Photo: Decca Records
Thin Lizzy is releasing a new album—sort of. On Friday (November 1), the band announced The Acoustic Sessions, an archival project featuring stripped back versions of their earlier material and unheard vocals by late frontman Phil Lynott. The 10-track album also features new guitar work from founder Eric Bell.
To celebrate the announcement, Thin Lizzy shared the acoustic version of "Whiskey in a Jar," a traditional Irish song that's also been covered by the likes of Metallica, U2, and The Pogues. It also features “Eire” from the band’s self-titled 1971 debut album.
“I remember recording ‘Eire’ from our debut album Thin Lizzy in 1971,” recalled Bell in a press release. “I wrote the main guitar part first on acoustic and then we built it up from there. I played the 12-string acoustic throughout the track and introduced the electric on top.”
“This was useful in the studio in Belfast recently where we recorded fresh guitar parts to allow us to create new Thin Lizzy acoustic versions of some of our favorite songs," he added, "by recreating those original acoustic parts and adding the vocals which Philip laid down on the day and those original drum parts which Brian came up with in the original recording sessions.”
Bell's contributions mark his first on a Thin Lizzy album since leaving the band in 1973. Thin Lizzy's last album was 1983's Thunder and Lightning. Lynott tragically died a few years later at the young age of 36.
In 1996, longtime guitarist Scott Gorham and keyboardist Darren Wharton rebooted Thin Lizzy. They're still in the band's current touring lineup, which also features singer Ricky Warwick and Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis.
The Acoustic Sessions is slated for a January 24, 2025 release. Listen to the new version of "Whiskey in a Jar" and see the full track list below.
Acoustic Sessions Tracklist
01. Mama Nature Said
02. A Song for While I’m Away
03. Eire
04. Slow Blues – E.B (Eric Bell)
05. Dublin
06. Whiskey in the Jar
07. Here I Go Again
08. Shades of a Blue Orphanage
09. Remembering Pt. 2
10. Slow Blues – G.M (Gary Moore) – Bonus Track