Nazareth-Exercises (1972)

Nazareth's second album is a rare bird within their extensive discography, a record that departed from the interesting hard rock sound of their 1971 debut, "Nazareth". However, that first album suffered from a lack of stylistic cohesion, a fact that was understandable and normal for a new band. This second album, titled "Exercises", appeared in mid-1972, and on it, the band comprised of Dan McCafferty (vocals), Pete Agnew (bass), Manny Charlton (guitar), and Darrell Sweet (drums), changed direction, focusing on acoustic and orchestral sounds with dark and acerbic lyrics. Right from the start, the band displays this trend with the symphonic "I Will Not Be Led", featuring a clear and obsessive allusion to the manipulation of religious sects. Following a similar pattern are "Sad Song" and "1692 (Glen Coe Massacre)", which also showcase orchestral instrumentation, but the former in a more melancholic tone and the latter in a more dramatic one. On the other hand, the more subdued, acoustic sounds arrive with the folk tracks "Cat's Eye, Apple Pie", "In My Time", "Fool About You", and "Madelaine", while the bluesy "Woke Up This Morning" and the dynamic soft rock "Called Her Name" are the most energetic moments on the entire album. This radical musical shift led to bewilderment and rejection from a large portion of their fans, which is why, with subsequent releases, the band would significantly harden their style, moving towards classic hard rock.