Search - Rory Gallagher :: Jinx

A fireworks shower fusing blues and rock

loce_the_wizard | Lilburn, GA USA | 02/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The late Rory Gallagher has always embodied the spirit of the blues for me. When I first connected with his music in 1972, just after he left the power trio Taste to front his own band, I felt a resonance his brand of blues that I never felt with the authentic or traditional Mississippi Delta or Chicago blues.This remastered, released edition of "Jinx" captures Mr. Gallagher at an exciting, dynamic point in his storied career. Mr. Gallagher expanded his band, adding Bendan O'Neill as the drummer, Bob Andrews on keyboards, and a pair of saxophonists on some tracks. Mainstay Gerry McAvoy continued on bass. He also recorded Jinx in Germany, perhaps feeling more at home there---as Roger Chapman did---than back in the UK where fads and trends tended to garner more attention than talent."Jinx" is an explosive return to form, a fireworks shower fusing blues and rock, that will raise hackles on the nape of one's neck. It's clear from the opening power of Big Guns that Mr. Gallagher is in a take-no-prisoners mood, and he fires off riffs and slides with grace and style. There are no filler tracks here, and even the bonus tracks, missing from the vinyl edition because of limited space/time, showcase a tight, focused band. It's hard to pick favorites, but Jinxed is near the top of my all-time favorite Rory Gallagher numbers, a rich sonic stew propelled by excellent percussion and bass, accented with double saxes, and peppered with some heady guitar work. Loose Talk and Ride on Red are worthy of a call-out, but so are all the other tracks. Donal Gallagher, Rory's brother, oversaw the remixing and remastering of this CD, and the sound here is clear and crisp. Listening to "Jinx" now makes it easy for me to agree with the critics who declared Mr. Gallagher to be every bit as good as Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton ever were."

Amazing guy!

Mario Elizondo | Monterrey,Mexico | 05/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an excellent CD. Rory treated every track carefully, and his playing shines on every track and shows so much feeling on every note he plays. This is a must have. "Bourbon" is a Rory trademark Rock and Roll, "Easy come, easy go" is one of the most beautiful ballads I've ever heard in my life, "Devil made me do it" here Rory is having fun,typical rockabilly. The bonus track "Lonely mile", I just can't believe it's not on the original JINX, for a bonus track, is one of the best tracks on the CD.Thanks a lot."

Rory Scorches!

Frankie | San Francisco | 09/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On Jinx, Rory really comes out scorching! From the opening track "Big Guns", Rory unleashes a fiery sonic assault, true to his own nature and form. This is an excellent album, right in the midst of new wave, Rory once again refused to compromise, and plays from the heart with such touching songs as Jinxed, and Loose Talk, his guitar playing is once again, fiery, spirited, and inspiring, and the compositions are strong and meaningful. Also, Rory also reveals more of his romantic side and psychic experiences on the track "Signals" (a true gem), giving us a deeper look into his private life. Rory's inventiveness also shines on this album through subtle, yet judicious use of sound effects such as phaser and flanger on "Bourbon", "Jinxed" and "Loose Talk". His slide playing is also brilliant and blistering on "Big Guns" in which he uses his magic to create that life or death kind of tension encompassing a small time hoodlum who worked himself into a corner. Rory's magic and fire once again shines on this album and is truly a breath of fresh air to hear when considering some of the ridiculous and simplistic music which was released during 1982."