Bad Reputation cover

Bad Reputation

Released

After Fighting made them sound tough, Jailbreak made them feel huge, and Johnny The Fox made them seem ambitious, the fourth amazing album in a row from Thin Lizzy made them out to be survivors. Their last album to feature an on-the-way-out Brian Robertson as part of their legendary twin-guitar attack, Bad Reputation lets Scott Gorham finally rampage solo and attains hard rock perfection in the process — searing and white-knuckle on the title cut; melodically sentimental on “Southbound,” and an uncanny balance of the two on “Soldier of Fortune.” Phil Lynott, meanwhile, has rarely balanced the badass and the wistful this well before or since, as equally at home spinning Golden Harvest-exploitation-flick stories of the heroin trade (“Opium Trail”) and deeply evoking the nervous energy of teenage romance (“Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in the Spotlight)”).

Nate Patrin

Recommended by

Suggestions
Jobcentre Rejects, Vol. 2: Ultra Rare NWOBHM 1980-1985 cover

Jobcentre Rejects, Vol. 2: Ultra Rare NWOBHM 1980-1985

Various Artists
The Big Bad Blues cover

The Big Bad Blues

Billy Gibbons
Pretzel Logic cover

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan
Degüello cover

Degüello

ZZ Top
Disraeli Gears cover

Disraeli Gears

Cream
La Futura cover

La Futura

ZZ Top
Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy cover

Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy

The Who
Fresh Cream cover

Fresh Cream

Cream
Straight Up cover

Straight Up

Badfinger
An American Treasure cover

An American Treasure

Tom Petty
Candy-O cover

Candy-O

The Cars
Definitely Maybe cover

Definitely Maybe

Oasis