Track Listing

1. Razamanaz
2. Alcatraz
3. Vigilante Man
4. Woke Up This Morning
5. Night Woman
6. Bad Bad Boy
7. Sold My Soul
8. Too Bad Too Sad
9. Broken Down Angel
10. Hard Living (Bonus Track)
11. Spinning Top (Bonus Track)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #134714 in Music
• Released on: 2004-09-20
• Number of discs: 1

CD Description
After issuing two albums (1971's self titled debut and 1972's EXERCISES), Scottish rockers Nazareth were aiming for their big commercial breakthrough with their third release, andthey delivered it with 1973's RAZAMANAZ. Although many Eurorockers of the day, such as Deep Purple and Yes, were unashamedly British in their progressive rock tendencies, Nazareth's sound and approach had more in common with such straightahead U.S. rockers as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Aerosmith, as well as a new band just starting in Australia around this time, AC/DC.
The British record buying public must have been starved for some good old fashioned hard rock, as two tracks from RAZAMANAZ broke into the upper reaches of the U.K. singles chart, "Broken Down Angel" and "Bad Bad Boy". RAZAMANAZ remains Nazareth's strongest and most consistent release.

Customer Reviews

Is Nazareth's breakthrough album also their best?
Razamanaz is Nazareth's third studio album and the one that brought the distintive bluesy sound of the Scottish quartet to the masses. The two albums before this one, Nazareth's self titled debut and Exercises are good albums in their own right, but are a totally different sound to this recording. Razamanaz concentrates on what Nazareth do best; dirty, bluesy workman like rock, and i doubt that many can do it better.
From the bombastic opening of the track Razamanaz through to the pop single chart debut of Broken Down Angel, you will find something here for all. Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 are true foot stomping rockers unlike anything else of it's time. Bad Bad Boy, another top ten single, and Too Bad Too Sad in particular contains a sense of humour so often ignored by other hard rock acts. Track 3 is a cover of a Woody Guthrie song, Vigilante Man, and it is sung with such pain and anguish that you will want to fall to your knees and weep. Track 5, Night Woman is a song that Nazareth usually do as an encore in their live shows, and you will seldom find a better drum opening than on this track. This was also the first album in which Roger Glover (ex Deep Purple) did the production, and his pedigree in such music shines through like a beacon in the improved sound from their previous albums.
This was the first album which Nazareth showed the world what they can do, and the fact that they have produced albums of the same quality as Razamanaz for over 30 years, shows that no-one realloy does it better.

It's Old, But It's Still Good
I didn't latch onto Nazareth until they appeared as support act to Rory Gallagher at the Kinetic Cicus in Birmingham - many, many moons ago. In fact, it wasn't until after the show that I actually found out who they were as the MC was not exactly clear in his welcoming speech - but WOW, what a set they played that night - just blew me away. Vocals like we'd never been treated to before (apologies Mr Plant!), a slide guitar from Manny Charlton that was so precise he was giving the G-man a run for his money, and all underpinned by a powerhouse rythmn section which created more sound than you could believe that 4 guys could generate!
So, the following morning, I was straight down to the record shop to avail myself of a copy of this powerhouse of an album and, in vinyl and CD form since, this is an album I still like to return to as it remains as fresh and powerful as the first time I played it.
Kicking off with the title track it settles into a groove producing what became their stage power numbers ALCATRAZ/VIGILANTE MAN/WOKE UP THIS MORNING, great, great vocals, powerful lyrics, sublime guitar......what more could you want?.....and while yes, there are the "poppier numbers" present in the form of BAD,BAD BOY and BROKEN DOWN ANGEL - which fitted the "pop" charts like chalk and cheese....the album is still one capable of holding your attention and leaving you with a great big grin on your face!
Don't take my word for it - buy it and listen to this ear candy for yourself!