Album review: VINNIE MOORE – Double Exposure

David Randall chatted to Vinnie Moore about his career with tracks from his solo albums. First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on 4 December 2022.

Mind’s Eye Music [Release date 08.11.22]

We were mightily impressed with Vinnie Moore’s last album offering ‘Soul Shifter’ – an all instrumental feast of guitar-based rock.

For his latest sojourn Vinnie has decided to work with a handful of vocalists, an idea that developed during Lockdown when he decided that his musical ideas needed a bit of vocal heft.

Perhaps he was feeling increasingly distanced from his usual job, as guitarist with hard rockers U.F.O. since 2003. Whatever, there’s still lots of tasty guitar on display like the hard rocking opener ‘Vertical Horizon’ one of two tracks with Ed Terry on vocals.

Elsewhere, Mike Dimeo (Riot) contributes to the funky ‘Rise’, a great groove that just gets better with Moore’s breakdown riffing.

The vocal tracks (and ‘Rocket’!) put me in mind of prime-time Pat Travers; bluesy and riffy but of course Moore’s fluid shredding being the major difference. The core band of Richie Monica (drums) and Pete Griffin (bass) provide solid support throughout.

Overall, I’m not sure that the vocal approach is the best one as it has to be predicated on killer songs. Moore is primarily known for his sterling guitar work from earliest days on Shrapnel Records and there will be many who just want to hear that.

As if to answer their calls, those wanting more of Moore’s guitar will be pleased that half the album is in fact instrumental. (Perhaps strangely the album is front-loaded with the six vocal tracks).

The instrumental style on wah-driven ‘Astro Man’ is satisfyingly funky and I was reminded at times of the long lost Lenny White album ‘Streamline’ with Nick Maroch and Jamie Glaser. Especially on ‘Breaking Through’. I mentioned in my last review that Moore’s approach is very much song based and ‘In Too Deep’ and ‘One Day’ provide good examples which put him right up there with Satch and with some similarities.

So, those who luxuriated in ‘Soul Shifter’ will find lots to like and maybe the vocal tracks will be the proverbial “grower”. ****

Review by David Randall

Album review (Soul Shifter, 2019)

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