Music
20 Mar 01

Back To The Blues

On his last album, 1999's A Different Beat, Belfast born axe-meister Gary Moore successfully updated his trademark hard-rock blues by incorporating techno rhythms and break beats.

It was a bold, artisitic move and he risked alienating at least some of his die-hard fans. Alas, it didn't exactly set the world on fire and not for the first time he's returned to his roots again with a collection of more or less straight blues numbers.

Moore's stinging guitar style is as deft and electrifying as ever while his gritty vocals sound even more aggressive on chestnuts like 'Stormy Monday', BB King's swinging 'You Upset Me Baby' and his own compositions 'How Many Lies' and 'Looking Back'. An atmospheric instrumental 'The Prophet' (which recalls his duet with Phil Lynott on 'Parisienne Walkways') provides one highlight, the blistering 'Cold Black Night' is another. Meanwhile, sounding like something from the Sopranos' soundtrack, 'Drowning In Tears' - the only non-blues track here - is another gem.

Gary Moore's still the blues - in spades!