Moving Swiftly Along - Bowes & Morley

Advantages: Thunder's sound with a more soulful influence
Disadvantages: Thunder fans may not enjoy the difference

...song that gets your shoulders moving more than your legs. I don't think this track would have felt too out of place on Luke Morley's solo album, but it's definitely not a typical Thunder track. There's an almost country twang to the start of "Better Times" that, combined with the acoustic guitar, you could almost start to mistake for a Crowded House tune. It does get a little livelier later on, turning into something with a little more blues influence ...
...as they're quite hard hitting, especially in relation to the music around them The introduction to "Sick and Tired" sounds a little like the band's acoustic version of "Stand Up", in that it's an almost folksy sound. The piano has a kind of bar room blues feel to it, a little like the Quireboys have done so well. It's a jaunty up-tempo folk-rock song that wouldn't get you up and dancing, but which you can't help but tap your foot along to. And, ... Read review

Advantages: Some great rock tinged soul and funk songs
Disadvantages: Not enough original material

...After their 2002 album "Moving Swiftly Along" proved that Danny Bowes and Luke Morley could still work together, still enjoyed working together and still produced damn good music when they work together, it made the Thunder reunion that happened that year a little less of a surprise. What did come as a surprise, however, was the news that they would release a second album as Bowes and Morley in 2003. Whether this was because the album sold so well and the record company wanted more is possible, although perhaps a little unlikely. My guess would be that they had already started work on it and the songs didn't fit in with what they were now back doing with Thunder. While their debut "Moving Swiftly Along" was a finely crafted album with some decent pop-rock tunes, it had more of a soul and funk influence than Thunder's material... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Everything that makes Thunder great is in here somewhere
Disadvantages: Vocals poorly mixed on a couple of songs

.... Their album together “Moving Swiftly Along”, and a touring band that included all of Thunder excepting drummer Harry James, who was touring with Magnum at the time, gave us all hope that there may be more from Thunder. The album “Moving Swiftly Along” would not have disgraced the band if it had been released as Thunder, with stand outs “Freakshow” and “Dancing the Night Away” being as good as anything Thunder have ever released. The cover of Was Not Was’ “Walk the Dinosaur” at the Bowes & Morley gig proved the fun that characterised Thunder was also back. There may well be another Bowes & Morley album in 2004, too. Then, Summer 2002. A line up for a “Monsters of Rock” arena tour was announced, and featured Thunder. I had to check, and it was true. The idea for the tour was Danny’s, and the promoter agreed on condition that Thunder reformed... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful