© Bluestronomical Publishing Inc. 2009

Gary Moore
Bad For You Baby
Eagle Rock #2699202452

Irish blues rocker Gary Moore seems to have settled into a niche releasing his last few CDs. It's always a mixture of rockers and blues based ballads. It's a predictable formula. You either get accustomed to it or not. But Gary doesn’t lack energy or attitude to give his music a shot of adrenaline that gives it a razor's edge.

You can tell the man plays a Les Paul. There are no Strat tones on his latest release Bad For You Baby. This is blues rock that pummels and seduces its listener. Like his previous outing, Close As You Get, Moore grabs listener interest, pinch-hitting between aggressive attacks and crooner balladry.

The man wields a pretty mean slide as evidenced on the stomp rock of "Mojo Boogie”. Only Moore can take the Blood, Sweat & Tears tune "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" and turn it into a moody slow blues with an outro solo reaching for the stars.

Don't think the entire CD is made up of lover's delight material. Leading track "Bad For You Baby" packs a swaggering evil blues rock shuffle with Moore unleashing power chords and biting leads. Then he shifts into hyper-drive with the frantically paced "Down The Line" that's cowpoke metal blues thunder.

Moore can’t let go of his rock n roll past no matter how hard he tries. One listen to "Umbrella Man" stands on the conviction that subtleness has no place when Gary snarls the lyrics, "He drives a Lamborghini good looking and he's rich. But I don't know what he sees in such a selfish little bitch.” Hardly a declaration of love.

But it's attitude like that which fires up "Walkin Thru The Park" into mosh pit shuffle mode. He even blows a little harmonica in "Preachin Man Blues.” It isn't James Cotton or Sonny Boy Williamson, but in Gary's case who cares?

Moore may have settled into a comfortable formula for himself with his take on the blues. It can be rough, nasty or sweet. It's like eating at McDonald's. You know what to expect, but you'll still go there for a meal that fills you up.

- Gary Weeks -


Southwest Blues CD Review - August 2009

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