Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Hindsight is a power much abused by those who seek to redress their viewpoint, to move it away from what could be seen as crass, as perhaps mean spirited, and certainly often fuelled by an agenda unbecoming that of the ordinary person.
The reflection of enforced observation, the kind that comes from putting distance between the object and the critic, is such that history always reveals more about one, and punishes the grandee of outspoken views in the same cosmic karma breathe. That history, even in fifty years, can be altered to show the truth of sentiment behind someone’s printed opinion, is thankfully available and one that is spellbindingly obvious as the timely extended box set release of Rory Gallagher’s second studio album, Deuce, as it turns a half century old.
Following on from the self-titled debut album box set release that celebrated the commencement of one of the greats in their initial unveilings to the wider world, the Deuce boxset once again shows just how much hard work went into creating the music, the tempo, the drama of expression, how sincere in his application the artist was as he sought to maintain the appreciation and love of an audience that had become entranced by the Irishman’s ability and fresh approach of the genre.
No matter the format, the fan or the collector, and arguably more important the first-time listener, will be bowled over by the production, the sound, and the rarities that Deuce has in its immense locker, and the surprise of two never before released songs, of Crest Of A Wave (alternate Take 2 version), and Used To Be (50th Anniversary Edition), and the expanse of takes is a reminder that artists of every persuasion will not be satisfied with their creation until they deem it perfect; even if means singing the same song a hundred times, the only things that matters is faultlessness and exactness in equal measure.
It was to the memory of some of the critics at the time that Deuce was unfairly compared to the debut recording, and yet the live feel of the album was richer, if not as concise, and was perhaps the truest of his early albums to be released. To come off stage and go straight into a studio to keep the mojo flowing is above and beyond the call, and this boxset exemplifies the beauty of the mind as it pushes the artist onwards, despite possible exhaustion, in the face of unrest in the press and the purist, and one that would install the legend on the public’s mind for the next fifty years.
With a disc dedicated to some of the live performances, the Radio Bremen broadcasts from December 1971 and Live from the Paris Theatre the following month, the listener has the chance to explore the music and the mind of a genius, one pushed by his own spark and belief, and one who refused to tie down anything that was considered easy…for him it surely had to be intricate to be considered outstanding.
Ian D. Hall