Record Reviews
📝 2096 reviews| Artist | Title | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Gabriel | Passion | <p>Passion is in actuality Peter Gabriel's soundtrack to the Martin Scorsese film The Last Temptation of Christ, retitled as a result of legal barriers; regardless of its name, however, there's no mistaking the record's stirring power. Like much of Gabriel's solo work, the album is a product of his continuing fascination with world music, which he employs here to create an exceptionally beautiful and atmospheric tapestry of sound perfectly evocative of the film's resonant spiritual drama; inspired by field recordings collected in areas as diverse as Turkey, Senegal, and Egypt, Passion achieves a cumulative effect clearly Middle Eastern in origin, yet its brilliant fusion of ancient and modern musics ultimately transcends both geography and time. Remarkably dramatic, even visual, it is not only Gabriel's best film work but deserving of serious consideration as his finest music of any kind; equally worthwhile is Passion -- Sources, which assembles the original native recordings which served as his creative launching pad.</p><p>—<strong>Jason Ankeny</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Shaking The Tree | <p>Greatest-hits albums are a traditional way of buying time for artists between albums. Peter Gabriel's, entitled Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats, arrived in December of 1990, as he was toiling away at the follow-up to his smash So, which was four years old at that point. As greatest-hits albums go, it's pretty good, containing all the hits, plus an effective re-recording of "Here Comes the Flood" and a good new song in the form of the title track. While the sequencing may leave something to be desired -- it is neither chronological, nor as supple as a good mix tape -- it does contain nearly everything a casual fan could want (nothing from the second album, though; both "On the Air" or "D.I.Y." would have been nice additions), making it an effective sampler.</p><p>—<strong>Stephen Thomas Erlewine</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Us | <p>Six years after earning his first blockbuster, Peter Gabriel finally delivered Us, his sequel to So. Clearly, that great span of time indicates that Gabriel was obsessive in crafting the album, and Us bears the sound of endless hours in the studio. It's not just that the production is pristine, clean, and immaculate, it's that the music is, with only a handful of exceptions (namely, the "Sledgehammer" rewrite "Steam" and the fellatio ode "Kiss That Frog"), remarkably subtle and shaded. It's also not a coincidence that Us is, as Gabriel says in his liner notes, "about relationships," since the exquisitely textured music lets him expose his soul, albeit in a typically obtuse way. Since the music is so muted, it's no surprise that the album failed to capture a mass audience the way So did, but it's foolish to expect anyone but serious fans to unravel an album this deliberate. Gabriel is as adventurous as ever, yet he is relentlessly sober about his experiments, burying exotic sounds and percussion underneath crawling tempos measured atmospherics -- this is tastefully two-toned music, assembled by a consummate craftsman who became too immersed in detail to make anything but an insular, introspective work. Some gems are easier to unearth than others -- "Digging in the Dirt" has an insistent pulse, "Blood of Eden" and "Come Talk to Me" are quite beautiful, "Secret World" is quietly anthemic -- yet, given enough time, the record's understated approach and reflection becomes its most attractive element. But it takes a lot of spins and patience to get to that point, since this is an album he made for himself, and only those dedicated to the artist will have the patience to decode it.</p><p>—<strong>Stephen Thomas Erlewine</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Secret World Live | <p>Peter Gabriel's second double-disc live album doesn't have the energy of Plays Live, which isn't surprising; his newer material is more subtle and doesn't easily lend itself to live performances. That's part of the reason why the Secret World tour was filled with cutting-edge visuals and stage effects. Unfortunately, it's very hard to record a light show, and the result is a thoroughly bland album.</p><p>—<strong>Stephen Thomas Erlewine</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Secret World - Live (DVD) | <p>Peter Gabriel's second double-disc live album doesn't have the energy of Plays Live, which isn't surprising; his newer material is more subtle and doesn't easily lend itself to live performances. That's part of the reason why the Secret World tour was filled with cutting-edge visuals and stage effects. Unfortunately, it's very hard to record a light show, and the result is a thoroughly bland album.