Long before “The Boys Are Back in Town,” Thin Lizzy was a pugnacious Dublin trio with bassist Phil Lynott and guitarist Eric Bell. Vagabonds was their third album and there’s nothing else like it, mixing psychedelia, blues, pop ballads, hard rock, glam, and Irish folk. This deluxe package includes rarities, radio sessions, and a 1973 BBC concert.

Lizzy’s most underrated guitarist, Bell was a child of his times – inspired by Clapton, Beck, Hendrix, Peter Green, and Rory Gallagher – there’s even a Django-styled acoustic solo on “Randolph’s Tango.” The single “Whiskey In the Jar” is the best-known track, an 18th-century folk song updated with melodic guitar, while “The Rocker” is a firecracker lit by Bell’s smokin’ Stratocaster. The cartoonish “Hero and the Madman” has a ferocious solo at the end.

Of the bonus tracks, “1969 Rock Suicide” is an Echoplex extravaganza with whammy dives and power chords. In a ’73 John Peel radio session, Lynott’s mega-fat bass kicks off “Gonna Creep Up on You,” while the BBC tape includes the Irish-themed “Things Ain’t Workin’ Out Down at the Farm” with a thrilling Bell lead. This ain’t Jailbreak or Black Rose, but it is a glimpse of Thin Lizzy’s uncanny first chapter.

This article originally appeared in VG’s February 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.