Shades of a Blue Orphanage [IMPORT]

Thin Lizzy

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 23, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 1972
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Polygram UK
• ASIN: B000001F6Q
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #106,560 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overlooked and Unappreciated Gem, February 3, 2004

By	Sidsel Roine (Lexington, KY United States) - See all my reviews

While I am a huge fan of all of Lizzy's music,a part of me always wondered what path their music would have taken had they continued in the musical direction of their first three albums. In many ways, I miss the simple purity Lizzy had with these early records, something that was lost when they hit it big.

Shades of a Blue Orphanage is an extension of their first album; storytelling, poetic lyrics, musical experimentation with blues, rock, folk and prog elements. There is no real formula to any of it; These tracks would be right at home in a live jam, and I can only imagine some of the great shows Lizzy must have put on in the early days.

Listeners looking for classic Lizzy hard rock will be scratching their heads at hearing this album. Listeners without an appreciation for lyrical imagery and experimentation will be prone to dismiss what they don't understand as "awful". Shades is an original recording filled with verve and genuine emotion. It's too bad most modern music can't say the same thing.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but a buy for only a true Thin Lizzy Fan, October 29, 1999

By A Customer

This is the weakest of the Eric Bell era Thin Lizzy albums. Half of the album will not interest most people but there are a few quality songs(Brought Down, Baby Face, Call the Police). The production quality is poor by todays standards which can be expected of many albums of that time. There are a couple of good but very slow songs(Sarah, Shades of a Blue Orphanage) and one that should just be skipped(I Don't Want to Forget How to Jive). If you are interested in an album from the Eric Bell days, I would first recommend Thin Lizzy(electric folk debut album) then Vagabonds of the Western World(their 3rd album, the heaviest and last of the Eric Bell years).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Claim to fame is Jesse James..., July 7, 2006

By	Mark H. "mrh" (Hanson, MA USA) - See all my reviews

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After a very promising debut, Lizzy seemed to take a step back with their March 1972 followup. They seemed to be ready to go in two different directions, straight-up hard rock band, or folk with a tinge of power. On this release they seemed to go more towards the later which is kind of a shame. Not a bad album but as another reviewer also said not particulary memorable. I think it would be hard to include any of these tunes on a Lizzy top 30 but I know how subjective that can be. "Buffalo Gal" is probably the best song but it isn't really a rocker or a ballad in the traditional sense, "Brought Down" is very similiar in the same way. Phillip's first "Sarah" is almost buried by the reoording, forget about listening to this one in the car...it's too damn soft! "Rise and Dear Demise" and "Baby Face" are the best of the "rockers" but again, nothing Lizzy wouldn't blow away on future releases. Case in point, less then a year after this forgettable affair, they released their first single and masterpiece, "Whisky in the Jar/Black Boys on the Corner" - and reputation was secured. I'm not one to quibble about lineups either as each formation of Lizzy provided their own memorable addtions to the catalogue, though 'Shades' was not one for the Eric Bell era. Their next release with the aforementioned single would be Lizzy's first true artistic peak. 'Shades' is a slight misstep. Not bad just not a classic.