Studio Sessions, The

Since Phil Lynott's Grand Slam never issued an album during their brief career, some assume that the group never saw the inside of a recording studio. But as proven by the double-disc set, Studio Sessions, this assumption is false. Compiled from tapes from the group's keyboardist, Mark Stanway, Grand Slam saw Lynott attempting to update Thin Lizzy's guitar-driven hard rockin' style, with more of an emphasis on keyboards/electronics and pop melodicism. Several of these tracks would later appear elsewhere (on recordings by Lizzy alumni Gary Moore and a Lynott solo single), but it was with Grand Slam that Lynott first tried out such tunes as "Nineteen" and "Military Man," both included here in their original form. As with Lizzy, Lynott continued to tackle lyrical themes that at the time, strayed far outside what the average hard rock/heavy metal band of the era would sing about -- namely "Harlem" and "Gay Boys." While the first disc sticks to studio work, the second disc is comprised of demos, alternative mixes, and even a radio interview with Lynott, from Ireland in 1984. Although sound and production-wise it sounds a bit dated, Studio Sessions proves that Lynott was still writing solid material up until his passing, and it's quite hard to fathom why Grand Slam was never offered a recording contract. ~ Greg Prato|