NAZARETH “Play ‘N’ The Game” /LP/

The second full-length studio album legendary the Scottish Hard Rock.
Although their music is most accurately described as "Blues-tinged Hard Rock" (CD liner notes), this record is quite far from the band's more standard fare, featuring, quite surprisingly, a number of acoustic arrangements, several songs with orchestral strings, and traditional Scottish airs. The band was known for being a pure, powerful Hard Rock band in concert and on later releases, but on this album they decided to abandon the riff-heavy guitar assault they showcased as a live act. "Exercises" is a collection of mostly acoustic tracks with lush harmonies and little sign of the driving in-your-face Rock that they showcased on their debut, "Nazareth". On tracks like "Madelaine" and "In My Time", the band comes across more like laid-back English Pop balladeers Badfinger than their real contemporaries like Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy.
There are a few strong moments on the album. "Woke Up This Morning" is a strong track that provides a Bluesy vocal performance by Dan McCafferty, driving rhythm, and some great slide guitar work by Manny Charlton. "Called Her Name" is another song where the listener will find the band hitting full stride and sounding much more comfortable. The album's "1692 (Glen Coe Massacre)" is about a real incident in Scottish history, namely, the massacre of Glencoe. The album is also significant for its Roy Thomas Baker production—only his third project, and well before his breakthrough works with Queen in the mid-seventies—and its oddly 'new wave' cover-art. An early version of the "Razamanaz" song, "Woke Up This Morning", also makes an appearance on Side 1.
Fortunately, with the help of Deep Purple bassist/producer Roger Glover, the band managed to return to their Hard Rock style and finally captured their live sound on their follow-up album, 1973's "Razamanaz", which cemented their reputation as an upper-echelon Hard Rock act of the '70s.
Remaster 2009, Blue Translucent Vinyl in gatefold cover.
USM Copyrights (Nazareth) Limited, a BMG company/Salvo/Plastic Head Distribution, 1972/2019 (SALVO388LP). Made in UK. Pressed in the E.U.


Tracklist:

Side 1
1. I Will Not Be Led 3:03
2. Cat's Eye, Apple Pie 3:10
3. In My Time 3:30
4. Woke Up This Morning 3:14
5. Called Her Name 4:22

Side 2
6. Fool About You 2:47
7. Love, Now You're Gone 2:25
8. Madelaine 5:56
9. Sad Song 2:12
10. 1692 (Glen Coe Massacre) 3:56

Total playing time: 34:35 min.