A master singer, interpreter, and writer, Irishman
Christy Moore can be relied on not to disappoint, and he doesn't change that here, delivering yet another album that can be heard over and over again to discover greater depths -- and it's very much an album that deserves concentration. The strangest addition has to be a cover of
Pink Floyd's "Shine on you Crazy Diamond," an odd choice on the face of it, but
Moore invests the song with a new, universal level of emotion. Three of the songs here have appeared on previous releases, but revisiting them is more than lip services; they've changed and matured, like good wine. He selects superb material by other writers, such as
Ian Prowse's "Does This Train Stop on Merseyside?" and casts his net wide, taking in Ireland and America, with the title cut a standout, as is the lovely "The Ballad of Ruby Walsh."
Moore has long stood head and shoulders above most performers, and this will do nothing to diminish that reputation; he remains a giant. ~ Chris Nickson