Eric Bell is a former Thin Lizzy guitarist from the early days. Yes, it is his guitar tone you hear on Whiskey in the Jar. He soon left the band and committed to playing blues. The anthology here combines five records from 1996 to 2017. It’s a combination of studio and live recordings, well balanced and easy to follow.
As expected, the music has a very bluesy feel, but Bell manages to stretch things into variety of directions. It keeps things interesting from album to album. The music generally is very laid back, but with a very good feel. Nothing is forced, and it clearly feel like Eric Bell is on the right path all along. Listening to these albums, no one would ever suspect this man was once strumming for Thin Lizzy.
There is a very informative booklet that pretty much explains what path Eric Bell had taken. His journey is well documented here, questioned, reflected, and explained. Also, nothing is accidental here, Bell is not seeking fame, he just wants to play the music he loves. And if fame came knocking here and there, he most likely wouldn't mind.
This set definitely provides a lot of answers to what Eric Bell had been up to. His music is still very much underground even within the blues genre, and most of these albums were not widely available. It’s great to hear them, and it’s great to connect with Eric Bell musically. It’s a fun, and worry-free approach, in a very laid-back sense.
The combination of live and studio recordings in this set gives a great overview of what Eric Bell had become, or in fact who he always was. Bell of course delivers on both fronts, although it has to be said that he’s a great attraction when playing live. There is a great feel, and blues atmosphere that is just contagious. The studio recordings are great too, but the blues comes alive on stage, it makes it more appealing. Bell realizes that too, that’s why this set is so well balanced. You don’t have to be a blues purist to enjoy these records either. Their appeal is multidimensional, and variety of categories and moods can apply.
Mark Kadzielawa
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