Rory Gallagher – Crest of a Wave: The Best of Rory Gallagher
Eagle Records (8/25/09)
Rock
Rory Gallagher is, was and always will be one of the most underrated guitar players and songwriters of his time. Sure, he received an average dose of worldwide attention, including flattering admiration from his peers, but he never got to play arenas or have his songs played on the radio like others in his class. Hailing from Cork City, Ireland, he supposedly owned that country’s first Fender Stratocaster, buying it second-hand at Crowley’s Music Store (eat it, Guitar Center).
Before embarking on his solo career, he played with a band in the late ’60s called Taste, one of the first power trios, arriving right before Eric Clapton and Cream. Crest of a Wave: The Best of Rory Gallagher, lays to rest any doubt of Rory’s talent crafting songs around some serious ’70s blues-rock guitar. This killer best-of collection features two discs with twelve songs apiece, with enough riffage to jump-start a car. And for those of you not familiar with Rory Gallagher’s work, think tight, blues-rock-based rhythm section with a vamped-up, Pat Travers-ish guitar style rockin’ over it. (It’s almost certain that Travers got his style from Rory…)
There are tidbits of jazz as well as a significant piano presence on a lot of the tunes featured here; Gallagher was known for his diversity in styles of music and wasn’t afraid to incorporate them into his songs. He always wanted to stay true to his music and go down his own path, even turning down an offer to join the Rolling Stones, as a replacement for Mick Taylor, in the mid-’70s. Gallagher has been cited as influencing guitar players such as Slash, The Edge (U2), Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest), Johnny Marr (The Smiths) and Brian May. And over the years, the working man’s guitar player has also racked up an incredible twenty-five tours of the United States.
The first disc opens with the thumping “Follow Me”, followed a couple of tunes later with the heavy-bottomed “Do You Read Me”. One of Gallagher’s blues classics, “Loanshark Blues” is included, heading right into the menacing, “In Your Town”. “Tattoo’d Lady” is a fun rocker, ending with the sweet and sour, moody but beautiful “Crest of a Wave”. The second disc starts off the manic riffage with “Bad Penny”, and includes some gems including “Moonchild”, “Edged in Blue” and “Out of My Mind”. The collection culminates with “Lonesome Highway”, sort of an uncanny choice in song as Gallagher passed away never having had a wife or children, and from years of alcohol abuse, later combined with anti-anxiety drugs prescribed for a fear of flying.
This is the best collection of Rory Gallagher tunes out there and a great place to start for those of you looking for a new guitar icon to investigate. Do yourself a favor and shut off the computer, drive to your closest record store and buy this. Jumpstart your disenchanted life with some upbeat music for a change.
