After slowly but surely building a fanbase around the world with albums like
Razamanaz
and
Loud 'N' Proud
,
Nazareth
finally hit the big time in 1975 with
Hair of the Dog
. The title track sets the mood for this stark album of
hard rock
with its combination of relentless guitar riffs, a throbbing, cowbell-driven beat, and an angry vocal from
Dan McCafferty
that denounces a "heart-breaker, soul-shaker." The end result is a memorably ferocious rocker that has become a staple of
radio stations. The remainder of the album divides its time between similarly pulverizing
fare and some intriguing experiments with the group's sound. In the rocker category, notable tracks include
"Miss Misery,"
a bad romance lament driven by a doomy riff worthy of
Black Sabbath
, and
"Changin' Times,"
a throbbing
tune driven by a hypnotic, circular-sounding guitar riff. In the
experimental
category, the big highlight is
"Please Don't Judas Me,"
an epic tune about paranoia that trades
heavy metal
riffs for a spooky, synthesizer-dominated atmosphere that is further enhanced by some light,
Pink Floyd
-styled slide guitar work. The American edition of this album also included a surprise hit for the group with their power
ballad
reinterpretation of
the Everly Brothers
classic
"Love Hurts."
However, the album's surprise highlight is a song that bridges the gap between the straight
songs,
"Beggars Day/Rose in Heather"
; it starts out as a stomping rocker but smoothly transforms itself midway through into a gentle and spacey instrumental where soaring synthesizer lines support some moody guitar work. All in all,
is the finest album in the
catalog. It is a necessity for both the group's fans and anyone who loves 1970s
. ~ Donald A. Guarisco