Hair Of The Dog - Nazareth (1975)This is an old-fashioned, hard rocking, whiskey-ripened, spit riffing, bad woman blues album. The gritty tone is set even from Dave Roe's nightmarish cover art, exemplified in Dan McCafferty's gutter-scraped vocals, amplified in Manny Charlton's gut-level guitars and moody production, and sustained by the monolithic rhythm section of Pete Agnew and Darrell Sweet.
This album is dirty from the cowbell's first clang through to its final wailing fadeout. Make no mistake, however. While Hair Of The Dog may be up to its neck in dreck, it certainly isn't wallowing in it. This albums shreds tears, not sheds them.
It doesn't get much more audacious than the title track, (99/100). The riff is charged by frustration well past its boiling point, the vocals unrestrained in outrage. The vexation is palpable via talk box in the instrumental bridge and fade-out. Certainly anthemic, this track is only out for blood.
No time to take cover, though, as the assault of "Miss Misery", (99), (http://www.mediafire.com/?bie9l3sf4z8re52), also detonates from its very first sharp and savage riff. The vocals are nothing short of outstanding on this track, matched in intensity only by a turbulent slide guitar solo which can only have originated in the pit of Vesuvius. The chiming guitar in the mellow fade-out is a much needed shelter in this uncontainable furor.
It allows a more introspective look at disappointment in "Guilty", (73), a cover of a tune on Randy Newman's Good Old Boys (1974). The slow drunken lament emphasizes the torment of the vocals, which are accompanied only by junk organ, skillfully understated guitar, short-lived background "oohs" and a faraway drumbeat.
Of course, the relative tranquility is short-lived also. On an album as volatile as this, "Changin' Times", (85), turns the amps back up. The agitated vocals sear over a thick and heavy blues lick until 2:55 when the band kicks it into high gear on three-minute fadeout tailor-made for a quick getaway down the highway.
This is followed by "Beggar's Day", (98), (http://www.mediafire.com/?nidhu38ms9pv7js), an aggressive cover of a Nils Lofgren tune which first appeared on Crazy Horse's self-titled 1971 album. The guitars are beautifully brutal, particularly on the build-up to the chorus where they sound like they're melting. The solo is rabid and McCafferty's menacing growl somehow sounds more wickedly robust with each track. At 3:45, the song shifts into a mellow, synth-fueled escape called "Rose In The Heather". Charlton's more subdued guitar work here credits it an ethereal, almost calming quality. It's a great contrast to the rest of the album.
"Whiskey Drinkin' Woman", (80), is a pretty straightforward blues moan about an alcoholic girl dragging a guy into the poorhouse. The song showcases a couple of nice guitar solos (especially the long one at the end) and a warped sense of humour: "The way that things are going, (I'll) have to buy the distillery."
Hair then concludes with another change of pace on the haunting epic, "Please Don't Judas Me", (97). Over its nine-and-a-half minutes, the exasperated vocals plea for "just one shred of kindness" from the jagged and indifferent landscape of existence. The mood is weary yet indignant, with an eerie pall cast by stark guitars. The rhythm section advances zombie-like. What a perfect way to go out, a grim and determined nod to the saying "Once bitten ..."
This album has the spirit of a vicious dog fight in the mangy bowels of some back alley. Maybe one of the dogs doesn't even stand a chance against the other one, but he's going to inflict some damage one way or another. The anger is fueled by agony and expressed in adrenalin.
The U.S. edition of Hair repl
aces one cover with another, inserting hit single "Love Hurts" for "Guilty". I can take "Love Hurts" as a bonus track but its proto-emo whine is a hard fit for the album proper. The original version was recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960, with notables as diverse as Roy Orbison, Robin Gibb and Cher (twice) also gracing the world with takes on it.
There have been several CD reissues of Hair, each with varying bonus tracks, including b-sides and single edits. The latest reissue, on Salvo (2010), includes the singles "Love Hurts", "My White Bicycle" and "Holy Roller" with its excellent b-side, "Railroad Boy". There are also five live recordings from the BBC, including this album's title track.
Hair Of The Dog (album): 90/100.
It doesn't get much more audacious than the title track, (99/100). The riff is charged by frustration well past its boiling point, the vocals unrestrained in outrage. The vexation is palpable via talk box in the instrumental bridge and fade-out. Certainly anthemic, this track is only out for blood.
No time to take cover, though, as the assault of "Miss Misery", (99), (http://www.mediafire.com/?bie9l3sf4z8re52), also detonates from its very first sharp and savage riff. The vocals are nothing short of outstanding on this track, matched in intensity only by a turbulent slide guitar solo which can only have originated in the pit of Vesuvius. The chiming guitar in the mellow fade-out is a much needed shelter in this uncontainable furor.
It allows a more introspective look at disappointment in "Guilty", (73), a cover of a tune on Randy Newman's Good Old Boys (1974). The slow drunken lament emphasizes the torment of the vocals, which are accompanied only by junk organ, skillfully understated guitar, short-lived background "oohs" and a faraway drumbeat.
Of course, the relative tranquility is short-lived also. On an album as volatile as this, "Changin' Times", (85), turns the amps back up. The agitated vocals sear over a thick and heavy blues lick until 2:55 when the band kicks it into high gear on three-minute fadeout tailor-made for a quick getaway down the highway.
This is followed by "Beggar's Day", (98), (http://www.mediafire.com/?nidhu38ms9pv7js), an aggressive cover of a Nils Lofgren tune which first appeared on Crazy Horse's self-titled 1971 album. The guitars are beautifully brutal, particularly on the build-up to the chorus where they sound like they're melting. The solo is rabid and McCafferty's menacing growl somehow sounds more wickedly robust with each track. At 3:45, the song shifts into a mellow, synth-fueled escape called "Rose In The Heather". Charlton's more subdued guitar work here credits it an ethereal, almost calming quality. It's a great contrast to the rest of the album.
"Whiskey Drinkin' Woman", (80), is a pretty straightforward blues moan about an alcoholic girl dragging a guy into the poorhouse. The song showcases a couple of nice guitar solos (especially the long one at the end) and a warped sense of humour: "The way that things are going, (I'll) have to buy the distillery."
Hair then concludes with another change of pace on the haunting epic, "Please Don't Judas Me", (97). Over its nine-and-a-half minutes, the exasperated vocals plea for "just one shred of kindness" from the jagged and indifferent landscape of existence. The mood is weary yet indignant, with an eerie pall cast by stark guitars. The rhythm section advances zombie-like. What a perfect way to go out, a grim and determined nod to the saying "Once bitten ..."
This album has the spirit of a vicious dog fight in the mangy bowels of some back alley. Maybe one of the dogs doesn't even stand a chance against the other one, but he's going to inflict some damage one way or another. The anger is fueled by agony and expressed in adrenalin.
The U.S. edition of Hair repl
aces one cover with another, inserting hit single "Love Hurts" for "Guilty". I can take "Love Hurts" as a bonus track but its proto-emo whine is a hard fit for the album proper. The original version was recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960, with notables as diverse as Roy Orbison, Robin Gibb and Cher (twice) also gracing the world with takes on it.There have been several CD reissues of Hair, each with varying bonus tracks, including b-sides and single edits. The latest reissue, on Salvo (2010), includes the singles "Love Hurts", "My White Bicycle" and "Holy Roller" with its excellent b-side, "Railroad Boy". There are also five live recordings from the BBC, including this album's title track.
Hair Of The Dog (album): 90/100.
I love the cowbell!
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