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Quick: When I mention the band Thin Lizzy<\/strong>, what’s the first song that comes to mind? \u201cThe Boys Are Back in Town,\u201d right? Okay. The next song? \u201cJailbreak.\u201d But both of those songs are on one album, the group\u2019s Jailbreak<\/em><\/a> LP. Those among you who are more well-versed in the Irish band’s out put might have answered \u201cWhiskey in the Jar,\u201d an early hit. But nearly everyone will have thought of these three songs first.<\/p>\n Jailbreak<\/em> is rightly lauded as the band’s best album, and in fact one of the best albums of the entire rocking 1970s. But 1976’s Jailbreak<\/em> was Thin Lizzy’s sixth<\/em> LP. And with few exceptions, rock bands don’t simply create enduring works right out of the gate. So anyone who enjoys Jailbreak<\/em> ought to consider checking out the group’s other albums; with Jailbreak<\/em> being so great, the others must have redeeming qualities, right?<\/p>\n Indeed they do, and more. In fact, Nightlife<\/em>, released in 1974, features the same personnel as the more well-known hit album. The twin-lead-guitar attack of Brian Downey<\/strong> and Scott Gorham<\/strong> had just been put in place during sessions for Nightlife<\/em>. That said, Nightlife<\/em> is a very different album from Jailbreak<\/em>. It represents a wholly different musical direction for the band, one which \u2013 rather than continuing with \u2013 Thin Lizzy would fold into its overall bag of musical tricks. A soulful, subdued and sexy album, Nightlife<\/em> owes more to Van Morrison<\/strong> than it does to Bruce Springsteen<\/strong> (those being two large-looming influences upon Thin Lizzy’s leader\/vocalist\/songwriter\/bassist Phil Lynott<\/strong>).<\/p>\n The album kicks off with \u201cShe Knows,\u201d a largely acoustic-guitar driven rocker that benefits form some close harmonies on the chorus and some tasty guitar work running under that chorus. The title track is something else altogether: highly evocative of the end of a long night’s gig, one can almost see the upended bar stools on tables, smell the stale beer and cigarettes. The band is tight and forceful, yet highly restrained in its delivery of this blues. And the string arrangement \u2013 an adornment of the sort one might not expect on a Thin Lizzy LP \u2013 adds a thrilling layer to this sultry number; it’s possibly the best thing in this song with many things to recommend it.<\/p>\n