Scott McClatchy – Blue Moon Revisited
It’s not at all surprising to learn that ex-Philadelphian Scott McClatchy was pals with the Del-Lords, the New York ’80s roots-rock band helmed by Eric Ambel and Scott Kempner, or that he recently played guitar for Dion. Indeed, on Blue Moon Revisited, McClatchy (now a New Yorker) delivers a thrilling slice of urban rock ‘n’ roll right out of the tradition that connects the Lords and Dion. Derivative as it is, the album, which was produced by Kempner, is exhilarating in the way it takes the familiar pieces of straight-ahead rock, folk and country and melds them together naturally.
McClatchy is a good singer and an even better songwriter. The romantic “Reflection” captures how real love transcends the years and wrinkles: “You can’t see your own reflection as I see you/A face to make the angels jealous and a love to make the devil tell the truth,” he sings fervently. The working-class rage of “Good Man’s Spirit” sounds like a long-lost Woody Guthrie rant: “I’m looking for the land of no depression, the land of milk and honey I heard about/But lately I’m running out of direction, I just feel my time running out.”
The resolute “Shut Out The Night” offers this simple counsel: “I know you can be tough, I’ve seen you take a punch or two/Sometimes your strength just ain’t enough, and there ain’t no crime in letting someone help you through.” Suffice to say that McClatchy earns the right to drop the names of “Bill and the King” in the reference to “Blue Moon Of Kentucky” in this record’s title track.