Customer Reviews

Rory Gallagher

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's hard to find a place to start with somebody who has put out such an extensive catalog of great works in his short lifetime. But this first album and the one that followed in that same year of 1971 remain my favorites. Gallagher's creative juices were still hot after after just breaking up his band Taste, who were just about to attain international success when they broke up because of management and musical differences within the band. It's good Gallagher broke out on his own, because he's doing here what he does best. And that is laying down some of the best blues rock ever made. I still can't believe this album didn't achieve worldwide success. His guitar solos on songs like "For The Last Time", Sinner Boy", and "I Fall Apart", are the best ever put down on vinyl. It just doesn't get any better than this. I will put Gallagher up against all the heavyweights out there. Hendrix, Peter Green, Stevie Ray, and Jeff Beck. He's that good! Another thing that's always been overlooked is Gallagher's ability's on the acoustic guitar. He plays with more feel for the country blues roots than any of the other blues rockers I've heard even to this day. Just try out "Just The Smile", or "It's you", which has a country sound to it, and features Gallagher on Mandolin, which was an instrument he had only recently mastered. You would never know it. Another great song on here is "I'm not surprised". I am surprised this song never became a single. It features the great keyboardist Vince Crane from Atomic Rooster and Authur Brown fame playing some great Fats Domino style piano. There are just no weak songs on here. And the 2 bonus tracks are even good. He does "Gypsy Woman", which Muddy Waters originally recorded. Muddy thought enough of Rory to invite him to play guitar for him on Muddy's famous "London Sessions" album. And the album closes with "It takes time", which was originally recorded by another blues giant, Otis Rush. If you've never heard Rory Gallagher before, this first album is a great place to start. He was at his creative best here. A five star album all the way.

The late Rory Gallagher could evoke such range of emotions from his guitar (unlike the emotional monotone that pervades too much of the more-heralded Eric Clapton). Rory was about the blues, but his take was vivid, fresh, and powerful. Warning: if you depressed, do not listen to cuts such as "Can't Believe It's True" alone. You may not make it through the night. On the other hand, the muscular "Laundromat" shows just how effectively Rory could transcend the quotidian and take listeners to a place where they could indulge in his sonic revelries and find, if not a measure of solace, a kindred spirit.

I have to admit that the only reason I bought this album was because I had never heard these bonus tracks. They weren't on the original vinyl and were not present on the first pressings of the CD. After hearing them, I'm glad that I bought it. The album is a great clinic in good song writing, and I will always love Rory Gallagher's guitar work. He was great.Though I didn't buy the album through Amazon.com, I still have to give my review of it, so that other people can know about Rory Gallagher--the greatest guitarist on the planet.

Really, any of the late Rory Gallagher's albums are worth the money. This was a guy with talent and soul to burn and unlike Clapton, Beck, Bloomfield, Winter, heck, even Stevie Ray Vaughn, Gallagher never, ever made a bad album. This one's my favorite for simply having served as my first exposure to the man. And what a mix! Everything from flat-out rockers ("Laundromat" and "Hands Up"), acoustic country blues ("Wave Myself Gooodbye")and late-night jazz ("Can't Believe It's True") and points inbetween. Gallagher was especially eloquent on guitar, whether acoustic or electric, but the dude could also wail on the sax and was a very accomplished mandolin player as well. He's backed to the hilt by bassist Gerry McAvoy and drummer Wilgar Campbell, with Atomic Rooster's Vincent Crane joining on the 88s for a couple of songs. The styles may be all over the place, but the passion is always consistantly there and it makes for one great album. Of many.

Well done Amazon, for making this fantastic album available again after all these years (and Deuce too, almost as good). Rory's first album after he broke up Taste is quite simply breathtaking. In Taste's dying days Gallagher didn't seem to be creating anything special and his promise as an exciting guitar player seemed to be waning, but with this album he started to really show what he could do. It's worth buying for the phenomenal 'I Fall Apart' alone! Totally original lead guitar playing and great vocals (somewhat reminiscent of Clapton - the vocals that is). Interesting to note that the late Vincent Crane (of Atomic Rooster) plays piano on this album. Also, thankfully, Rory didn't try any more saxophone playing (Taste's 'on The Boards')! A MUST BUY for any Rory fan.

