Mama’s Boys ‎– Official Bootleg Album – 40th Anniversary Edition Remaster [Dyamond Roxx Series remastered + bonus] 2010, MP3+FLAC

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There were many names that burst forth from the 1980s but one that was unfortunately ignored for the main part was the awesome MAMA’S BOYS. In their origins their sound was pretty similat to their country fellows Thin Lizzy, and that can be heard on their self-released 1980’s vinyl LP that was called “Official Bootleg”, a hard to find holy grail in years to come.

As requested, as part of their ‘Dyamond Roxx Series’, here’s the ProgAOR Records remastered reissue of MAMA’S BOYS “Official Bootleg Album 1980 [40th Anniversary Edition]“, including a bonus tracks a rare 7” single the band released a few months later.
”Official Bootleg Album 1980” is raw & rough but it captured the Rock N’ Roll magic. This album was recorded in four hours and despite its indie nature it got people noticing the band. Although the band honed themselves to another Irish band Horslips they didn’t go for the Celtic fusion and focused on a harder edge.
Even at this young age the three brothers were incredible musicians which shone through on songs like “Belfast City Blues”, the Thin Lizzy steeped “Highland Rock”, “Record Machine” and a seriously trippy, jazzed up cover of “Summertime”.
This was an album driven by guitars, sheer talent and about £3.50 worth of production but it put the boys on the map. ”Official Bootleg Album 1980” is pure, primal rock n’ roll.

The trio formed by the McManus brothers was still called Pulse a few months before and this album, then called “Official Album”, that would take the title of “Official Bootleg” in 1981. But then, the band would later become a mythical formation in the hard rock scene.
So of course, we have to be honest and admit that the interest of this release is essentially historical, especially since, despite the remastering done by Janne Stark (Grand Design, Overdrive, Constancia…), we are dealing here with a raw production.

The sound is rough but we have to reposition all this in its context and not forget its many qualities. Indeed, we have here three teenagers (Tommy is barely 15 years old!) who have only four hours to discover what a recording studio is and to put their first compositions on tape.
The energy is obvious (‘I’m Leaving Town’), the three brothers are sometimes disrespectful with a delirious cover of Gershwin’s ‘Summertimes’ mixing talk-box and saxophone, and ambitions are sometimes handicapped by a few approximations (‘Without You’). Finally, while each instrument can be heard clearly, which makes John’s bass sound a little more prominent, Tommy’s already hyper tonic and rich playing still lacks power at times.

But how many bands would be capable of producing a must-have work in these conditions? None for sure! And yet, this “Official Bootleg” doesn’t lack qualities that will explode later on the next albums of the three brothers.
First of all, there’s Pat’s blinding talent, who strings together the devastating solos on each track. And then there are already some beautiful pieces, some of which will appear again on the rest of the band’s discography and throughout their stage performances.

This is the case of the energetic ‘Record Machine’ that we will find on “Plug It In” (1982), as well as the magnificent ballad ‘Belfast City Blues’, bluesy and full of melancholy. Also note the nervous and swift ‘Highland Rock’ with its catchy chorus and at the end, the Scottish anthem ‘Scotland The Brave’, a ‘Big Bad City’ with the magnificent scent of Thin Lizzy and a ‘Demon’ which seems to group the bases of the future and legendary ‘Runaway Dreams’ with, among others, its violin solo.
Also note the bonuses consisting of the excellent single ‘High Energy Weekend’ and its B-side of the time, a live and instrumental ‘Hitch-Hike’, a pretext for a breathtaking drum solo.

Behind his still amateur side, this first record of the Mama’s Boys is no less indispensable for all the fans of the band and those who appreciate this authentic hard rock, assuming its historical as well as artistic origins.
Highly Recommended

Tracklist
1 I’m Leaving Home
2 Down And Out
3 Belfast City Blues
4 Highland Rock
5 Record Machine
6 Rock N’ Roll Craze
7 Summertime
8 Big Bad City
9 Without You
10 Demon
11 High Energy Weekend
12 Hitch-Hike

Credits
Remastered By – Janne Stark

40th Anniversary Edition. Never before released on CD.

MP3 FLAC