A nephew of the famous Moores and Blooms from Kildare, Gavin’s approach is less musically adventurous than Luka, and less pointed than Christy. But he’s admirably in thrall to neither, setting out his own stall with confidence and much vigour, here purveying a bunch of ten tastily-crafted self-penned songs which blend elements of mor, folk and soft-rock.
Songs like the pensive ‘Each Moment’ and the fragile ‘Trying To Resist’ have been given time to gestate and find their feet. ‘In The Shadows’ sees him briefly stretching out on a track that builds remorselessly, with his passionate voice given more freedom than usual. Christy rattles his bodhran on the confident ‘Your Way Home’ while Luka adds guitar and voice to a couple of tracks. The uptempo breeze-along ‘Hide And Seek’ rocks out to fine effect, Clive Barnes brings his trademark lapslide to ‘Trying To Resist’ and Deirdre Hayes adds delicious vocals to fan the dying embers of excellent ‘Don’t You Know?’.
Pat O’Sullivan’s neatly understated accordion and Rod Quinn’s drums on the majestically seductive ‘She Wanted’ helps that track to soar. But the unconvincing acapella ‘Apple Pie’ is marred by being bookended by pointless lo-fi studio tomfoolery.
Gavin Moore’s voice may yet have to find the maturity, individuality and authority we have come to expect from his clansmen, but this is a move in the right direction.