Similar Albums:
- Artist: Thin Lizzy
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1977
- Total Time: 35:50
- Genre: Rock
Review
If Thin Lizzy got a bit too grand and florid on Johnny the Fox, they quickly corrected themselves on its 1977 follow-up, Bad Reputation. Teaming up with the legendary producer Tony Visconti, Thin Lizzy managed to pull of a nifty trick of sounding leaner, tougher than they did on Johnny, yet they also had a broader sonic palette. Much of this is due, of course, to Visconti, who always had a flair for subtle dramatics that never called attention to themselves and he puts this to use in dramatic effect here, to the extent that Lizzy sounds stripped down to their bare bones, even when they have horns pushing them forward on "Dancing in the Moonlight" or when overdubbed vocals pile up on the title track. Of course, they were stripped down to a trio on this record, lacking guitarist Brian Robertson, but Scott Gorham's double duty makes his absence unnoticeable. Plus, this is pure visceral rock & roll, the hardest and heaviest that Thin Lizzy ever made, living up to the promise of the title track. And, as always, a lot of this has to do with Phil Lynott's writing, which is in top form whether he's romanticizing "Soldiers of Fortune" or heading down the "Opium Trail." It adds up to an album that rivals Jailbreak as their best studio album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music GuideTracks
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Soldier of Fortune (Lyrics) | Phil Lynott | Thin Lizzy | (5:18) |
| Bad Reputation (Lyrics) | Phil Lynott, Brian Downey, Scott Gorham | Thin Lizzy | (3:09) |
| Opium Trail (Lyrics) | Phil Lynott, Brian Downey, Scott Gorham | Thin Lizzy | (3:58) |
| Southbound (Lyrics) | Phil Lynott | Thin Lizzy | (4:27) |
| Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight) | Phil Lynott | Thin Lizzy | (3:26) |
| Killer Without a Cause (Lyrics) | Phil Lynott, Scott Gorham | Thin Lizzy | (3:33) |
| Downtown Sundown (Lyrics) | Phil Lynott | Thin Lizzy | (4:08) |
| That Woman's Gonna Break Your Heart (Lyrics) | Phil Lynott | Thin Lizzy | (3:25) |
| Dear Lord (Lyrics) | Phil Lynott, Scott Gorham | Thin Lizzy | (4:26) |
