DARK END OF THE STREET

Following the success of the two classic MOVING HEARTS albums in the UK and Ireland, WEA released a compilation with the highlights of both for American consumption, curiously named after and endowed with the same cover as the second of these. It is a good representation of the scope of the group's Celtic rock signature sound.

The album is slightly weakened by one song in particular that does not mesh well even within that admittedly broad lexicon. That song is Barry Moore's "Remember the Brave Ones". Barry was to re-brand himself as LUKA BLOOM and meet with moderate success in America, as a way of thrusting out from under his brother Christy's dominance in the nest. This track doesn't even sound like Luka, and, while thematically in step with the political struggles concept, is musically a bit more 80s sounding, with synthesizers played by Donal Lunny. Still, it does have that indelible spirit, and sounds better now than I remember it in the day. The compilers also chose to include two rather rote pipe led instrumentals, where one would have easily been sufficient.

For the rest, apart from superb "Hiroshima Nagasaki Russian Roulette" and "No Time for Love" originally on the self titled album, we are treated to several winners culled from the second release, the urgent "What Will You Do About Me" being the best of these. It flawlessly channels the peace movement of the 1960s but from the perspective of one old enough who have been there in the first place, telling us that he didn't abandon those values for the comforts of the bourgeois lifestyle. He's sticking around for the long haul, and what shall we do about him? "Let Somebody Know" is a gentle feeling ballad, and "Dark End of the Street" shows they could tackle full-on soul numbers and transform them into subversive Irish folk. "Half Moon" is a lovely bass-led instrumental, with timely piano rolls, on par with "Lake of Shadows" off the debut, omitted here.

If you are a vinyl collector in America, you might find one of these around, and it would be worth the search. Since only 2 tracks from the second album are missing here (both good ones of course), you might be fine with just the debut and this compilation. But, if a true collector, seek out the two original albums in all their glory. This street is well worth travelling whether in darkness or in light.