</p><p>— <strong>Stephen Thomas Erlewine</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Ovo | <p>In 1997, Peter Gabriel was asked to pilot a visual project for London's Millennium Dome. OVO is a work based on the intersecting problems of race relations, environmental concerns, family issues, and fairy tales as allegories, violence, and more. And keep in mind that this was to be a visual piece. Gabriel, to meet the challenge for CD, added a ton of multimedia to the musical soundtrack: there is a drawn storybook, The Story of OVO, a view of the installation itself from every angle, and many stopgap notes, drawings, and the like. For the soundtrack, he enlisted the help of collaborators such as Elizabeth Fraser, Neneh Cherry (whatever happened to her third record, the one she did with Tricky?), Richie Havens, the Black Dyke Mills Band, the Electra Strings, Paul Buchanan (of Blue Nile), Adzido, the Dhol Foundation drummers, and Iarla Ó Lionáird from the Afro-Celt Sound System. Needless to say, the music is all over the map, from a rap version of the "Story of Ovo" to an Irish jig to Gabriel's percussive culture plundering soundscapes and new songs (including a truly dull rework of "Digging in the Dirt") to Eno-like ambiences to folk songs and new songs with Havens and Ó Lionáird singing like the opposite ends of a heavenly choir and Liz Fraser soaring over the Dhol Foundation drummers. It sounds awesome doesn't it? It should be. But it's not. OVO sounds labored, choppy, and pasted together, like it is the soundtrack to a visual installation, and feels incomplete without it. This is not a project like Passion was or even Birdy; it's a pastiche that attempts to be as ambitious as the installation project. And it is ambitious. Unfortunately, musically it isn't consistent enough to sustain the listener's interest for the entire length of the recording. It is a curious project with moments, but is most likely for hardcore fans only.</p><p>— <strong>Thom Jurek</strong></p><hr/><p>Geffen A&R; executive Tony Berg was quoted a few years back as suggesting that Peter Gabriel should call his next album Peter Gabriel Makes Grown Men Cry. To this day, I'm not exactly sure how he meant that. Either: #1: Gabriel's songs have apparently continued to be so heart-wrenchingly emotional that men still shed tears simply at the sound of his voice. #2: He's such an anal perfectionist that it's taken him years to craft his latest studio album, and fans, as well as record execs, weep with frustration. As for the frustration thing, it's been eight years, and Gabriel still hasn't finished it.</p><p> 2000, however, did see the release of a new UK-only Peter Gabriel record titled OVO: The Millennium Show. The album is technically a soundtrack to the disastrous Millennium Dome show that occurred in England a year ago. Just as Geffen attempted to convince the public that Beck's Mutations was not an "official" follow-up to Odelay, OVO is being deemed "not the official follow-up to 1992's Us". So, what's a fan to do, except simply take this as consolation for four-fifths of a decade of waiting? For one, they can hope that the real album is better. OVO has its moments, sure, but it's also fairly inconsistent. The sentiment and plot—yes, there's a plot—is, in fact, so hackneyed it's hard to believe that Berg Implication #1 could be the case. Despite all this, Gabriel does at times come through: a little over half of the record ranks alongside his early 90s work. Had the rest been cut, OVO's runtime would weigh in at 20 minutes less, but because they're all here, their mediocrity preserved in plastic for all time, the album's pitfalls prevent it from gaining consistency and cohesiveness. </p><p>According to the liner notes, Gabriel has recruited some of his "favourite voices" to sing the bulk of OVO's material. The female presence is welcome; like Kate Bush and Sinéad O'Connor before them, Iarla O Lionaird and the Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser provide a lovely, sensual atmosphere to their cuts. When Richie Havens and Paul Buchanan pop up, though, it's unclear why Gabriel, whose vocals would have lent themselves infinitely better to these songs, didn't just sing them himself.</p><p>"The Story of OVO" opens the album with promising, ethnically rich accompaniment, until Rasco (??) and Neneh Cherry start rapping. In the more than thirty years Peter Gabriel has been recording, he's never before written a rap, and it becomes clear immediately: "A long time ago in a far away land/ There was a man/ Who learned to understand." The Gabriel-sung chorus and the rhythmic closing almost make the trite lyrics worth enduring. Okay, they don't. But that's somewhat easily forgiven with a casual press of the 'skip' button. The first half's only major standout, "Low Light", follows with a beautiful ambient feel and an intro previewing the orchestral melody of a later track, the musically stunning "Downside-Up". "The Time of the Turning" sounds nice initially, but ultimately reveals itself as mediocre, with Havens and Fraser taking lead vocals on a generally forgettable melody. "The Weavers' Reel" pairs a reprise of "Turning" with a formulaic, lifeless Celtic reel, augmented with an unforgivably cheesy dance