Search - Thin Lizzy :: Whiskey in the Jar

Pleasing early compilation

02/01/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a surprisingly pleasing compilation. I had spent a number of years searching haphazardly for the three earliest Lizzy LPs, or occasionally finding one or another without buying them, when I stumbled upon this. I was enchanted. At the time (about 5 years ago) I knew a lot of middle period Lizzy, but only the first three songs on this album. It is fun to have them (though I think Sarah trite) but the main joys are numbers such as Black Boys on the Corner, Mama Nature Said and the joyous stomper Little Darling with its ringing brass section.The songs on this compilation are all, I believe, taken from the first three LPs and represent an overlooked and very valuable aspect of Thin Lizzy's output. Phil Lynott's lyrics range from the absurd(ist?) through corny rock'n'roll (but full of a swaggering joie de vive) to genuine folk poetry. Much the same as one might expect of Van Morrison or Bruce Springsteen.A genuinely intelligent and valuably unusual compilation."

A little rough around the edges

J. Carroll | Island Heights,NJ | 11/06/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Before Jailbreak, Thin Lizzy had already recorded a few albums, but with the exception of that old Irish folk tune "Whiskey In The Jar" (This is where Metallica got the idea for their version)they had found little chart success. This collection shows some of their early promise, and also the roughness that seemed to prevent them from achieving success. With tunes like "The Rocker," "Mama Nature Said," and "Little Darling," you hear the band's hard rock roots, but there are just as many misses, like "Sara," and the unending "Shades of a Blue Orphanage" which is just as pretentious as its title sounds. Fans of the band, who have had difficulty finding the early material, might find this a needed addition to their collection."