God Bless The Big Bang

Former Revs mainman Rory Gallagher (now reduced to plain Rory) has created a more varied and temperate album than we might have expected given his former employment. ‘Wake House’ is a delicious psychedelic concoction, with Rory’s voice as silky smooth as it gets, and ‘Rain Dancer’ is fluffily exuberant and radio-friendly. ‘Work To Exist’ looks at modern times, and reveals Rory’s folksier credentials. There’s a serious Tom Petty feel to ‘End Of The World Boogie’, ‘Happy Medium’ is replete with chiming Byrds guitar, ‘Most Beautiful Thing’ has a tearjerker steel guitar and, as if to underline his eclectic tendencies, ‘Dye House’ suggests he’s spun an Arctic Monkeys disc or two.
With virtually every note, word and beat played and sung by Rory himself, God Bless The Big Bang heralds a welcome return.