Although everyone's heard their classic power ballad "Love Hurts" (originally written for the
Everly Brothers), and many also know the contemporaneous single "Hair of the Dog," perhaps only their loyal fans realize that Scottish hard rockers
Nazareth have continued a full-bodied recording and touring career that has extended well into the new millennium. This comprehensive two-disc collection gathers the band's best material, starting with the frantic boogie of the title track of their third album
Razamanaz. The anthology includes the rest of the '70s hits, as well as selections from their lesser-acclaimed '80s, '90s, and '00s efforts. Although the late-career stuff doesn't display measurable growth in musical skills or songwriting, one could argue that, growth schmowth, the band knows and sticks with its strengths. Pounding midtempo rockers like 1979's "May the Sunshine" come from the same sonic universe as "Thinkin' Man's Nightmare" and "Goin' Loco,," even though they are separated by one and three decades respectively, united by the sputtering, bluesy wail of
Dan McCafferty, who has led various permutations of the band since 1968. ~ Paula Carino