Music Banter - View Single Post - Trollheart's Album Discography Reviews: Gary Moore

Trollheart · 10-06-2021, 05:21 AM

After the War --- 1989 (Virgin)

The last straight-ahead rock album Gary released before his return to the blues, After the War is bookended by two instrumentals, both called “Dunluce”, part 1 opening the album and part 2 closing it. Both are celtic-influenced, as are other tracks on the album, carrying over his Irish heritage displayed on the previous Wild Frontier. The album utilises many guests, including Don Airey, Sam Brown, Ozzy Osbourne and Brian Downey. The title track is quite AOR in its way, almost harking more back to 1985's Run For Cover than Wild Frontier, with a softer, keyboard-led approach, longtime contributor Neil Carter on the keys as well as Airey, and I find the song in fact to have a very definite Alan Parsons Project feel, especially in the keyboard arpeggios.

“Speak For Yourself”, one of three tracks on the album on which Gary collaborates again with Carter, is heavier, rockier and more in line with tracks on Wild Frontier, very much more guitar-oriented. The rock style continues with “Livin' On Dreams”, with a more boogie feel, guitar again very much to the fore, and in some ways resembling Thin Lizzy's “Dancin' in the Moonlight”, while “Led Clones”, with its mock-”Kashmir” melody is a poke at bands who try to emulate Led Zeppelin, and features Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. I think - though I may not be right - this is the first time Gary ever handed over vocal duties to anyone, other than Phil Lynott. I hope Ozzy was suitably honoured.

The beautiful instrumental “The Messiah Will Come Again” brings a lull in the rock, one of the few instrumentals Gary has ever included on his albums. It's a cover, but does not suffer for it, given here the full Gary Moore treatment as his guitar wails and sighs, rises and falls and describes the most exquisite arcs in the musical firmament, tearing at your heartstrings in a way few musicians can do, without the benefit of words. The contribution made by the organ sounds of Airey and Carter can't be overstated either. In a word, stunning.

Sounding unaccountably like “Out in the Fields”, things speed right up and rock on with “Running From the Storm”, with Carter's keyboards back playing a fairly prominent role, then “This Thing Called Love” thunders along with a great fun vibe and tons of energy before “Ready For Love” takes a more mid-paced, AOR approach, with the wonderful Sam Brown on backing vocals adding her inimitable touch to the song. The last song, as such, is an epic tribute to the late Phil Lynott, one of Gary's greatest friends, and recalling Gary's youth growing up in Belfast.

“Blood of Emeralds” is a Celtic-styled rocker, with a sort of marching beat, the last of the songs on the album to feature writing from Neil Carter. It's a powerful, anthemic song with backing vocals from Andrew Eldritch of Sisters of Mercy. It has a slow, introspective section in the middle, making it quite close to being progressive rock really, one of the few times Gary would attempt such a thing. The album then closes properly on the second part of the instrumental “Dunluce”.

TRACK LISTING

1. Dunluce Part 1
2. After the War
3. Speak For Yourself
4. Livin' On Dreams
5. Led Clones
6. The Messiah Will Come Again
7. Running From the Storm
8. This Thing Called Love
9. Ready For Love
10. Blood of Emeralds
11. Dunluce Part 2

Rating: 8.2/10

10-06-2021, 05:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	After the War --- 1989 (Virgin) The last straight-ahead rock album Gary released before his return to the blues, After the War is bookended by two instrumentals, both called “Dunluce”, part 1 opening the album and part 2 closing it. Both are celtic-influenced, as are other tracks on the album, carrying over his Irish heritage displayed on the previous Wild Frontier. The album utilises many guests, including Don Airey, Sam Brown, Ozzy Osbourne and Brian Downey. The title track is quite AOR in its way, almost harking more back to 1985's Run For Cover than Wild Frontier, with a softer, keyboard-led approach, longtime contributor Neil Carter on the keys as well as Airey, and I find the song in fact to have a very definite Alan Parsons Project feel, especially in the keyboard arpeggios. “Speak For Yourself”, one of three tracks on the album on which Gary collaborates again with Carter, is heavier, rockier and more in line with tracks on Wild Frontier, very much more guitar-oriented. The rock style continues with “Livin' On Dreams”, with a more boogie feel, guitar again very much to the fore, and in some ways resembling Thin Lizzy's “Dancin' in the Moonlight”, while “Led Clones”, with its mock-”Kashmir” melody is a poke at bands who try to emulate Led Zeppelin, and features Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. I think - though I may not be right - this is the first time Gary ever handed over vocal duties to anyone, other than Phil Lynott. I hope Ozzy was suitably honoured. The beautiful instrumental “The Messiah Will Come Again” brings a lull in the rock, one of the few instrumentals Gary has ever included on his albums. It's a cover, but does not suffer for it, given here the full Gary Moore treatment as his guitar wails and sighs, rises and falls and describes the most exquisite arcs in the musical firmament, tearing at your heartstrings in a way few musicians can do, without the benefit of words. The contribution made by the organ sounds of Airey and Carter can't be overstated either. In a word, stunning. Sounding unaccountably like “Out in the Fields”, things speed right up and rock on with “Running From the Storm”, with Carter's keyboards back playing a fairly prominent role, then “This Thing Called Love” thunders along with a great fun vibe and tons of energy before “Ready For Love” takes a more mid-paced, AOR approach, with the wonderful Sam Brown on backing vocals adding her inimitable touch to the song. The last song, as such, is an epic tribute to the late Phil Lynott, one of Gary's greatest friends, and recalling Gary's youth growing up in Belfast. “Blood of Emeralds” is a Celtic-styled rocker, with a sort of marching beat, the last of the songs on the album to feature writing from Neil Carter. It's a powerful, anthemic song with backing vocals from Andrew Eldritch of Sisters of Mercy. It has a slow, introspective section in the middle, making it quite close to being progressive rock really, one of the few times Gary would attempt such a thing. The album then closes properly on the second part of the instrumental “Dunluce”. TRACK LISTING 1. Dunluce Part 1 2. After the War 3. Speak For Yourself 4. Livin' On Dreams 5. Led Clones 6. The Messiah Will Come Again 7. Running From the Storm 8. This Thing Called Love 9. Ready For Love 10. Blood of Emeralds 11. Dunluce Part 2 Rating: 8.2/10 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 10-12-2021 at 10:17 AM.