beat. And "Father, Son" attempts to go the way of Gabriel's previous ballads, but with such a saccharine sentiment and ordinary melody, it goes the way of elevator music. It's after this track that the line of demarcation from indifference to actual greatness becomes apparent, since the next song sets a new standard of quality which is ultimately fulfilled by OVO's remainder. "The Tower That Ate People" is Gabriel's funkiest track since "Sledgehammer", with growling verse vocals, phased guitars, overdriven organ, and a gorgeously haunting bridge melody. "Revenge" follows flawlessly with a breathtakingly strong, layered rhythm by African drum group The Dhol Foundation. And the 10-minute closing collaboration with electronic artist BT, "Make Tomorrow", is consistently enjoyable throughout its extravagant running time, bearing enough melodic and tonal changes to keep the listener interested. But the best track by far arrives just before the ending. "Downside-Up" is, melodically, one of the best songs in Gabriel's entire catalog—and it was a damn strong catalog to begin with. The banal lyrics keep it from joining the ranks of his other classics, but the fluidity and richness of the chorus melody, and the skilled, outstanding guitar line that enters at the bridge, makes it a strong contender.</p><p>OVO should nicely tide over you longtime fans until the eventual release of the forthcoming Up. It's inconsistent, though, and at times overbearingly trite, but it does contain some surprisingly effective material. If nothing else, the $30 import tag is a better bargain for the obsessive fan than a plane ticket to Britain.</p><p>— <strong>Spencer Owen, Pitchfork</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Collection | |
| Peter Gabriel | Up | <p>Ten years is a long time, especially in pop music, but waiting ten years to deliver an album is a clear sign that you're not all that interested in the pop game anyway. Such is the case with Peter Gabriel, who delivered Up in 2002, a decade after Us and four years after he announced its title. Perhaps appropriately, Up sounds like an album that was ten years in the making, revealing not just its pleasures but its intent very, very slowly. This is not an accessible record, nor is it easy to warm up to, which means that many may dismiss it upon a single listen or two, never giving it the time it demands in order to be understood (it does not help matters that the one attempt at a single is the ham-fisted, wrong-headed trash-TV "satire" "The Barry Williams Show," which feels utterly forced and out of place here, as if Geffen was pleading for anything resembling a single to add to the album). Really, there is no other choice for an artist as somber and ambitious as Gabriel to craft an album as dense as Up; those who have waited diligently for ten years would be disappointed with anything less and, frankly, they're the only audience that matters after a decade. And they're not likely to be disappointed, since this album grows stronger, revealing more with each listen. Initially, it seems to simply carry on the calmer, darker recesses of Us, but this is an uncompromising affair, which is to its advantage, since Gabriel delves deeper into darkness, grief, and meditation. It may take a while for him to emerge from the darkness -- there is little of the comfort of a "Come Talk to Me" or "Blood of Eden," which are immediately soothing on Us -- but there are glimmers of hope throughout the album, even in its darkest moments. Again, it takes awhile to sort all this out -- to unlock the form of the songs, then their meanings -- and it's such a somber, hushed, insular affair that some dedicated listeners may not bother to spin it the appropriate number of times. But those serious fans who want to spend time with this will find that it does pay back many rewards.</p><p>—<strong>Stephen Thomas Erlewine</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Long Walk Home (Rabbit-Proof Fence) | <p>Nearly a full decade after the release of Us, Peter Gabriel finally returned with new music in the summer of 2002 -- but it wasn't a new studio album, it was the soundtrack to Phillip Noyce's return to independent Australian cinema, Rabbit-Proof Fence. The film tells the true story of three Aboriginal girls who make a return to their home after being abducted by the government to serve as domestic help to a white family in 1931; as they make their journey through the Outback to their home, they follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence, which had been constructed to prevent animals deemed agricultural pests -- including rabbits, dingoes, and foxes -- from crossing into Western Australia agricultural lands. This, understandably, is a moody, emotional piece, and Gabriel was an ideal choice for the soundtrack, since he proved with his score for Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ that he could stay faithful to the indigenous music of the region while synthesizing it with his own synth-based art rock, providing a haunting, emotionally resonant