Danny Angel/Bo Galigher Mind Reader Vent 30013-2

Irving “Bo” Galigher does the singing and Danny “Angel” George provides the guitar wizardry on this genuinely satisfying debut, jam-packed with radio-ready hooks.

While Galigher’s vocals often echo B.B. King and Little Milton, his expressive stylistic range often puts him more into the soul bag, where he emotes with both humor and passion. Guitarist Angel is also clearly influenced by King, but his sustained single-note bends are drenched with the attitude of Southern-fried rock and lend some pleasing bite and sass to the overall sound.

Whether they play funky or straight, the rhythm section finds the pocket on every song. The horns are tight and brassy, and the female chorus singers are imaginatively used. Such superior and tasteful support allows the Alabama-based musical partners to shine effortlessly throughout their abundance of well-crafted original songs, all penned by Galigher and Angel.

Whether essaying fiscal hard luck (“My Money’s Done Spent”), existential anxieties (“Everywhere There’s a Trace,” “I Don’t Need This Rain”), preludes to love (“I’ll Be Your Lighthouse,” “Mind Reader”) and its mind-wrenching consequences (“Love’s Hell,” “New Lover,” “Then You’ll Know The Way I Feel”), the duo’s modern lyric style brings fresh observations to some time-honored themes.

These guys have the goods, and in a better world you’d be hearing several tunes from Mind Reader on mainstream radio. Until that happens, pick this one up. It not only sounds good, it feels right.

— Ken Burke

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