one of which was of course “Whiskey in the jar”, and so a legend was born. Originally due to be on the B-side of the single “Black boys on the corner”, the record company and producer, realising the potential of “Whiskey”, demanded it be on the A-side, and it became a hit. Nevertheless, the album still sold poorly, despite a single being released from it, this being “The rocker,” which would become a fan favourite. Perhaps if Decca had thought to have the hit single included on the album, instead of making it widely available to anyone with the price of a 45, the album might have sold better? Either way, this would be Lizzy's last recording for Decca, as they were unhappy with the lack of promotion their albums had received. Both were, at the time, glad to see the back of each other.
Review begins
Much more uptempo and a real rockfest to kick off, “Mama Nature said”, far from being the hippy-dippy lovey-dovey pastoral folk song the title suggests, is a blues-out boogie, getting everything rocking from the off, allowing Bell much more freedom to express himself on the guitar. Ironically, he would leave after this album. Sadly then “The hero and the madman” sounds like a parody when it begins, but falls into a decent little rock groove, funky in its way, but a long way from the quality of the opener. Ah but it does get better. Much better, mostly on the back of Bell's screaming guitar. Sweet. “Slow blues” is actually not that slow, or even bluesy really, with a kind of rolling, introductory drumbeat before it falls into the groove. It's , more again funky in places than bluesy really. Overall though I'd characterise it as a little indulgent and a lot boring.
Not boring though is “The rocker”, the single (at least, from the album) that made people sit up and take notice, and also skewed Lizzy's direction more away from folk and blues and towards hard rock and eventually heavy metal. Possibly the first time I've heard Lynott sound, I don't know, amped up, powerful? Edgy? Angry even, dangerous? Cool to hear. The title track kind of harks back to “Whiskey in the jar”, subject-wise, though of course it's a play on, well, the play. A good hard rockout to be sure with another snarly vocal from Lynott, who seems at this point to be establishing his voice, coming out from hiding behind his bass and low vocals. The “Toora-loora” thing is a little annoying, but then, what ya gonna do, huh?
Not quite sure about “Little girl in bloom”. I guess we're talking about a song to a child here, but Lynott hadn't his first child till 1978, so maybe it's a wish fulfillment? Or maybe he just felt like writing a song about a pregnant woman and the child she carries. Meh, whatever, it's a little boring again I have to say. Interesting that it uses some of the riff from their version of “Whiskey in the jar” though. “Gonna creep up on you” really utilises Lynott's bass to its growling best and has a nice sense of menace about it, kind of like a really slower and less energetic “Killer on the loose” in ways while “A song for while I'm away” has a nice sort of semi-psychedelic feel to it, sort of Beatley, slow but not so much a ballad really. Nice closer, sort of bridges the gap between the sixties and the “new” seventies. Some very nice orchestral string arrangements. Really bookends the album well with the opener, both of which I would consider the standouts on this album.
Track listing and ratings
Mama Nature said
The hero and the madman
Slow blues
The rocker
Vagabonds of the western world
Little girl in bloom
Gonna creep up on you
A song for while I'm away
Afterword:
Without question, you can see Thin Lizzy improving in leaps and bounds here, and whether the move from Decca for their next album was anything to do with their later finding fame or not, it must be pointed out that again there was no overnight success, no magic formula in changing from one label to another. Their next album, though it would contain one of the songs that would go on to become a live classic, was pretty limp and boring too, and Lynott and Lizzy must have begun to wonder if they were ever going to make it.
Rating: 