Simon McBride is an Irish guitarist who I discovered online on Youtube. I found out about this bluesman while clicking on links for PRS guitars, which Simon endorses and often plays clinics for. That’s how I saw a few videos of his playing and then decided to watch some of his originals played live and finally got this album. While the inevitable comparisons to his late country Rory Gallagher aren’t unfounded, there’s also some Hendrix touches and some Stevie Ray Vaughn in his playing. Plus he’s also played a bit with fellow Irishman Vivian Campbell (former Whitesnake & Dio, current Def Leppard).

We start off with Down To The River, a good way to kick off things with some laid back blues-rock riffs. Lyrically its about making a woman change her mind and bringing her to you.  Standing Still starts off with this delightfully melodic lick, and is an appreciation about nature and the beautiful things we have around us that we take for granted. Fat Pockets is more rockn’roll, and about who holds the more money. And then we have the hopeful romantic in SO Much Love To Give, basically a plea for someone who wants something new to come into his life. He has washed away the pain & skeletons in his clothes and is moving on with life.

Punching It Out is a out & out rock n blues number, with a searing guitar solo by Simon. The title track, Rich Man Falling, is up next; a good ole mid-tempo rocker with a solid guitar solo. A slide guitar riff goes well in Devil Woman, about the hot & sexy nothing but trouble woman that you can’t get enough of. We get a ballad in Be My Friend. It’s a song about needing a special someone in their life to get them through the bad times. Change has a riff that at the beginning reminds me a bit of GnR’s Bad Apple from Use Your Illusion. However it’s a playful and fun number, more foot tapping than the GnR track. Tell Me Why is more bluesy and meant for a long guitar jam when played live.

You Gotta Problem is confronting a girl’s issues in her life and telling her to pick up the pieces of her life and offering help. More bright & foot tapping is the next number – DC. It’s about missing home & singing it’s praises. And we get to the Hendrix cover Power Of Soul. Nothing groundbreaking or anything but McBride’s got a good voice and he plays great blues guitar. Check him out on Youtube. Below is a live rendition of Down To the River.