ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 216 NAZARETH - RAMPANT (1974)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Nazareth

Genre: Hard Rock

Country Of Origin: Scottland

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: No

Album: Rampant

Producer: Roger Glover

RJ's Top 5 Songs: 1. Shanghai'd In Shanghai...2. Silver Dollar Forger (Parts 1 & 2)...3. Loved And Lost...4. Light My Way...5. Glad When You're Gone

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it).

I thought I'd feature an album from 1974 since it seems logical to me that 1974 is where Scott is going this week for SHT.  His inclusion of Child In The Sun from Nazareth's previous album last week sparked my curiosity regarding the band's back catalog (my only serious opinions of the band come from Hair Of The Dog).  And since he had Nazareth in last week's playlist, I thought it might be safe to feature them this week as Album Of The Week.

• Rampant reached number 13 in the U.K. and is certified Gold in Canada.
• Shanghai'd In Shanghai charted at number 41 in the U.K. and was the only song on this album that I was familiar with before this feature.
• Silver Dollar Forger sounds like it's straight from Hair Of The Dog, as does Loved And Lost.
• Nice slide guitar on Jet Lag.

Overall, I think this is a pretty good album.  I also listened to Loud 'n' Proud and The Fool Circle.  The former, featured last week in SHT, was good, but I liked The Fool Circle even more.  I picked up a fair portion of Nazareth's back catalog at the used CD store last year. That store had several of the double cd reissues for the band that I didn't pick up at that time.  I may make a trip over to the store this week and see if they still have some of those.  I'm really enjoying this trip backwards.

Footnote: I checked the used CD store last night and those Nazareth CD's are long gone.

1. Silver Dollar Forger (Parts 1&2)

2. Glad When You're Gone

3. Loved And Lost

4. Shanghai'd In Shanghai

5. Jet Lag

6. Light My Way

7. Sunshine

8. Shape Of Things/Space Safari (Medley)

9. Down (2010 Remaster Bonus Track/b-side to Love Hurts)

[Scott]

Nice post!!  Looking forward to this one!

[Scott]

Cant find a critical thing to say, this is a great album - period!  Loved and Lost is probably the coolest track on here, had forgot how great that tune is!   Rampant is sandwiched between arguably the two best Nazareth albums in their catalog (I said arguably - I would add Expect No Mercy , No Mean City and Malice In Wonderland in the mix if it was me but...) and its is part of a decade of great albums, starting with Razamanaz ...

Great post boss!!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Appreciate it.

[Niels (Mod)]

I think, that "Raz-ama-naz" is way better than "Loud'n'Proud", and "Play'n' The Game" has it's moments, and then I wouldn't count MIW between the best Nazareth-albums, but otherwise I agree, Scott.

This is actually one of the few Nazareth-albums, I didn't buy back in the 70's, and it's only recently, that I heard the album for the first time. It's not bad at all. I didn't buy the first two either, but otherwise, I got the rest, until I was a bit dissapointed in MIW. I was looking for HM-rock'n'roll at that time in 1980, and MIW was a bit weak.

[Scott]

MIW and The Fool Circle are definitely more commercial.  I do have a special appreciation for MIW though. 

[Jon]

Just a shame Rjhog and I don't live in the same neighborhood. I could be lounging around one day and he would call and ask if I wanted to go to the local used CD store and I would drop whatever I would be doing and head on over. Of course he would first tell me to bring my speedos so we could do some squat thrusts before going to the store. After were done with 500 thrusts, then he would want to wrestle since we would be sweaty. After a good hour of that, he would then say we shouldn't towel off, we should just go to the used CD store because that would be manly. Of course I would go because it's a used CD store!

Shame the neighbors around here don't do that. Their idea of fun is to have a block party and play "Spider Pig" over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. Guess it was because they were roasting a pig. That was 6-7 years ago, they haven't had a block party since, at least one that we've been invited to. I would kill to have a neighbor to talk music with, but that means I would have to talk to the neighbors and I just fit into their Stepford way of thinking since I refuse to cut my grass the same way as them. 

This is the first time I heard this whole album and I must say that I like it. Kind of a bit of a southern rock vibe, but still pretty heavy. I will need to eventually purchase this.

Good job, Squats!

[Scott]

[Jon]

[Ian Bostock]

I have this album as well. I will definitely dig it out and give it a listen to again!