Customer Reviews

Still Got the Blues

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Most people know of Gary Moore from his work with Thin Lizzy and his solo albums in the 80s (and let's not forget Skid Row-1970, Colliseum, and G-Force). Most of what he had done up to 1990 was hard rock with great lead guitar. But this album showed a side that Gary had only hinted at with songs like Parisienne Walkways and his early work with Skid Row. A good portion of the songs are covers but Gary makes each one his own. His vocals are bluesy and his lead playing is a joy to be heard. I used to listen to this album all the time during my part time job when I was in college. It helped the time go by quickly. It's very enjoyable from start to finish.

I discovered this powerful album four years ago, and as a blues lover I was instantly impressed! Anyone who thinks Stevie Ray Vaughan is as good as it gets in the world of blues-rock needs to get their hands on this sizzling album by veteran rocker Gary Moore. Gary was a hard rock/heavy metal musician in the 70's and 80's who recorded a string of albums in that style for more than a decade. He is still overlooked and underappreciated here in America, but is a much more popular musician overseas.

In 1990, Moore decided to express his love for the blues with this album which was a departure from his usual heavy metal style. With high-voltage guitar playing, good singing, and a great set of songs, Still got the Blues is surely one of the best blues-rock albums of the 1990's. Gary is equally adept at searing uptempo rockers and passionate ballads, and great examples of both can be found here. This CD is top-notch from start to finish.

"Moving On" is a great rocker with sizzling slide guitar that kicks off the album nicely. The Albert King classic "Oh pretty woman" is next and it is another dynamic tune that features Albert playing along with Gary. "King of the Blues" is Moore's tribute song to King, and Gary also tips his hat to Stevie Ray and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top in the song "Texas Strut". "Midnight Blues" and "As the years go passing by" are both sultry and atmospheric ballads, but the highlight of this album is the spell-binding "Still got the Blues for you". This track contains some of the most captivating guitar playing to ever be found in a modern blues song, not to mention Gary's most soulful vocal performance. It is one of those songs that reaches out and grabs your appreciation when you hear it, and it rightfully stands as his biggest hit.

Blues purists are not usually fond of Gary Moore or this album because of the fact that Gary basically takes blues songs and injects them with searing heavy metal guitar solos. Moore is really a rock musician rather than a blues musician, but that doesn't matter to me because his remarkable guitar skills and love for blues music is undeniable. Gary is doing exactly what Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd have done. They are all exposing great blues music to the rock audience who will never hear anything this good on MTV or modern rock radio. Music is music, it's either good or bad, and if blues music can sound this great all the time then I'm all for it!

Any blues or rock n' roll fan who hasn't heard this excellent album is missing out on some hot music and even hotter guitar playing. Get a copy of this CD and turn it up!

I bought this after hearing someone play "Still Got the Blues" and did a search and found Gary Moore. I think he has to be one of the greatest guitar players ever. Reminds me so much of Jimi Hendrix (I was around during those times!). I can play this CD over and over, never get tired of it and his talent. I think that someone that is a "pure" blues lover may not take to this 100 per cent because of his rock, heavy metal influence but I think this is one of the most talented blues players to me. Such talent does not come along like this very often, one of the best.

Gary's 1980's rock output was getting stale by the end of the decade; "After The War" sounded an awful lot like "Out In The Fields"... Gary needed a new inspiration, and found it with the blues, his first musical love back in late 60's Ireland.
Assembling a top-flight rhythm section and a kick-ass horn section, Gary-along with some famous friends-made this modern-day blues / rock masterpiece.

"Movin' On" is a Moore original that kick starts this collection, and features excellent slide guitar from Gary.
"Texas Strut" is Gary's salute to Billy Gibbons, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Albert Collins. A stompin' Texas-style shuffle, that features Gary's Fender Stratocaster being thrashed mercilessly-smokin' stuff.
"Midnight Blues" is a moody blues ballad made for when the lights are low.
"King of the Blues" is Gary's biographical tale of Albert King, and follows similar chord changes to King's "Born Under a Bad Sign".
"Still Got the Blues"-the title cut-is another wonderful ballad, which features Gary's Les Paul guitar in all it's nuances; sweet and warm during the verses, and mean and nasty during the solos. Gary's vocal on this song is especially soulful.
"Walking By Myself" is James Lane's classic shuffle that's great for foot tapping and singing along.
"As the Years Go Passing By" is a classic blues ballad done by the likes of Albert King, Otis Rush & Jimmy 'the jockey' Johnson. Gary's version shows these masters the proper respect, and at the same time, he makes it his own.
"All Your Love" is an Otis Rush classic that Gary tackles in a no-holds-barred fashion, blowing away all previous versions.
"Stop Messin'Round" is a tune by Gary's original mentor Peter Green. This early Fleetwood Mac fave is actually played on Peter Green's 1959 Gibson Les
Paul guitar, a gift to Gary several years earlier.