soundtrack to the film. He does a similar thing here, using Aboriginal music as a foundation for much of his music, yet winding up with a score that's ultimately closer to Birdy than Passion. That's largely due to its long stretches of moody, spare keyboards, which dominate much of the album. The keyboards are the dominant sound here, not the rhythms, but it all blends together for a very evocative, dark yet hopeful set of music. It's not a splashy comeback, then, but a quiet return to something Gabriel does best -- creating soundscapes that are at once alien and familiar, eerie yet comforting. That he hasn't done this in a while does not diminish the fact that he's created a strong instrumental piece that stands on its own, outside of the film, holding its own with Birdy and Passion. And it only whets the appetite for a full-scale comeback.</p><p>—<strong>Stephen Thomas Erlewine</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Growing Up Live (DVD) | <p>Recorded in May 2003 at a single show in the Round in Milan, Italy, this documents Peter Gabriel's worldwide tour following his Up release. As such, it not surprisingly relies heavily on that disc, with seven of the 17 tracks originating from the album. Only about five tunes in this show can be considered "hits" (conspicuously absent is anything from his second and third albums) but most won't miss the many omissions since the performance is so consistently breathtaking. Gabriel is known for his elaborate, high-tech presentations and this certainly has its share of surprises. To reveal them would be unfair, since much of the excitement in watching a Gabriel show is seeing how his stage act -- here modernized for an in-the-round setting -- unfurls and reflects the songs. But suffice it to say, that unless you were there -- and even then -- Gabriel has plenty of tricks up his baggy black sleeves. Although he begins modestly, playing stark piano alone on an empty stage for a moving "Here Comes the Flood," the ever-present and very visible orange-suited crew, which appears and disappears though trap doors in the fake floor, quickly adds the full band. Split screens display these techs looking bored under the stage, preparing for the next song, a video technique that is overused throughout the concert's 2 1/4 hour running time. Otherwise, the camera work is excellent, if a bit hyperactive at times. Vocal overdubs are kept to a minimum and the 5.1 surround mix is astonishingly vibrant and detailed. One new song, "Animal Nation," is played, but it is not one of Gabriel's best and at nearly 15 minutes overstays its welcome. Also, the band introductions, which are chanted by the audience after the tune, might have been fun if you were there, but wear thin quickly. Still, this is a beautifully and imaginatively shot production caught in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Gabriel sounds great, as do the band members, many of whom, like bassist Tony Levin and guitarist David Rhodes, are longtime associates. It's a must for any fan of the British star and a riveting performance even for those unfamiliar with his work.</p><p>—<strong>Hal Horowitz</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | Still Growing Up | <p>This double-set sequel to Peter Gabriel's 2003 successful tour DVD Still Growing Up is twice as long and about half as effective as its predecessor. The package includes one hour-and-a-half disc of the same band playing much of the same material in supposedly smaller places, and a second documentary disc. The "unwrapped" title infers this might be unplugged, but that is not the case. These performances are simply from different, purportedly more intimate venues where Gabriel's legendary large theater theatrics were scaled down. Still, "intimate" is a bit of a misnomer, as he was still playing to thousands of people, even on these smaller gigs, and the lights and visuals are far more advanced than most acts ever attain. Most annoying is the editing of the songs on disc one, which cuts between different performances of a single tune being played in a variety of venues. This was not the case with Growing Up Live, which was shot at what seemed to be a single gig in Italy. The effect is unintentionally distracting and detracts from the intensity of the show. Even the inclusion of seven tunes not on the previous DVD, some of them of hits as popular as "Solsbury Hill," "Games Without Frontiers," and "Biko" -- all of which sound great -- are marred by the fast-cut editing and the incongruous pieced together approach. Disc two is an hour-and-a-half "unwrapped" documentary, produced and directed by Anna Gabriel. This uses the majority of the concert material from disc one, interspersed with frustratingly brief interview segments from Gabriel and the band that on occasion only vaguely relate to the song being played. The trick of projecting some of this footage onto Gabriel's face gets old quickly and having to sit through the same songs again just to see about 15 minutes of not terribly insightful interviews makes this extraneous for