CHRISTY MOORE - Graffitti Tongue (Grapevine Records GRACD 215)
Christy Moore (as those of you who already know my tastes) will be aware of the esteem in which I hold 'the man' and oh, how I was wishing I could once again shower accolades on the supreme artiste. But, I would be telling a lie if I didn't say I find this latest offering somewhat disappointing on a couple of fronts. Firstly, we have Christy giving perhaps his most laid back performance in many a year. Although I applaud his songwriting which has gained strength over the years, where is the hint of the DTs or Lisdoonvarna. I can't find it here and although he has tried to recreate the sound of his 'live' performances, his vocal is often obscured by his own guitar backing.
(Pete Fyfe)