Rory's playing peaked (in my view) with the Irish Tour '74 album. His live act was unbelievable (I saw him twice: '72 and '74) - he blew everyone else away, without showmanship or flashiness, just pure high energy, enthusiasm and genuine talent. I doubt if there will ever be anyone like him again.

When i first heard of the late great Rory Gallagher, he had already been dead (R.I.P. Rory).I really did not know what to expect having read about what an amazingly superb guitarist he was (sometimes i get really disappointed after reading great reviews about albums which after i purchase i find to be really dull and a waste of time and money (I am a huge Neil Young fan but his 'On the Beach' album is an example of such a disappointment!)).I popped the 'Rory Gallagher' album on my cd changer in my car and i almost crashed, i found myself shaking my head being moved by his singing,his guitaring and his great songwriting skills!I thought to myself "how come such a talented guitarist/singer/songwriter/saxophonist/harmonicaist (i wonder if thats what they call them)never got the recognition he deserved in his lifetime and after his sad untimely death, while others such as Jimi Hendrix,Janis Joplin,Bob Marley,Jim Morrison and many many others to name a few are seen as martyrs of Rock 'n' Roll?" Defnitely they are all great,but,Rory really stands out between them!If you dont believe me or if you think i am exagerating just buy the cd listen to it and inevitably you will start purchasing all his albums just like I did and please let me know.
Absolutely amazing!

Rory Gallagher never released a bad CD (Big Guns being the possible exception), however, this gem renders the others, themselves all time classics, second rate. This man's relative obscurity in the United States is tantamount to an art critic never having heard of the Mona Lisa. Rory Gallagher is to Jimmy Hendrix what Babe Ruth was to a Minor League hitter. If you buy no other Rory Gallagher CD's, get this one; and listen to a guitar weep.

I count myself among the fortunate to have witnessed the amazing talent that was Rory Gallagher LIVE IN CONCERT. Never have I heard a RG album that wasn't good, if not phenomenal: and his live shows were no exception. In 1985, Rory came to the Chestnut Cabaret in Philadelphia to rip through not one, not two, NOT THREE...but FOUR SETS of incendiary blues rock and traditional music. I felt so lucky. Rory even stayed after the last set to sign autographs, obviously loving talking to his fans who were even more enamored of him after this heartfelt and spectacular performance. BUT on to my review of his self-titled debut album (following, of course, a couple recordings with his earlier band the TASTE). RG kicks things off with Laundromat, a searing riff-rocker that Rory belts out with Hendrixian fury and groove, but in a voice all Rory's own. If you are a fan of Hendrix, SRV, Joe Bonamassa, Johnny Winter or any number of blues rockers: CHECK RORY GALLAGHER out! You will wonder why you've never heard of this huge talent. Tracks like Sinner Boy and Hands Up solidly reinforce Rory's nimble yet muscular fret-work and further assert Mr. Gallagher as a virtuoso guitarist, singer, and performer. Live on stage he was nothing less than a dynamic, amiable and charismatic performer. Apart from the truly amazing guitarisms on every song, a beautiful Irish melancholy breathes forth from songs like Wave Myself Goodbye, For The Last Time and I'm Not Surprised. Rory's emotion, lyrics and delivery reveal not merely a modern rocker but a pure and seasoned troubadour in the classical tradition. His body of work from this debut through his entire catalog embodies a deeply thoughtful soul, that lived in his music. Every note, riff or guitar solo was essential to his craft; the songs that played out for five or more minutes allowed Rory to sing with his guitar, not just jam. Furthermore, he made American-style blues rock that belied his Irishness: Rory was even a cowboy->...OUT ON THE WESTERN PLAINS, WHERE ME AND A BUNCH OF COWBOYS RAN INTO JESSE JAMES, Come a cow-cow yicky, come a cow-cow yicky, yicky yea! Yes sir. We only have about twelve albums by which to savor by this hugely under-esteemed talent before his untimely departure in 1995; but what a joyous noise he made.

great selections and rory still has a die hard fan club, he now inspires hundreds of young artists to match and try to surpass his skill

This so refreshing,to listen to Rory in the days of old.His music is always timeless.

There are so many happy days to remember,listening to this album when it was in the early '70s.There should more Rory Gallaghers in this world,it would be a much better place.We loved Rory in Minnesota!