Nazareth - Nazareth

Artist:

Nazareth

See Also:

Humble Pie Cactus MC5 Grand Funk Railroad Humble Pie/Nazareth - Winning Combinations

Description:

This 2000 edition of NAZARETH includes 4 bonus tracks as well as new liner notes featuring and interview with the band.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
The inimitable rock sounds of Nazareth made their first outing on this debut from the band, which was originally released in 1971 and is expanded to include six additional songs on this version.
This 1971 self-titled debut may stun fans who are accustomed to the hard-driving rock and gritty power ballads that characterize Nazareth`s more popular work. Nazareth is a diverse collection of songs that points the way towards the pop leanings that would dominate the group`s later output. Although it lacks the consistency of later albums like Hair of the Dog and Expect No Mercy, fans of 1970s rock will find plenty to enjoy on this surprisingly adventurous disc. The overall sound is softer than the hard rock the group is best known for, but that doesn`t mean the album isn`t lacking in good old-fashioned rock & roll. "Witchdoctor Woman" is a moody rocker built on a slow, spooky fuzz guitar riff, and the group`s sinister cover of "Morning Dew" transforms this folk classic into a hard rock epic that provides a powerful showcase for Manny Charlton`s powerful but imaginative guitar work. A lot of time is also devoted to country-styled ballads like "I Had a Dream" and "Country Girl," which set dreamy melodies against a gentle backdrop of keyboards and steel guitar. The most surprising thing about Nazareth is the experimental, effects-laden approach used to bring the songs to life; the best example is the use of a voice box guitar for the much of the vocal on "Fat Man," which enhances the loneliness of the lyrics. There are also touches of orchestration, the most interesting use appearing on "Red Light Lady," a song that starts off as a steamy, guitar-heavy rocker but transforms midway through into a stately ballad driven by a powerful string arrangement. All in all, Nazareth tries out too many different styles to ever cohere, but it does effectively show off the chops and songwriting skills of this oft-underrated band. It is a necessary listen for the group`s fans and may even win over `70s rock fans who wouldn`t normally go for the Nazareth sound. ~ Donald A. Guarisco

Track Listing:

DISC 1

1. Witchdoctor Woman
2. Dear John
3. Empty Arms Empty Heart
4. I Had a Dream
5. Red Light Lady
6. Fat Man
7. Country Girl
8. Morning Dew
9. King Is Dead, The
10. Friends - (Bonus Track)
11. Dear John - (Single Edit)
12. Morning Dew - (Alt Edited Version)
13. Friends - (Alt of B Side)
14. Morning Dew - (Extended Single Version remix)
15. Witchdoctor Woman - (previously unreleased, Bonus Track)

Album Information

Release Date:

09/16/2003

Type:

Performer

Genre:

Rock & Pop

Subgenre:

Hard Rock

Label:

Phantom Import Distribution

Catalog Number:

EAM-145

Original Release Year:

1971

# of Discs:

1

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Portions copyright 2005 Muze Inc. All rights reserved.

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