4 out of  5 Stars!

I was always a fan of the late/great Gary Moore when it came to his guitar-playing with Thin Lizzy and (especially) Colosseum II, but after I purchased this album back in the early ’80s, I realized (and quickly began to appreciate) his fine vocal prowess as well. Indeed, many “guitar heroes” who issued solo albums either relied on other vocalists, or when tackling the vocal chores themselves, just didn’t quite “cut it.” Gary, on the other hand, had not only a more-than-acceptable voice, but a recognizable one as well, and his rather wide range allowed him to write a variety of material during his solo career.

On Corridors of Power, we have both kick-ass rockers bordering on Heavy Metal (“Don’t Take Me for a Loser,” “Gonna Break My Heart Again,” and “Cold Hearted” for example) and beautiful ballads with more than a touch of AOR (“Always Gonna Love You,” Falling in Love with You,” and the exceptional closing track “I Can’t Wait Until Tomorrow”), and on all tracks, Gary’s vocals shine. Of course, Moore’s fretwork is outstanding throughout the album as well, most especially during the opening to the slamming track “End of the World,” where he proves his being elevated to the status of “guitar hero” was indeed no fluke. Also, Moore’s rendition of Free’s classic tune “Wishing Well” is perhaps one of the best versions of the song ever recorded, with Gary’s guitar fills and solos simply blazing.

Therefore, this is one of my favorites in Moore’s vast catalogue of solo releases, not only for the melodic and memorable material on offer, but for the musicians in Gary’s band at the time of this recording. We have not only keyboardist Tommy Eyre (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band / Zzebra / Riff Raff) and bassist Neil Murray (National Health / Whitesnake / Black Sabbath), but also the mighty and legendary drummer Ian Paice (Deep Purple / Whitesnake). So when it came to the musicianship on this album, every single member of the band was a well-seasoned KILLER, and it shows.

RIP Gary…your legend lives on!

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