Snowy White is one of those musicians I knew by association, as a session musician and hired hand for the likes of Pink Floyd and Thin Lizzy. Actually he became a full-time member of the latter band, replacing Gary Moore during their lackluster 80's days, but who remembers that? He's engraved in my mind as Roger Waters' favorite pseudo-Gilmour for countless productions including "The Wall Live in Berlin". Of his solo work I knew little when I picked this album from a basket with €1 offers. It didn't contain any familiar songs and the cover certainly didn't get my hopes up. But the music therein justifies those who've always talked of him as a guitarist in the same league with Gilmour, Clapton and Knopfler. So maybe he isn't a contender for the league title, but there aren't more than a dozen guitarists playing at that level. His commitment to the blues is admirable as well: Look, 2 out of 7 words on the cover are "Blues" - and which color did he choose for it? Why, blue of course! Unlike other blues albums of the time that were either bloated and overproduced or just too loud (e.g. the otherwise great string of albums produced by Gary Moore in the early 90's), this is a rather understated affair. White's playing is virtuosic but not bombastic, often reminding me of his friend Peter Green. Graham Bell, whom we've met in this blog as a member of Skip Bifferty, plays harmonica and sings in a style (but not voice) that reminded me of Joe Cocker - nowhere more so than in the opener "I Can't Help Myself". Probably the most commercial song here, like something you'd hear from Chris Rea of the same period. It's followed by the atmospheric blues of "Blues On Me", the instrumental "Out Of Order" and Peter Green-like "When You Broke Your Promise" (almost a rewrite of his "Need Your Love So Bad"). "I Want Your Love" has more of a New Orleans R&B feel, "Out Of My Dreams" is a soft rock ballad and "Addicted Man" reminds me of ZZTop's bluesier offerings of the 70's. "Open For Business" is an instrumental allowing Snowy to stretch out a bit, rockin' a la Rory Gallagher and "Walking The Streets" is another hard rock/blues (think Free/Whitenake) combination. The album closes with the atmospheric "Land Of Plenty", a protest song with Afro-Latin percussion and Green/Santana-like guitar licks. So maybe the compositions aren't the height of originality, but it's a very enjoyable album nevertheless, filled with Snowy's fluid and exciting guitar sounds.
**** for Blues On Me, When You Broke Your Promise, I Want Your Love, Addicted Man, Land Of Plenty
*** for I Can't Help Myself, Out Of Order, Open For Business, Walking The Streets
** for Out Of My Dreams
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