Irish rocker
Gary Moore has always managed to exist somewhere in the netherworld of
blues,
pop, and
hair metal. His enviable guitar chops helped him carve a career as a reliable sideman for everyone from
Thin Lizzy to
Rod Argent, but by the time he became immersed in the scene he'd developed a serious songwriting bug. Back on the Streets: The Rock Collection captures the heavier side of
Moore through 12 cuts culled from his solo releases in the '80s.
Moore's
pop sensibilities become apparent on the opening track, 1985's "Out in the Fields," which features guest vocalist
Phil Lynott embellishing one of
Moore's most memorable melodies. What follows is an often frustratingly by-the-books tutorial on anthemic
hard rock posturing. There's the obligatory "Eruption"-style intro to "Murder in the Skies" and a slick, power ballad version of
the Yardbirds classic "Shapes of Things." One of his best cuts, 1987's thunderous
celtic romp "Over the Hills and Far Away" -- not the
Led Zeppelin song -- has been sadly omitted, leaving room for forgettable live renditions of "Wishing Well," "Wild Frontier," and "Back on the Streets." Speaking of
Led Zeppelin, the real highlight of The Rock Collection is "Led Clones," a brilliantly executed parody of mid-'80s
Zeppelin wannabes
Whitesnake and
Kingdom Come, set to a thunderous "Kashmir" backbeat with a searing lead vocal from
Ozzy Osbourne. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
