Review: Dom Martin ‘Buried Alive’
By Hal Horowitz
If you hear traces of Rory Gallagher or Gary Moore in the guitar playing of Irish blues rocker Dom Martin, that’s no accident. Growing up in Ireland, those Irish guitar icons were some of his biggest influences.
While Martin’s three previous studio albums didn’t get much commercial love in America, they have received high praise in Europe where he frequently tours. He has won a clutch of UK and European blues awards, including one for Album of the Year (2023s acoustic and electric ‘Buried in the Hail’) and multiple honors for Instrumentalist of the Year and Acoustic Act of the Year.
Like Rory Gallagher, who was relatively unknown in the States until 1972s still-riveting ‘Live! In Europe,’ Martin checks in with his own European concert set on ‘Buried Alive.’ This double package features a disc of solo acoustic and another of power trio plugged-in performances, displaying the artist’s expertise in both styles.
It also serves as a reasonable “greatest hits so far” since Martin cherry-picks the most compelling moments from his trio of releases for this 16 song showcase. His dusky voice, similar to that of Richard Thompson, helps propel the ballads and swamped up rockers on both discs.
Martin’s strength is not just as a remarkably proficient instrumentalist, capable of shredding with the best of them yet more concerned with taste and restraint. He’s also a taut, talented songwriter, penning songs such as the dreamy “Government” and the slowly surging title track to “Buried in the Hail,” two of the opening three tunes on the electric platter. While blues is his backbone, he moves into rock and folk, while staying grounded in darker roots. He nails that on “Howlin’” building muscle with a simmering solo as the band ebbs and swells behind him.
Martin begins the slow blues of “Lefty 2 Guns” with strummed chords and a skeletal solo. But by the end of the five minute selection, he has shifted to Gallagher-styled force, increasing the volume but not the speed, drawing and carving notes out of his six strings like a professional chef plating an expensive meal.
The closing band tracks, up the energy as he demonstrates his proficiency on slide, going deep for “12 Gauge” then rocking out like old ZZ Top on a pummeling “Dixie Black Hand.”
The unplugged and solo material, maintains Martin’s restrained intensity but also illustrates his ability to coax beautiful sounds out of his instrument on the tumbling, cascading fingerpicked “Hello in There, the Fall.” Here he sings like legendary UK folk/bluesman John Martyn, rumbling and grumbling the words over intricately picked notes.
Two extended pieces, “Easy Way Out,Belfast Blues” and “Hell for You,Mercy” both over 10 minutes, allow Martin to stretch out lyrically and instrumentally. He captures your, and the audience’s, attention with a penetrating approach that never flags, difficult to do when playing alone and acoustic. Since he emerged from that background before plugging in, he is experienced with keeping listeners riveted without the support of other musicians. His technically sophisticated playing and shadowy emotional singing shifts from a harrowing growl to a sensitive whisper.
Together, these stunning, often goosebumps raising performances on the striking ‘Buried Alive’ should add Dom Martin to America’s blues map as one of the finest of a younger crop of players; one whose already impressive work is likely just an indication of what is in his future.
Pre-order the album Here
Watch “Unhinged” Live
Dom Martin website
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