all but the most ardent Gabriel fans. The extras on both discs though might be worth the price of the package. You get a terrific version of "In Your Eyes," without the quick cuts, along with "No Self Control" from 1988's out of print (as of this DVD's release in 2005) P.O.V. tour documentary. Disc two has three live-in-the-studio tracks of the road band playing "Darkness," "No Way Out," and "Growing Up," along with a pair of tunes from a May 2000 appearance on the BBC show Later...with Jools Holland. All of them are well worth seeing and owning, upping the value of this release considerably. The Surround 5.1/DTS sound on both discs is also a big plus. Still, this a necessary purchase only for those fans who already own Growing Up Live and are willing to spend additional money on product that seems unnecessarily padded and not nearly as classy as has come to be expected from the artist.</p><p>—<strong>Hal Horowitz</strong></p> |
| Peter Gabriel | New Blood - Live In London | <p>Filmed live at The HMV Hammersmith Apollo London, on March 23rd and 24th, 2011, the show looks quite good. Multiple cameras follow Peter Gabriel as he moves around the stage as well as the different orchestral groups whenever they have prominent solos. During close-ups clarity is very good and during larger shots that capture the entire orchestra there are no serious shadow effects. Furthermore, motion-judder is not a serious issue of concern, while background noise is present only during a few selected shots where the camera captures the heavy red lights from an awkward angle. This being said, the actual camerawork/camera movement isn't overly impressive. The show was apparently filmed in 2D and 3D and there are various light and laser effects that simply look a bit over the top in 2D (see screencapture #2). I have not seen the 3D Blu-ray version of the show and therefore do not know how successful these effects are in 3D, but visually the 2D version is somewhat inconsistent for my taste. I also wasn't overly impressed by the raw footage from the stage camera which Peter Gabriel uses towards the end of the show - the idea is good but the execution isn't convincing. Regardless, there are no purely transfer-specific anomalies to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).</p><p>There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English LPCM 2.0, and English Dolby Digital 5.1. I opted for the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.</p><p>The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track boasts a wide range of nuanced dynamics that handle the new arrangements for Peter Gabriel's songs very well. What impressed me the most was the lush orchestral sound and the prominent solos -- the bassoon and flute solos, in particular, sound as well rounded as the vocals (quite a rarity), while the strings are never overpowering. Surround activity is modest, but frankly, the new orchestral arrangements do not demand anything more than what the lossless 5.1 track delivers. Finally, balance is very good and there are no problematic audio dropouts or sync issues to report in this review.</p><p>The English LPCM 2.0 track is serviceable but lacks the depth and fluidity of the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. A lot of the nuanced dynamics mentioned earlier are simply missing. This is fairly easy to hear if one compares "Biko" (listen and compare the double bass entry and the bassoon solo that follows) and "Don't Give Up". Lastly, I tested only two songs, but as expected, the English Dolby Digital 5.1 track is anemic at best. </p> |
| Galapagos Duck | The Removalists | |
| Rory Gallagher | Live In Europe | <p>After two critically acclaimed but commercially disappointing solo studio albums, Rory Gallagher unleashed this raging live disc in 1972 at the age of 23. It not only established him in the States, where he had toured only once previously (with his first band Taste, opening for Blind Faith on their brief tour), and was a worldwide hit. Gallagher blasts through rearranged versions of three Junior Wells songs ("Messin' With the Kid," "I Could've Had Religion," and "Hoodoo Man") and Muddy Waters' "Bullfrog Blues," a holdover from his Taste days, like his fingers are exploding. Even on acoustic tracks like "Going to My Home Town" where Gallagher strums his mandolin with such ferocity it sounds like the strings are going to pop, he attacks with the intensity of a talented young man with something to prove. The songs average about six minutes, but Gallagher and his two-piece never let the energy flag. More crackling than even his best studio work, you can hear the electricity in the air as the Irishman shoots solos scorching with vitality and precision. The 2000 reissue includes two slow blues cuts, "What in the World" and "Hoodoo Man" where the guitarist pulls out his slide tricks, both are worthwhile additions. The liner notes feature a 1972 interview with the guitarist, but this is the only album of Buddha's 2000 reissued Gallagher catalog that doesn't include brother Donal's track-by-track synopsis. The crisp, clear remastered sound makes this one of the best live blues-rock albums ever, and one of the finest discs in Rory Gallagher's catalog. It's not quite like seeing him live, sweating through a vigorous, non-stop set, but it's the next best thing.</p>— <b>Hal Horowitz</b> |
| Rory Gallagher | The Irish Tour | <p>The companion piece to director Tony Palmer's documentary of the same name, Irish Tour 1974 was recorded that January in Belfast, Dublin, and Cork at a time when precious few performers -- Irish or otherwise -- were even dreaming of touring the trouble-torn island. Northern Ireland, in particular, was a rock & roll no-go area, but Gallagher never turned his back on the province and was rewarded with what history recalls as some of his best-ever gigs. Irish Tour 1974, in turn, captures some of his finest known live recordings and, while it's impossible to tell which songs were recorded where, across nine in-concert recordings (plus one after-hours jam session, "Back on My Stompin' Ground"), the energy crackling from stage to stalls and back again packs an intensity that few live albums -- Gallagher's own others among them -- can match. Highlights of a stunning set include dramatic takes on Muddy Waters' "I Wonder Who" and Tony Joe White's "As the Crow Flies," a raw acoustic rendering that is nevertheless totally electrifying. A frustratingly brief snip of the classic Shadows-style "Maritime" (aka "Just a Little Bit") plays the album out in anthemic style and then, of course, there's "Walk on Hot Coals," a marathon excursion that posterity has decreed Gallagher's most popular and accomplished statement -- a status that Irish Tour 1974 does nothing to contradict. It's foolish playing favorites, however. Even more than Gallagher's earlier (1972) Live in Europe album, Irish Tour 1974 confirms Gallagher not simply as the greatest bluesman Ireland ever knew, but as one of the island's greatest-ever performers. The 1999 remaster adds nothing in the way of bonus material (shame), but greatly improves the sound quality.</p>— <b>Dave Thompson</b> |
| Rory Gallagher | Live At The BBC | <P>The resurrected Buddha acquired the rights to much of Rory Gallagher's prime material in 1999. They began their reissue program with his first two albums, then they moved to what most hardcore fans would consider the crown jewel of the series, a double-disc collection of Gallagher's BBC sessions. Like most lead guitarists (at least those of his generation), he would often expand his music when playing live, turning in vibrant, exciting versions of his material, peppered with great guitar solos. Although it lacks the kinetic spark generated whenever a musician performs in front of a live audience, BBC Sessions is one of the finest live sets in his catalog, thanks to its crystalline fidelity, strong performances and classy presentation. Certainly, this collection isn't for anyone that isn't already devoted to Gallagher, but for those that are, there's plenty to cherish here -- individual solos, impassioned vocals and good liner notes. It's an excellent, worthy addition to his catalog, and it helps confirm Gallagher's gift as a blues-rock guitarist.</P>— <B>Stephen Thomas Erlewine</B> |
| Rory Gallagher | Rockplast Concerts 1976-1990 | <p>In nearly ten hours of footage, Live at Rockpalast 1976-1990 offers a varied perspective of Irish bluesman Rory Gallagher because its performances, filmed at various venues over a fifteen-year period, are just part of a complete package.</p><p>The interview included on the first of three discs furnishes something of a belated introduction to the artist that is the subject of the set. Graciously fielding some truly inane questions from the host of the German TV series, Gallagher nonetheless gives sincere answers, emphasizing the importance of bonding with the audience he plays for no matter the venue, He steadfastly refused to intellectualize what he does, but implies a serious, no-nonsense approach that carries over to his band. He is articulate if not eloquent, but then his guitar was his true means of expression after all.</p><p>It's startling to see what devotion Gallagher retained for his audiences and how that reciprocal loyalty fueled the fire of passionate performances. There are formal concerts here as well as jam sessions, including covers by Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. Rory is occasionally joined by keyboards, horns and harp for extra instrumental color as well as guests lke Scottish soulman and kindred spirit Frankie Miller as well as the former bassist of Cream, Jack Bruce, for whom Rory graciously relegates himself and his band to backup.</p><p>The additional instrumentation, as when Gallagher himself pulls out the bottleneck, merely extends the gutsy intensity of the playing, whether the frontman is in acoustic or electric mode. His intensity rarely falters, even when he's chording away on the mandolin during "Going to My Hometown. In watching the close- ups of his hands on the fretboard and hearing the ever so clean audio mix (5.1 is available too), one can only marvel that it is fortuitous indeed this singular talent was captured for posterity.</p><p>Glossy color photos the likes of which a fan will relish and a novice would find eye-catching adorn the cover of Live at Rockpalast 1976-1990. The graphics inside are no less arresting, while the pithy bio in the enclosed booklet, by noted British music journalist Chris Welch, along with the background info on the shows as offered by Donal Gallagher (who oversaw these all-posthumous releases of his brother's) make the double-fold package worth keeping in every respect.</p><p>— <strong>Joe Viglione</strong></p> |
