Customer Reviews

Tattoo

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Whether you are a fan of old blues/rock in the form of Jimi Hendrix, Freddie King, Albert King, SRV, Johnny Winter or new school blues/rock ala Chris Duarte, Jonny Lang, KWS or Eric Sardinas, your collection can not be considered complete without the addition of Rory Gallagher.

While Rory is less heralded than many of the others, he is of equal importance to blues/rock. Tatoo is perhaps his best studio release with such stand out numbers as "Cat Cradle", "Living Like A Trucker", "They Don't Make Them Like You Anymore", "20:20 Vision" and "Million Miles Away". There is little fat on this disc and it is highly recommended.

Another great rock guitarist taken from us way before his time, but it is good to see his catalogue getting such a thorough re-release on CD. Arguably his best studio album (with "Calling Card" running almost neck-in-neck), "Tattoo" displays Rory Gallagher's strongest suits--from acoustic dobro blues to rousing electric workouts. I've always considered Rory Gallagher the "Irish Eric Clapton"...most evident if you give a listen to "Tattooed Lady", which deserved to become just as much of a classic rock staple as "Layla", but due to Gallagher's underrated status, never did. Hopefully, Buddah's reissue series will allow a new generation of guitarists to draw inspiration from an unsung master.

This was the first album of Rory's that I ever bought. Bought the original Polydor LP over in Ireland back in '74. It's also my hands down FAVORITE album of his, before the 'Blueprint' and 'Against the Grain' LPs, in that order.

The opening bars to 'Cradle Rock' still sends chills down my spine, especially when the stereo is cranked to the max and the speakers are shaking. And with Lou Martin on keyboards in the background giving a fuller counterpoint to Rory's guitar, this makes for one really wild, raucous tune. Too bad my girlfriend can't stand it.

Another favorite is the acoustic tune '20/20 Vision' that shows Rory at his wittiest. I still like to sing along to that in the car while sitting in miserable traffic.

STING ME!! (laughing)

Same thing with 'A Million Miles Away'. I never get bored listening to 'em.

Donal and Buddha did a good job with this one, with the bonus tracks 'Tucson Arizona' and 'Just a Little Bit' being welcome keepers to the addition. It's too bad they didn't have enough space on the original LP to include them.

Well worth the 5 stars. I'd give it a 10 if I could.

Rory Gallagher may have been the lost slide guitar master of all time, but those who did find (through friends recommendations I have found) are pretty rabid about the man.

Starting with the more subdued TATTOOED LADY, he then peals into the powerful CRADLE ROCK, then slows down again for 20:20 VISION, the jazzy THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE YOU ANY MORE, then into three classic Rory songs: LIVIN LIKE A TRUCKER, SLEEP ON A CLOTHES LINE. and the slide masterpiece WHO'S THAT COMIN.

This is the first album by what I consider Rory's BEST band and this album and BLUEPRINT are the most focused and dynamic the would make. If you're new to Rory Gallagher, this is a great starting point. If you KNOW Rory, don't hesitate; replace your scratchy vinyl NOW!

It's just too bad that more people don't know about Rory Gallagher. For those of you who aren't familiar with this Irish blues guitarist, the Tatoo CD is a great place to start. Top cuts from the CD are "Tatoo'd Lady," "Cradle Rock," "Who's That Coming," and "A Million Miles Away."

If you like what you hear, grab Rory's "Irish Tour '74" CD which is pure blistering energy.

This studio album contains two of the show-stoppers from the live Irish Tour '74 album -- Rory Gallagher's watershed recorded performance. Tattoo'd Lady and A MIllion Miles Away celebrate and lament the life of the wanderer, in Tattoo'd Lady, the carnival worker, in A Million Miles Away, one can assume the working musician. Both these studio tracks lack the punch that the live versions deliver, although they are finely crafted and really lack nothing. If you heard these tracks and never heard them on IT'74, you wouldn't know what I'm talking about.

Rory Gallagher was like that, though. He saved his emotions, hopes, dreams and stamina only to give them all to his fans at live shows. With all that said, I love this album. This is the one I put on when it's chilly and raining outside and sitting down with a cup of tea. Like all of his work, he manages to reach inside me and touch a nerve that lets me know we share a common human experience. Only the best music does that.

Not to miss as well: New bonus traclk on remastered CD -- Tuscon Arizone, a Link Wray tune.

Buy this one when you buy IT '74

rory gallagher the blues/rock musician who vasely under-rated for his guitar playing and vocal ablity's this album has me tapping my foot all the way through and i don't do that on many albums but this album is superb i say that about quite a few album i only do it when there something special and this album is special
on this album you've got blues/hard rock/jazz. a mixture to keep your juices going
20-20 vision is a bloody fantastic song that's catchy as a cold
and the bonus tracks are as you say blues-tastic

That should have been the title for this rockin' & rollin' cd, yet Rory delivers other tasty musical styles on tracks like "Who's That Comin" and "A Million Miles Away", an ethereal, trippy anthem that sounded beautiful when I caught their show years ago. Rory was electrifying on each song. He literally poured himself into every note he squeezed out of his strat. He singlehandedly stole the show from Rod Stewart and Faces that night, who sounded and looked flat during their entire set. The music world and I miss Mr. Gallager tremendously, and I thank him for his cd library of high energy and passionate music.

Out of a really strong catalogue of great Rory albums, I think I'd pick this one as my favorite. And that's coming from someone who adores all his albums up through "Photo Finish" (out of his subsequent albums, I only have "Top Priority" and "Jinx," and although they are really good, I prefer Rory's work before then). Every song stands out on Tattoo, is excellent. "Livin' Like a Trucker" may be my all-time favorite Rory rocker. "Clothesline"'s rhythm ran as an endless loop inside my head as I ran a recent half-marathon; Rory definitely made "great music to run to."

This remaster of a blues rock classic rates 5 stars for content and 4 for the sound. The remaster of Irish Tour is better in that it succeeds in taking the sound of that old twofer live set to the level of actually being there. Tattoo was a great record and this cd just takes the scratches and pops out. I guess that should be enough but after listening to the remastered Irish Tour, I was expecting more. Buy it anyway cuz there aint nobody makin' reckids like this anymore.