Phases and Stages

Thin Lizzy

Universal's Back to Black 60th vinyl anniversary series reproduces the stunning die-cut record sleeve of Lizzy's immortality maker. Unfortunately, this 180-gram vinyl skips like its 1976 counterpart, on the opening title track, side-two brand "The Boys Are Back in Town," and even "Cowboy Song." The strum of "Romeo and the Lonely Girl," feeding Scott Gorham's filament solo, plus the twin-guitar hostility of "Warriors" persist.

Thin Lizzy

Lizzy iconographer Jim Fitzpatrick pulls back from the band's debut, Vagabonds of the Western World, and sci-fi fry Jailbreak to ink what they called Phil Lynott back in his old town Dublin: Black Rose. Thug life ("Do Anything You Want To"), kinked-up metallic funk ("S & M"), bass sorcery ("Waiting for an Alibi"), and the closing title cut – one of prog rock's darkest blossoms – thrive. 1979.

Thin Lizzy

New CD Still Dangerous: Live at the Tower Theatre Philadelphia 1977 won't have the slight warp of its gatefold counterpart, but neither does it include a bonus 45 with two additional songs. Neither ripping B-side "Bad Reputation" nor LP-mate "Opium Trail" (with altered lyrics) appear on Lizzy's seminal Live and Dangerous. The "sex and sax" of "Dancing in the Moonlight" equals "Massacre."

See austinchronicle.com/earache for an interview with Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham.