Snowy White - Released

Snowy White has been active for many years and even though he has been part of many legendary acts, either as a guest or full time member (ie Thin Lizzy, Pink Floyd etc.) and a collaborator of Peter Green and released some 18 albums at this point, he’s probably not the most prolific blues/rock man, one might think of, although he’s highly regarded none-the-less.
 
“Released” was created over a period of a few years, mostly by Snowy himself at his home studio. One can hear nods to Peter Green on tracks like “Opening Piece”, to Bob Dylan, to Mark Knopfler, you name it basically… the album is soft and largely acoustic, with subdued sublime electric guitars here and there, lingering and wailing on numbers like “The Blues Talking”.
 
“It’s Always Love (That Breaks Your Heart)” is simple as it could be, but I dare you to manage to match the expressive nature of its solo. Unbelievable! Mature, measure, nuanced... meaningful and heart achingly beautiful tone and articulation. “Blues on a Borrowed Guitar” reunites him with some of the old pals and finds him playing the blues – well on a “borrowed guitar” as a matter of fact! Another beautiful moment is the albums closing statement “How Was It for You” a bit of an abruptly ending blues rocker that has a ton of emotional impact, but feels almost edited… and still there’s more stuff for one to sink their claws into...
 
At any rate, while never receiving his much deserved dues, the man has left behind a body of work that’s both admirable and awe inspiring and has not really stopped adding to it… with “Released” adding rather than subtracting to the legend in the making. Masterful…