Gary Moore Albums (27)
'Old New Ballads Blues'
Release Date 4/24/2006
Tracks 10
Label Eagle Rock Entertain
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What The Critics Say
Since the early '90s Belfast guitar whiz Gary Moore has returned again and again to the blues, leaving his metal phase far behind. Old New Ballads Blues is exactly what the title says it is, a mix of old blues (covers of songs by Elmore James, Willie Dixon, and Otis Rush), new blues (five Moore originals), ballads (half the album) and, well, blues (by one definition or another, everything here passes for blues). The real surprise is that the strongest songs are the original Moore-penned ballads, as Moore gives powerful and atmospheric performances (both vocally and as a guitarist) on "Gonna Rain Today," "No Reason to Cry," and a solid horn-augmented remake of one of his best songs, "Midnight Blues," from what is easily his best album, 1990s million-selling Still Got the Blues. The James and Dixon covers ("Done Something Wrong" and "You Know My Love" respectively) seem disappointingly by-the-numbers, while the Rush song, "All Your Love," fares a bit better, but Moore's own compositions shine brightest here, giving him plenty of room to weep on the old Les Paul, which is a very good thing, since vocals have never been Moore's strongest suit and his lyrics are often on the slight side. All of that vanishes when his guitar takes over a song, and on the instrumental "Cut It Out," Moore's muscular guitar tone says as much or more about life inside the blues as any of the vocal numbers. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After a brief return to his hard rock roots in 2002's Scars, guitarist Gary Moore comes back to the blues where his heart seems to be. But really, Moore's forte is his knack of combining the meaty licks and rugged tone from his gutsy rock to energize the electric blues music he has embraced since 1990's Still Got the Blues. To that end, Scars' drummer Darrin Mooney returns and Bob Daisley, veteran of such thundering outfits as Ozzy Osbourne's band, Uriah Heep and Rainbow, joins on bass. Hence this album's title is appropriate, since the power trio format pounds out this music with clenched-fist authority. Moore is an exceptionally tasty musician but even when the amps are turned up to eleven, as they are for most of this disc, there is feeling in his fiery licks. The originals that dominate are little more than rewritten established blues riffs and his songs are predominantly vehicles for his explosive, wah-wah-heavy attacks. Covers of Willie Dixon's "Evil" and "I Can't Quit You Baby" don't take the tunes anywhere they haven't been before (the latter copies Led Zeppelin's version almost down to the note) but Moore wrings enough guts out of them to make his renderings well-worth hearing, if not essential. A crawling take on Percy Mayfield's "Memory Pain" drags the standard on to Moore's playing field, but maintains the original's sense of sorrow. The guitarist's understated imprint is also evident on ballads like "That's Why I Play the Blues" where his low-key vocals and lighter touch are surprisingly poignant. He seems to be having a ball throughout, singing and playing with the loose authority that only 35 years as a professional musician allows. Moore is especially convincing and enthusiastic on the jazzy, walking bass propelled "Can't Find My Baby," a nice change-up from the album's predominantly charging tone. The creeping menace of the closing "Torn Inside" also shows how Moore uses subtle dynamics and a less-is-more tactic borrowed from his mentor Peter Green, to ramp up the drama. There's nothing here Moore hasn't done previously, but it's another stellar entry into his bulging catalog and a great place for hard rock fans to jump aboard the blues train. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
'Live at Monsters of Rock'
Release Date 9/1/2003
Tracks 10
Label Sanctuary
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What The Critics Say
Power guitarist Gary Moore's Live at Monsters of Rock is a dream come true for every guitar freak out there. Teamed with his trio of Cass Lewis and Darrin Mooney, Moore turns it up to 14 and powers his way through razored, crunching covers of the Yardbirds' "Shapes of Things" and Free's "Wishing Well" before delving into his own rather voluminous catalog. Performances of the riff-laden "Rectify," the bluesed-out "Stand Up," and the completely adrenaline-fueled metal of "Out in the Fields" take this over the top. But the final track, a deeply moving version of "Pariesienne Walkways," is a fitting tribute to the tune's original vocalist and former Thin Lizzy bandmate Phil Lynott. There is nothing but pure power here -- no restraint, no mixing, no overdubs, nothing but pure Monsters of Rock power. This is the guitar record Moore had been promising his entire career. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After spending over a decade churning out electrified blues, Gary Moore partially returns to his hard rock beginnings in Scars. Reminiscent of '60s power trios such as Cream and especially the Jimi Hendrix Experience ("World of Confusion" is practically a rewrite of "Manic Depression" and "Ball and Chain" borrows the riff from "Voodoo Child"), Moore hasn't abandoned the blues, he's just pumped it up with blustery retro roots rock. With all the genre's limitations, the guitarist is so obviously inspired in this format that the album is a success on its own terms, even though it breaks little new ground. "Wasn't Born in Chicago" infuses jazzy drums and slight electronics to enhance the basic three-piece assault, resulting in the album's most unique and arguably best performance. Moore's pacing also helps as he softens his attack on ballads like "Just Can't Let You Go" and the closing "Who Knows (What Tomorrow May Bring)?" He effectively shifts from tender to tense to explosive in seconds and, even on the nearly 13-minute "Ball and Chain," keeps the listener involved through a combination of six-string talent, full-bodied vocals, and a sense of dynamics. Occupying a well-worn space with a potent fusion of blues power and hard rock, Scars shows Gary Moore comfortable in his skin. It's a rugged if not terribly original fusion that succeeds due to his talent, enthusiasm, and no-frills approach. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
'Back to the Blues'
Release Date 1/1/2001
Tracks 10
Label CMC International
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What The Critics Say
Six years after his successful tribute to Peter Green, Gary Moore follows with another solid electric blues-rock effort that falls squarely in line with his similarly themed albums Still Got the Blues, After Hours, and Blues Alive. Although he adds brass on a rollicking version of B.B. King's "You Upset Me Baby," Moore predominantly sticks to the basics here, pounding out energetic and full-bodied blues-rock and leading a stripped-down trio with a journeyman's enthusiasm and his trademark thick, sustained guitar solos slashing through the proceedings. The majority of the tracks are originals, although even the best of them sound suspiciously like rewritten blues standards. "Cold Black Night" is little more than a speeded-up "Messin' With the Kid," and "Picture of the Moon" sounds awfully similar to Moore's own "Still Got the Blues." And whether the world needs yet another version of "Stormy Monday" or "I Ain't Got You" is debatable. But Moore pulls off even the most clichéd material with his phenomenal prowess; supple, identifiable vocals; and a guitar tone that effortlessly shifts from a Santana/Peter Green-styled hovering intensity to a slashing Stevie Ray Vaughan attack. While Moore isn't redefining the genre or even his own approach to it, he's adding his stamp to blues-rock with Back to the Blues. Consistently rugged, moving, and heartfelt, the album is a reminder that even without reinventing an established musical style, an artist can effectively work within its boundaries to produce a satisfying, if not quite fresh, interpretation relying solely on talent and passion. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By the late '90s, guitarist Gary Moore was at a career crossroads. Should he continue on the path that brought him his biggest stateside success (Still Got the Blues), or try something a bit contemporary? The ex-Thin Lizzy member decided on the latter, issuing Dark Days in Paradise, an album that saw Moore utilize electronic beats and, of course, his trademark soaring guitar work, rather than blues-rockers. And you have to give the guitarist credit -- he does venture outside of what you'd usually expect from a new Moore album, whether it be the Beatlesque "One Fine Day" (which contains a bassline quite similar to the Fab Four's "Rain") or the keyboard-heavy ballad "Like Angels" (which sounds like it's straight from 1987). While fans of Victims of the Future may be left wondering where the hard rock went, Dark Days in Paradise will be an interesting listen for fans curious to hear Moore trying new approaches. [Originally released in 1997, Dark Days in Paradise was reissued by Virgin in 2003 with three bonus tracks: "Burning in Our Hearts," "There Must Be a Way," and the title track.] ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Gary Moore's tribute to Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green, Blues for Greeny, is more of a showcase for Moore's skills than Green's songwriting. After all, Green was more famous for his technique than his writing. Consequently, Moore uses Green's songs as a starting point, taking them into new territory with his own style. And Moore positively burns throughout Blues for Greeny, tearing off licks with ferocious intensity. If anything, the album proves that Moore is at his best when interpreting other people's material -- it easily ranks as one of his finest albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
