No Mean City

• Artist: Nazareth
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1978
• Genre: Rock

Review

This 1978 album found Nazareth continuing to mine the combination of stripped-down hard rock and roots rock sounds explored on 1977's Expect No Mercy. No Mean City is also notable because the veteran Scottish rock outfit expanded its lineup for the first time with addition of guitarist Zal Cleminson, formerly of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. He helped the band create a gutsy twin-guitar attack that stamps its authority all over the album: prime example of the group's new firepower include "Just to Get Into It," a blinding speed rocker that provides the album with a fitting opener, and "Simple Solution," a hard-driving slab of boogie rock that sets cynical lyrics against the backdrop of a gritty, hypnotic guitar riff. Another major highlight is "May the Sunshine," which starts as a Celtic-inflected acoustic tune, but soon adds electric guitars and rumbling bassline to become a stomping folk metal tune in the style of Led Zeppelin. However, the album's secret gem is "Star," a power ballad about a love affair broken up by the music biz that is driven by a sweetly harmonized guitar riff almost as heart-tugging as the song's lyrics. The problems with No Mean City is that while all of its rockers are sturdy, some of them pale in comparison to these highlights: an example is "Claim to Fame," a rocker that relies upon endless repetition of its central riff but is saved by a ferocious vocal from Dan McCafferty. Also, the emphasis on heavy twin-guitar means there is less of the experimentation that distinguishes the best Nazareth album. That said, No Mean City remains a bracing and electric set of hard rock tunes that is well worth a listen for both Nazareth fans and anyone addicted to 1970s hard rock. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Just to Get into It	Manny Charlton, Darrell Sweet, Dan McCafferty, Zal Cleminson, Pete Agnew	Nazareth	(4:24)
May the Sunshine	Zal Cleminson, Darrell Sweet, Dan McCafferty, Manny Charlton, Pete Agnew	Nazareth	(4:55)
Simple Solution, Pt. 1and2	Zal Cleminson	Nazareth	(4:59)
Star	Manny Charlton, Dan McCafferty	Nazareth	(4:55)
Claim to Fame	Manny Charlton	Nazareth	(4:30)
Whatever You Want Babe	Manny Charlton	Nazareth	(3:42)
What's in It for Me	Manny Charlton	Nazareth	(4:20)
No Mean City, Pt. 1-2	Zal Cleminson, Darrell Sweet, Pete Agnew, Dan McCafferty, Manny Charlton	Nazareth	(6:32)
May the Sunshine [Single Edit][*]	Dan McCafferty, Manny Charlton, Pete Agnew, Darrell Sweet, Zal Cleminson	Nazareth	(3:31)
Whatever You Want Babe [Single Edit][*]	Manny Charlton	Nazareth	(2:59)
Star [US Version][*]	David Poe, Dan McCafferty, Manny Charlton	Nazareth	(4:55)

Credits

Tony Taverner (Engineer), Robert M. Corich (Research), Pete Agnew (Composer), Darrell Sweet (Composer), Zal Cleminson (Guitar), Dan McCafferty (Liner Notes), Manny Charlton (Composer), Rodney Matthews (Cover Design), Manny Charlton (Producer), Zal Cleminson (Synthesizer), Colin Leggett (Assistant Engineer), Martin Pearson (Assistant Engineer), Darrell Sweet (Liner Notes), Pete Agnew (Guitar (Bass)), Mike Brown (Remastering), Richard Roy (Assistant), Robert M. Corich (Coordination), Dan McCafferty (Vocals), Fin Costello (Photography), Manny Charlton (Guitar), Robert M. Corich (Remastering), Hugh Gilmour (Reissue Design), Rodney Matthews (Design), Pete Agnew (Bass), Zal Cleminson (Composer), Pete Agnew (Guitar), Rodney Matthews (Paintings), Dan McCafferty (Composer), Robert M. Corich (Liner Notes), Pete Agnew (Liner Notes), Darrell Sweet (Drums)

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