| Rory Gallagher | Edged In Blue | |
| Rory Gallagher | The Big Guns - The Very Best Of Rory Gallagher | <p>The compilation Big Guns: The Very Best of Rory Gallagher, is one of the ways assembling a retrospective should be done. Released in 2005, however, Rory Gallagher's music could not be more of an anachronism. Even with the late-'90s/early-2000s blues revival on public television, on recordings, and in stadiums and taverns across the globe, Gallagher's name is seldom mentioned. This set offers a portrait of a true guitar hero and songwriter, one whose flash never outweighed his substance, one whose work is so utterly and dazzlingly fresh it not only stands the test of time, but transcends it. Being an Irish bluesman was tough for Gallagher, especially when he began his career in the 1960s. Gallagher passed away in 1995 at the age of 47. He left behind 17 albums and a legacy of hard traditional blues and big, knotty blues-rock. These two discs are the first retrospective to span the entire length of his career from his time with the power trio Taste, to his signature albums like Calling Card and Deuce, through to his final acoustic album, Wheels Within Wheels (released posthumously). There are many gems here beginning with "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" by Taste, and unreleased live versions of the traditional "Bullfrog Blues" and Junior Wells' "Messin With the Kid." The stone killers are cuts that Gallagher's fans recognize him for, such as "Tatoo'd Lady," the title number from Calling Card, or "I'm Not Awake Yet" from Deuce. There are also fine moments from later in his career as well, such as "Kickback City" from Defender and "Bad Penny" from Top Priority (though it would have been better if the compilers had picked "Philby" or "Follow Me.") "Sinner Boy" is here from Live at the Isle of Wight, along with "What's Goin' On" (not the Marvin Gaye tune). While fans may quibble about individual selections, the only glaring omission is the absence of the stellar "Walk on Hot Coals." The package is fine enough with numerous autobiographical quotes from Gallagher, a slew of good photos, and a good liner essay by David Sinclair. While it may be the tried and true devotees that seek this out ultimately, the music listener who would most benefit is the one interested in the evolution of blues or in fine guitar players. For the latter, Big Guns would be nothing short of a revelation.</p>— <b>Thom Jurek</b> |
| Rory Gallagher | Live At Montreux (DVD) | <p>This double DVD from the late Rory Gallagher collects portions of all five of his appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival from 1975 to 1994. The 40 tracks that cover 43 tunes include the complete 1994 show on disc two along with bonus material on that second disc culled from the 1975, 1977, and 1985 shows. The first thing that hits you when watching the 1975 tapes is how great a guitarist he was when young and handsome at age 27. The playing is extraordinary and on target. If one looks at the cup as half full, the fact that Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix were gone at that age means that the 20 extra years of Gallagher music found here are a blessing and a plus. There are lots of different camera shots on the 1975 show, a high-energy edit to go along with the music, and some tremendous slide playing on "Secret Agent" (not the P.F. Sloan tune), a bluesy rocker that absolutely cooks. On disc two, fast forward ten years to 1985, and his proficiency on the acoustic guitar with "Walking Blues" is just as powerful as the loud electric guitar. Gallagher had played the legendary jazz festival with his band Taste on two occasions prior to these five solo performances, and during the 1994 show is almost a different fellow from the one you witness 20 years prior. An older blues statesman, he's not bouncing around on the stage in 1994, the guitar tones are decidedly lower, the growl is intact, and the music is just as exciting and pure. This package comes with an eight-page foldout that includes three pages of liner notes penned by London journalist Chris Welch. Extraordinary in its scope, this truly is a "Definitive Collection," as the title says, and aside from the historical importance, is solid entertainment that will hold your attention. Deep stuff.</p><p>— <strong>Joe Viglione</strong></p> |
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