With songs unleashed from the soul of
Roger Daltrey,
Under a Raging Moon is a short voyage into the psyche of an aging rock star who has plenty to reveal.
Daltrey's bitterness about growing older while gasping for every last breath of a youth gone by gives this album heart and a certain emotional dimension, coming to a head on the title track. His thunderous but passionate ode to his former friend and drummer Keith Moon is a fervent downpour of frustration that can be truly felt inside every line of the song. A spectacular drum solo from
Mark Brzezicki is a modest tribute to the late Moon and adds depth indefinitely. A multitude of drummers appear on the album, musically paying their respects, including
Cozy Powell, Roger Taylor, and
Stewart Copeland. The guitar slashing "Let Me Down Easy," penned by Bryan Adams, is a perfectly formulated rock song intensified through
Daltrey's energy. While this song and all of the others act as outlets for his pent up anger, each one is sung, and sometimes screamed, with genuine passion and heart. Even the slower songs, like "The Pride You Hide," display a moving amount of sincerity. Not every song is a treasure, but all contain a intangible character that only
Daltrey can muster. ~ Mike DeGagne