Photo-Finish

iTunes Review

Originally released in 1978, Photo Finish is Rory Gallagher’s seventh studio album, though this version was remixed and includes tracks that the Irish blues-rocker had to omit from the first vinyl pressing. Right from the opening bars of the boogie-rocking “Shin Kicker” the overall improvement in sound quality is noticeable, resonating with the pristinely clear fidelity of mastering room playbacks. Following the simmering and smoky strut of “Brute Force & Ignorance” and the rockabilly-charged “Cruise On Out” the swampy “Cloak and Dagger” returns Gallagher to his recurring theme of B-movie mystery detectives with a golden guitar riff worthy of ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. Returning to his power trio roots, most of Gallagher’s songs are stripped down to their bare essential chemistry on Photo Finish which makes the occasional mandolin appearance (“Brute Force & Ignorance”) or grinding Hammond B3 organ (“Overnight Bag”) much more salient in the mix. Bonus cut “Early Warning” is bare-bones riff-rock at its best while “Juke Box Annie” simmers down a bit.