It is widely agreed among Thin Lizzy fans (and by the band themselves) that their 1981 release, Renegade, was their worst. The raw, rocking Lizzy of the past (Jailbreak, Black Rose, etc.) is nowhere to be found here; in its place is a keyboard-heavy rock band with blatant pop leanings and a production too similar to British heavy metal bands of the early '80s. New guitarist Snowy White never truly fit into the band (both musically and visually), and it was never more apparent than on Renegade. As with its predecessor, Chinatown, heavy drug use plagued the sessions, again resulting in an uninspired, unfocused affair (especially evident in Phil Lynott's flat vocals). The six-minute opener, "Angel of Death," doesn't measure up to past Lizzy epics, while the title track fails at trying to pull on the heartstrings with a tale about a misunderstood youth. The powerful Lizzy of old resurfaces briefly on such rockers as "The Pressure Will Blow," "Leave This Town," and "Hollywood (Down on Your Luck)," but the clean production almost neuters these potential heavy classics. A jazzy experiment, "Fats," proves to be an interesting one, but run-of-the-mill originals like "Mexican Blood" and "It's Getting Dangerous" far outnumber the highlights, making Renegade Lizzy's second disappointing release in a row.
© Greg Prato /TiVo