NAZARETH – The Fool Circle ’81 [Air Mail Archive Japan / Remastered + Bonus] *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

As part of Ａ Ｉ Ｒ Ｍ Ａ Ｉ Ｌ Ａ Ｒ Ｃ Ｈ Ｉ Ｖ Ｅ Japanese label reissue campaign of NAZARETH albums featuring 24bit remastering and cardboard sleeve mini-LP replica, here’s 1981’s “The Fool Circle“, including bonus tracks. According to the label, this is a ‘24 Bit remaster 2006′ especially done by Yoshiro Kuzumaki for the Japanese market. Sound quality is excellent.
After effectively bridging the gap between hard rock and radio-friendly sounds on previous LP ‘Malice in Wonderland’, on this next album NAZARETH tried even more to conquer the American mainstream. The biggest problem with ”The Fool Circle” is the overbearing slickness of its production, which saps much of the energy from the proceeding by putting too heavy a focus on the pop elements of each song.
Hearing ”The Fool Circle” at places it’s hard to recognize that this NAZARETH. There’s some good songs on it of course, but pop-rock songs, not the bruising rocking band we all know. Anyway, it’s worth to listen to hear where these talented minds were at the beginning of the ’80s trying to relocate into the new decade.

For instance, tinkly piano sounds are allowed to overwhelm the guitar on the album’s biggest single, “Dressed to Kill.” The lyrics also suffer this time out because they strain to make political commentary and come off painfully heavy handed as a result; the obvious example is “Pop the Silo,” a cautionary tale about nuclear warfare whose paranoid scenario is so exaggerated that it becomes unintentionally humorous.

The group had lost guitarist Zal Cleminson by this time, and his loss is felt in the group’s less-than-muscular delivery on this album (however, Cleminson appears briefly on a thrown-in live version of Eric Clapton classic “Cocaine,” and the momentary shot of excitement it gives to this album only makes the remaining songs look even more ‘light’ by comparison).

Despite all these problems, ”The Fool Circle” isn’t a complete loss: “Let Me Be Your Leader” combines some of the album’s better politically-oriented lyrics with a sinuous groove, and the aforementioned “Cocaine” successfully transforms that midtempo rocker into an acoustic-styled lysergic tune.
In many ways “The Fool Circle” was a false move in NAZARETH’s career. Despite its pop-rock sound the LP sold pretty well, and the band did one of the most successful rock tours of 1981. They would return to the classic rocking sound with the next album.

Ａ Ｉ Ｒ ＭＡ Ｉ Ｌ Ａ Ｒ Ｃ Ｈ Ｉ Ｖ Ｅ
AIRAC～1272
Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)

01 – Dressed To Kill
02 – Another Year
03 – Moonlight Eyes
04 – Pop The Silo
05 – Let Me Be Your Leader
06 – We Are The People
07 – Every Young Man’s Dream
08 – Little Part Of You
09 – Cocaine “Live Version”
10 – Victoria
11 – Dressed To Kill -Single Edit Version-
12 – Pop The Silo -Single Edit Version-
13 – Let Me Be Your Leader -Live Version-
14 – Dressed To Kill -Live Version-
15 – Pop The Silo -Live Version-
16 – Morgentau -German Single Version-

Dan McCafferty – vocals
Manny Charlton – guitars
Pete Agnew – bass, vocals
Darrell Sweet – drums
with:
Zal Cleminson – 12-string acoustic guitar on “Cocaine”
John Locke – keyboards
Jeff Baxter – synthesizer, vocoder

Out of print
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/DAKAIRAC-1273