Power Snake . . .

The Tone Farm would like to welcome friend and fellow player Joe Austin to the contributor's fold. In a recent e-mail, he highlighted (2) newer releases that had been seeing frequent rotation at his secret lair in Grand Forks, ND. Thinking that there'd be a few 'Farmers that would appreciate the low-down, he has graciously offered to share with us his informative takes on Gary Moore's latest - Power of the Blues, as well as "Live: Still of the Night" from 80's metal icons Whitesnake. So, without further adieu . . .

Amidst my busy schedule, I always find time for my favorite hobby: music. I recently picked up Gary Moore's Power of the Blues. Now critics have always denigrated the lyrical content of Moore's projects, preferring instead, to focus on his six-string heroics. However, w/Power of the Blues, I have to disagree with the critics - it may possibly be the best Moore CD he has put out since the Black Rose project w/Thin Lizzy.

Moore's singing and playing are top-notch. What I love about Power of the Blues is the overall sonic tone. The mix is well done. Sure, Gary's guitar is up in the mix, but the rest of the band is heard at just the right level as well. And to top it all off, Gary's tone is about the best I've ever heard. Plenty of double-up notes and dizzying vibrato (wait a minute....are we sure we not talking about Mr. Frehley? lol) make this a 5 star (*****) CD and a absolute must for every blues guitar fan!

On the DVD side, the 2004 Whitesnake release "Live: In the Still of the Night" has been getting a lot of airplay. After watching it several times, I must say that the current lineup may be the best ever. David Coverdale and Tommy Aldrich remain from the 1987 tour. New players include keyboardist Timothy Drury, bassist Marco Mendoza, guitarist Reb Beach, and one of my new favorites, guitarist Doug Aldrich.

This DVD was shot in London in 2004. The material focuses mainly on the 1987 blockbuster self-titled release, but does throw in a few gems from previous endeavors. Highlights include "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" and "Burn/Stormbringer" from Mr. Coverdale's days in Deep Purple. The band is super-tight and it shows. Doug Aldrich's guitar is way up in the mix and being a huge fan of the Les Paul/Marshall tone, I absolutely love it. However, at times, you can hardly hear Reb's guitar when he solos - which leads to a slightly uneven overall mix. It's likely that Reb's fans would have appreciated a more level playing field. Never-the-less, as a buddy of mine once told me, "This whole video is BAD-ASS" - and I couldn't agree more. I give it 4 1/2 stars (****1/2).

You can find these gems at www.cduniverse.com. The Whitesnake release also comes in a DVD/CD combo for a little extra $$$.

Personally, I'd hoped for a few revealing back stage shots of Tawny Kitaen (Dave Coverdale's squeeze). ;~) But alas . . . no dice.

Nice reviews, Joe. Keep 'em comin. J.