a hard-rock "Kitty's Back," right down to the whispered "the boys are back." Like his melodies, Lynott's vocals are engaging, performed with enough spirit to hide Thin Lizzy's prime weakness: lyrics. Jailbreak rehashes the dead horse motif of rocker as outlaw, producing some embarrassingly thin and pretentious writing. "Cowboy Song," despite its sprightly twin-lead guitar work, is the prime casualty, but lines like "Oh, poor Romeo, sitting all on his owneo," threaten to unhinge the melodically compelling "Romeo and the Lonely Girl" as well. (RS 214)

JOHN MILWARD