After Hours - Gary Moore (After Hours - Gary Moore)

Member Name: Ali_Smith

Product:	After Hours - Gary Moore
Date:	04/10/05 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gary Moore at his impassioned best

Disadvantages: none

Gary Moore is a guitarist of considerable talent who initially started his career as a member of Skid Row with Phil Lynott before moving to greater fame as a part of an ever-changing Thin Lizzy line-up. During the 1980's he had string of solo heavy rock albums before returning to the music that inspired him as a young man, the blues.

‘After Hours’ is the follow-up album to ‘Still Got the Blues’ and as with its predecessor it consists of a mixture of old blues standards as well as new material. The Album is packed with driving guitar virtuosity in the fast paced songs and in the slower songs Gary reaches the pinnacle of melodic excellency and taste and the listener’s interest is always retained.

The opening track is ‘Cold Day in Hell’ and is a phenomenal opening song for the album with its roaring opening blues line and a beautifully played (if slightly unconventional given its context) solo. ‘The Blues is Alright’ with Albert Collins follows along a similar line and the contrasting tones of the respective players compliment each other beautifully when played together. ‘Since I Met You Baby ‘ is another one of Gary’ classic songs and he is helped out by the majestic BB King on this particular recording and as a result the song is given and extra dimension in slickness and feel, yet still manages to retain the rawness that Moore is so famous for.

Gary also reworks the old Duster Bennett classic ‘Jumping at Shadows’ and gives it the trademark injection of distortion and power that makes it captivating. The now classic, ‘Story of the Blues’ is also include on this album and although, perhaps Gary is not at his best lyrically ion this song, it is a display of some of the most breath-taking soloing I have ever heard and as a results is always a fan favourite at his gigs.

To sum up: as the follow-up to ‘Still got the Blues’, ‘After Hours’ had a tough act to follow and although brilliant, it seems to have been slightly more calculated than its predecessor although the similarity is very hard to ignore.

A very good album. A must buy for all Blues fans.

Summary: An excellent follow- up Album to 'Still Got the Blues'