Speaking of mentors, Gary invited several of his influences to make guest appearances.
The aforementioned Albert King guests a guitar on "Oh, Pretty Woman" while the other previously mentioned Albert-Albert Collins- shars guitar duties with Gary on "Too Tired".
The albums remaining track "That Kind Of Woman" features slide guitar and backing vocal by it's composer, arguably the most famous lead guitarist ever, Gary's close friend George Harrison.

This re-issue features 5 bonus tracks, which include a cover of Freddie King's blues instrumental "The Stumble", "Further on Up The Road" & "The Sky Is Crying" all of which became staples of Moore's live show, and all were worthy of being on the album.
Gary Moore found a new direction, and resurrected his career in one fell swoop. 5 stars just isn't enough, but that's all we've got to work with. An absolute must for fans of power blues / rock guitarists.

I first heard the title track "Still Got the Blues" at 3 a.m. while on a 17 hour road trip. It immediately woke me up, and I intently listened to find out -- who is this guy? Wow, what a tune! Bought the CD as soon as I got home. Found that the rest of the album was awesome. He's since become one of my all-time favorites. While this is far from "classic blues", what is? It's simply awesome guitar work and a great new style of the blues guaranteed to attract listeners that might otherwise not bother (that aren't true blues lovers).

His rendition of "Too Tired" with legendary Albert Collins is terrific, as is his crazy blend of guitars in "Pretty Woman" with the blues giant Albert King. The fact that Gary Moore paid tribute to these two blues kings on this album and future CD's speaks well of his roots.

But, the title track "Still Got the Blues" is special. Hope he continues to do blues in his style, and should never be swayed to think that a newer, cranked-up version isn't "exceptable blues". Because this is exactly what all the past blues legends did -- they took the blues and played it their way. "Still Got the Blues" is indeed -- Gary's way!

this is probably Gary's best blues CD and my favorite. He still had that unmistakable GM fire in his playing. I'm sure the blues purists think he's too loud and too fast on this disc to be considered a blues man, boo hoo!! Gary plays like this because he can and I for one love it! This CD is full of Gary's trademark fire and passion. And his solo on the track Still Got The Blues is simply superb, great tone, vibrato and feel. If I was going to get only one Gary Moore blues disc it would be this one followed closely by After Hours. There are some guest appearances by the great Albert Collins and Albert King. I will always prefer the Gary Moore that slashed and burned on the Victims Of The Future and Corridors of Power discs but his playing on this disc still packs a punch. Shame his success in the U.S. can't match what it is in the U.K.
[...]

If you have only one Gary Moore CD, it should be this one. It is all blues, but his rock/Hendrix influences explode all over the tracks. The solo guitar work is phenomenal - soaring, lyrical, and moving. I was especially impressed by the tightness of the rhythm section, a foundation without which the vocals and solo work might have much less effective and anchored. I would have liked a little more solo Hammond organ, but what was there was incredible. All in all, this is a CD you can listen to over and over and find something new to appreciate at each sitting.

I find this CD to be a classic of modern electric blues in the vein of SRV, Albert Collins, Ronnie Earl and Robben Ford. If you like your blues on the electric side, and appreciate raw guitar done well, you will love this disk. The sound clips speak for themselves. Yes, I know classic/traditional blues fans may not like it, but it is modern electric blues, enhanced by some real rockers.

For the guys that gave this CD but one star, go back to reviewing Prince CDs and leave this stuff alone. Beauty is in the eye of the beholer, and this is beautiful stuff!

Gary Moore's first foray into the blues is still as relevant as ever. If you love his hard rock work, then you won't be disappointed by this work. The title track STILL GOT THE BLUES is a classic track... in my opinion, it stands up there with Hotel California, Free Bird, and Stairway to Heaven. Gary plays with feeling, conviction, and authority... he's simply as good as it gets. This "blues" collection is definitely bluesy, but it's got a really aggressive edge... more rocking than most blues. His tone is incredible, and it seeps with feeling. STILL GOT THE BLUES is a must have.

I got turned on to this disc at a party, where it was playing at a barely audible background level. Almost without realizing it, I was checking out the guitar work, thinking "Jesus, who IS this?". Needless to say, I coaxed our host into jacking the volume up a little, and bought the CD soon after. This is a very solid effort from Gary Moore - he takes a nice respectful approach to the blues masters while paying homage to the music he cut his teeth on. There isn't a bad track here - even the couple throwaway rockers are upbeat and catchy enough to be entertaining. However, the slower, more mournful numbers really stand out, with Still Got the Blues and As the Years Go Passing By as my favorites. Moore is a muscular guitarist with good tone and style. I docked this one star because it feels to me, as good as this record is, like he's "just visiting", which keeps it from the ranks of the classics. Much of his other work centers around grinding heavy metal sludge, which strikes me as his true comfort zone. Still, all things considered, this is an excellent album I'd recommend highly to blues and rock fans alike.