Top Priority [Remastered] - Rory Gallagher > Reviews > The master delivers, as always

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
Value for Money	Satisfactory

Advantages:	Perhaps Rory's best - ever studio playing
Disadvantages:	It's not an octuple CD

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Well, folks, you know that anything by Rory is going to be worth listening to, but if you are anything like me, you play the CDs to death for a year and then file them under "indispensible". What happened here is that my children grubbed about in the cars and the cupboards to see what was about from Dad's prehistoric era and came up with Top Priority. A lot of the (mostly American) relentless thrash bands and monochord banging fail to ignite the senses of even the most musically insensitive, so to speak, and the kids are always looking for something more than the musical equivalent of Instant Whip. I have seen the new punk bands with the kids and they have left me deaf and numb from the ridiculous volume they played at - made Cream seem like Freddie and the Dreamers (RIP, Freddie). Hey, I'm not a shrinking violet either - my band includes Andy Golden on drums from the Thin Lizzy/Eric Bell set-up, and he's perhaps the loudest and one of the best drummers in the universe, I reckon.

I had forgotten just how accomplished this little-promoted collection is. My band used to perform Follow Me, and it's a great powerful surge to the record, with some quite extraordinary guitar pyrotechnics from Rory. It's actually got a very good tune, too, and it's fun to see Gerry McAvoy singing harmonies on the chorus on the Live At Cork video - with Rory and Gerry cracking up when they get the sequence wrong! Philby continues Rory's fascination with spies, molls and the underworld and then the whole album continues with a collection of Rory's usual interests, all performed well. "(Fly) off te handle" is one of Rory's slow burn songs with a powerhouse chord chorus and some more guitar pyrotechnics achieved by using, er, fingers and a guitar. Rory hated pedals and effects, and, like me, was bored to death when guitar musos muttered about the new Boss ZR 31 XCG Mark 36 Tone Distorter Metal Head Frier and so on.

Wayward Child is a great song with almost a country melody, but with some extraordinary playing and soloing that still makes my eyes water. "Keychain" has the killer riff and burns like fire.

I gather that the collection was recorded in a very short time and occasionally the production values are not perfect. What is nearly perfect is the playing. Rory is like a man possessed, and, as always, his faithfull band is exemplary. This CD is a timely reminder of just how exceptional Rory and his bands were, and the new wave of punk thrashers would do very well to listen to his control, dynamics, words and, it has to be said, incredible ability. They won't, of course, and will continue to deafen and batter their teeny audience into submission which is a great shame - because my 13 year old daughter is going around singing Follow Me and she is the winner.

For those of you who want to be reminded that excellence was once a priority and of some importance to many people, get the DVDs Rory Gallagher Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Live at the Rockpalast and Live at Cork Opera House. Sadly, Rory did not spend his time criticising the American Presidency or mocking public figures, but this very nice, humble and polite man instead concentrated on being perhaps the best rock, slide, country and blues player in the world. I know it's not much but, hey, it suited him, I guess.

A lovely CD. Not a duff moment, really. Worth it for Follow Me alone. That solo .... Gawd!