Garage Sale Vinyl
Garage Sale Vinyl: Nazareth

Garage Sale Vinyl: Nazareth

2XS / A&M / June 1982

Safer than Sabbath yet punchier than Purple, Nazareth rocked every bit as hard as Zeppelin, and without any mud shark stench. The band unleashed an impressive string of nut-busters throughout the ’70s, and in the process, they built a loyal record-buying base and a massive box office audience, worldwide.

However, this wild-eyed gang of whisky-drinking Scotsmen somehow missed being issued VIP credentials to rock’s “Champagne Room.” As a result, by the early ’80s, Nazareth was fighting for survival as the band endeavored to roll with the changing times. And it was during this super-sanitized, corporate Journey-O-Styxwagon era when they created, arguably, some of their finest work.

Even at its loud and proud, cowbell-fueled “Son of a Bitch” apex, Nazareth possessed a proclivity for producing guitar-driven power pop — “Broken Down Angel,” “Carry Out Feelings,” “My White Bicycle,” “Place in Your Heart,” along with a fistful of others. In fact, the band’s global Top Ten mega-hit, “Love Hurts,” was a balls-out power ballad.

By the decade’s end, Nazareth was clearly making a calculated move towards achieving an overall more “polished” sound. Following the radio-friendly Malice in Wonderland album in 1980 and the equally melodic The Fool Circle in 1981, the band released 2XS (To Excess), in the summer of ‘82.

Produced by John Punter (Roxy Music, Slade, Japan), the album boasted an array of well-crafted, pop-injected rock treasures. Performed with precision and produced to perfection, 2XS tanked spectacularly — stalling at a dismal #122 on the Billboard 200.

Providing plenty of Police-inspired riffs, Phil Collins-style drum programs, and a sack of sing-along choruses, 2XS reached (way) beyond what many at the time probably perceived as the band’s earlier “dinosaur” recordings. Much of the credit for this exciting new direction (aside from likely label pressure) can be attributed to the arrival of former Spirit keyboardist John Locke, who had come on board during the Fool Circle sessions, plus the recent addition of then-22-year-old guitarist Billy Rankin, who brought much-needed youthful vitality to the veteran collective.

Among the record’s 11 tracks lurked highlights galore. The infectious, mid-tempo lead-off single, “Love Leads to Madness,” combined maximum ’80s-sanctioned poppiness with a healthy dose of Manny Charlton’s ’70s-style guitar edge, making for what should have been a snappy, slam-dunk winner. Yet, despite becoming a modest hit in a few smaller countries, the song missed a U.S. chart landing.

The follow-up single, “Dream On,” was every bit as appealing as that other “Dream On” and should have become THE power ballad of the decade. It didn’t. And I’m not ashamed to admit that Dan McCafferty’s iconic, sweetly raspy vocal was so spot-on, so heartfelt, so honest and pure, that even today, I can’t listen to the song without crawling into a corner and sobbing like a jilted 32-year-old Walmart cashier outside a Tay-Tay meet-and-greet.

Additional standouts included “You Love Another,” “Games,” and “Preservation” — all of which oozed glorious synth-pop charm — top-shelf tunes that sadly, even many Nazareth fans might not ever discover.

But, be sure that even during that golden Members Only era, Nazareth was not gonna surrender its total street cred. Hence, propelled by the ace rhythm section of bassist Pete Agnew and drummer Darrell Sweet, the energized “Boys in the Band,” the boogie-based “Gatecrash,” and the blistering “Take the Rap” all were Expect No Mercy-worthy, high-octane rockers — the likes of which simply couldn’t be matched by any of the day’s reigning “Roboto” poster boys.

Immediately upon its release, I snaked my initial copy of 2XS on cassette. Some time later, I acquired the LP. Over the years, those resources vanished to wherever. I rarely pay more than a buck or two for my “garage” finds. However, in 2024, I did pony-up the obscene amount of $20 for a clean, used vinyl copy of 2XS at second-hand shop in Florida. Don’t judge me.

In sum, despite lackluster sales, 2XS remains an epic piece of work, and an essential component of the Nazareth catalog.

2XS, A&M, June 1982
photo by Christopher Long
2XS, A&M, June 1982

(4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

2XS Track List

*All tracks written by Nazareth

SIDE A

Love Leads to Madness (4:09)

Boys in the Band (3:07)

You Love Another (3:59)

Gatecrash (3:20)

Games (4:49)

SIDE B

Back to the Trenches (4:03)

Dream On (3:28)

Lonely in the Night (4:23)

Preservation (4:03)

Take the Rap (2:42)

Mexico (2:52)

Nazareth


Recently on Ink 19...

Incubus

Incubus

Screen Reviews

Both bold experiment and colossal failure in the 1960s, Esperanto language art house horror film Incubus returns with pre-_Star Trek_ William Shatner to claim a perhaps more serious audience.

Garage Sale Vinyl: Loretta Lynn

Garage Sale Vinyl: Loretta Lynn

Garage Sale Vinyl

In this latest installment of his weekly series, Christopher Long is betrayed by his longtime GF when she swipes his copy of Loretta Lynn’s Greatest Hits Vol. II right out from under his nose while rummaging through a south Florida junk store.