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GARY MOORE
The Best Of The Blues (Virgin)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Act fast. Unless my sources are wrong (and they're usually reliable), only the first pressing of this superb collection of guitarist Gary Moore's best blues recordings will include a bonus live CD, and believe you me, you'll want the live CD. On its own, the main disc is a goosebump generator, thanks to one of the warmest distorted guitar tones to grace the blues in the last few decades. Gary Moore came up in the ranks of hard rock bands, most notably Thin Lizzy, and more than a few eyebrows were raised when he began releasing blues albums. Moore proved himself a dynamite singer and he displayed a tasteful blues style on guitar that was completely different in every way from what he'd been doing in Thin Lizzy OR in Coliseum II. Moore's had to put up with a ration of shit from snobs who think a guy can't switch genres in mid career. Apparently these snobs don't own record or CD players, or perhaps just haven't listened to any Gary Moore records or CDs. If they're being cheap, they could just buy this collection, which is a very good overview of what it is he does and exactly how he does it. This is another one of those artists - and I know I do this fairly often but it's how I feel - who I hope you discover through this collection and then go for the individual albums, because there's a cohesiveness to each album that almost makes breaking them up feel wrong. Still, you need to hear these performances, both solo and with guests like B.B. King, Albert Collins and Albert King. The live CD is all previous unissued recordings, including a killer "Caldonia" featuring Collins and Albert King. The bonus CD is an hour and seventeen minutes of smokin' live blues, worth the price tag all on its own, but as I said at the top... hurry the hell up or you'll be looking for your copy on eBay.
Track List - Disc One:
Walking by Myself * Oh Pretty Woman * Still Got the Blues (For You) * Separate Ways * Since I Met You Baby * Story of the Blues * All Your Love * Too Tired * Need Your Love So Bad * Midnight Blues * King of the Blues * Jumpin' at Shadows * Texas Strut * Moving On * Stop Messin' Around * Parisienne Walkways '93 * The Supernatural
Track List - Bonus CD (Live):
Caldonia * You Don't Love Me * Key to Love * The Thrill Is Gone * Stormy Monday * Cold, Cold Feeling * Further Up the Road * The Stumble * Oh Pretty Woman * Walking by Myself * Too Tired * Still Got the Blues (For You) * All Your Love * Midnight Blues [live]
© 2002 - DJ Johnson