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Original Skid Row & former Thin Lizzy guitarist continues his Blues legacy

Anyone who is familiar with modern Blues guitarists and/or singers is probably aware of who Gary Moore is and how talented the man is with a Gibson guitar in his hands.  His latest album entitled Bad For You Baby just adds to his legacy with an 11 track songlist that contains no fillers and should earn him a Grammy nomination.

The CD begins with the title track that begins with a walking riff that struts along as Moore sings a salty little tune about a girl with a little wiggle in her walk and looking better than any other girl on the street. The vocals and tonality of the guitar instantly bring images of sitting in a honky-tonk with a bunch of denim and leather clad babes, cigarette smoke, a few bikers with mugs of beer in their hands and a lot of shouting and singing along as the babes hit the dance floor.

Next up is “Down the Line,” a cut-time runaway train that comes straight out of Johnny Cash territory with Moore’s own brand emblazoned upon the tune. Not sure if he’s missing the same girl he just had the hots for in the first song, but he’s after her in a hurry as he lays down some lightning licks.

A couple of tracks later, Moore slows down the pace as he performs the potential chart-topper “Holding On” with the assistance of Cassie Taylor with some nice background vocals.

She also sings background on “Preacher Man Blues,” a funky song that also features Otis Taylor on Banjo playing alongside Moore’s band: Sam Kelly (drums), Vic Martin (keyboards) and Pete Rees (bass). The riffs in this tune are cool, Moore’s harmonica playing is simple but provocative. The chorus is devilishly intriguing.

“Walkin’ Thru the Park” is a fun boogie tune that picks the pace back up and could be another hit off of this sensational album. [It’s rare that I listen to an album more than twice before reviewing it. I’ve played Bad For You Baby no less than 15 times in two weeks and played it for others who can’t wait for its release.]

“I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know” is a very slow tempo, mournful tune of lost love.  The song sounds great as is, but I could easily picture a dirty tenor sax wailing throughout the song.

“Mojo Boogie” has a sense of some old Howlin’ Wolf or John Lee Hooker with its 12-bar Blues and Moore’s vocal stylings. Some great stuff!

A couple of more songs down the line is “DId You Ever Feel Lonely.” For some reason this song reminds me of Stevie Ray’s “The Sky Is Crying,” and I mean that in a good way. Moore doesn’t steal anything from Vaughan, but the melody and tempo just have that same ring to it.

The finalé is “Trouble Ain’t Far Behind,” a song that would be right at home in a gospel choir or played on an old flat top with a slide while sitting on a street corner not far from the tracks and old houses outside of Beale Street. A beautiful piece of music by an Irish-born musician who was evidently born to play the Blues.

If you’re a Moore fan, Bad For You Baby is a must have. If you like the Blues and don’t own any of Moore’s work, get this disc. If you are new to the Blues, this is as good a place to start as any.

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