Gary Moore can make a guitar sing. He can make it laugh. He can make it
cry. He does the same to his listeners. And it's not just his guitar. It's
also his voice - big, full and powerful. Moore has truly come back to the
blues after experimenting with other styles and sounds. Moore is a native of
Belfast, Northern Ireland and has a long musical career behind him. This new
album shows him in his best guitar playing form.
Some of the tracks are covers of blues standards: You Upset Me Baby; Stormy
Monday; I Ain't Got You; and Looking Back. Moore does these old favorites
justice. He manages to portray the original songs clearly, while still
enfusing them with some of his own style and feeling. The other tracks are
Moore originals and show his originality and his knowledge of the blues.
Enough of the Blues starts so very plainly - just Moore singing, and playing
acoustic guitar, complaining he is tired of the blues. Then, with a crash,
the other instruments join, and Moore sings out, instead of almost
whispering. His woman has left, and he's in misery. He's had enough of the
blues, but the blues haven't had enough of him.
Cold Black Night begins with a whisper of the chilling wind that blew on that
cold black night. I really enjoy the bass rifs on this one. In true blues
style they climb up the notes, over and over, then suddenly drop down, down,
down. Even without the words you would know it was a cold black night.
Moore has that uncanny ability of expressing settings and emotions just in
his music.
But just when you think you have Moore's style down pat, he changes it.
Picture of the Moon is slow, haunting, quietly telling the story of a perfect
night of love, a love that was gone too soon. Even Moore's singing is
different in this piece. None of the harsh driving quality it held in the
previous tracks is evident. Instead it is gentle, mournful and oddly
peaceful.
The Prophet begins with just the electric guitar, sobbing out its notes.
It's some time before the electric keyboard and the drums join in. This
purely instrumental piece can mean anything to you that you want it to. It
holds the joys of current love, the sorrows of lost love, the hope and dread
of the future all in its rhythms and wailings. This has to be my favorite
piece on the album, although Moore's cover of Stormy Monday runs a close
second.
Moore's final track, Drowning in Tears, goes back to the style of his first
tracks on this album. His voice is harsh and driving. The guitar crashes
right behind with the drums and the keyboard driving them all forwards.
Any lover of the blues is going to want this album. Even rock 'n roll fans
will appreciate the exquisite guitar stylings. Let this album find a place
on your shelves soon.
