Christy Moore A Terrible Beauty
Christy Moore's A Terrible Beauty arrives as a quietly devastating collection that pairs his weathered, intimate delivery with pointed political commentary. Across three professional reviews the record earned an 81.33/100 consensus score, with critics pointing to a handful of songs that crystallize its strengths: “Boy in The Wild”, “Black & Amber” and “Sunflowers” emerge repeatedly as the best songs on A Terrible Beauty.
Critics consistently praise Moore's ability to fuse traditional songwriting and protest impulse, noting that spare arrangements put his voice and narrative front and centre. Reviewers highlight the opening sequence and centrepieces - especially “Boy in The Wild” and “Black & Amber” - for their emotional directness, while topical tributes such as “Sunflowers” and “Lyra McKee” supply the album's political conscience. Professional reviews agree the record trades bombast for tenderness and empathy, making social injustice, remembrance and loss feel immediate rather than rhetorical.
While some critics find the album's second half less essential, the consensus suggests A Terrible Beauty stands among Moore's most affecting late-career work, a collection where tradition and protest meet in plainspoken songs. For readers asking if A Terrible Beauty is good, the critical consensus and standout tracks indicate a rewarding, often moving listen that reaffirms Moore's reputation as a master storyteller and protest singer.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Boy in The Wild
2 mentions
"Lift up your heart, lean on your dad. When you’re not strong enough, he’ll carry you home,"— KLOF Mag
Lemon Sevens
2 mentions
"The struggle for people who find themselves down and out on the streets is told in Lemon Sevens"— KLOF Mag
Black & Amber
3 mentions
"it becomes clear this is no jolly tale, and is, instead, a goosebumps inducing portrayal of strong drink"— At The Barrier
She offered them a handful of Sunflower seeds. Keep them in your pockets boys, that Flowers may blossom from your graves.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Boy in The Wild
Sunflowers
Black & Amber
Lemon Sevens
Broomielaw
Cumann na Mná
The Rock
The Life and Soul
Lyra McKee
Darkness Before Dawn
The Big Marquee
Palestine
Snowflakes
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
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Critic's Take
In his characteristically measured, quietly passionate voice Dave McNally argues that Christy Moore's A Terrible Beauty still finds its power in tenderness and political urgency. He lingers over tracks like “Boy in The Wild” and “Black & Amber”, noting how intimate vocals and spare arrangements make those songs the best tracks on A Terrible Beauty. The review foregrounds Christy’s ability to marry protest and compassion, so the best songs - particularly “Boy in The Wild” and “Black & Amber” - land as both personal and political statements. McNally’s steady, appreciative tone insists this is as good as anything Christy has done before, sustained by empathy rather than grandstanding.
Key Points
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The best song, "Boy in The Wild", is best for its tender vocal, hushed piano, and emotional father-son lyric.
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The album's core strengths are its empathy, political commitment, and tasteful, understated arrangements.
Themes
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Critic's Take
Neil Spencer writes with affection and authority about Christy Moore's A Terrible Beauty, singling out “Black & Amber” for its lilting, devastating tale and noting tributes like “Sunflowers” and “Lyra McKee” that anchor the album's political conscience. The review frames the album as work from a 79-year-old national treasure still capable of transforming sharp material with spare arrangements and uncanny narrative skills.
Key Points
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Black & Amber is best for its spare, lilting delivery that animates a harrowing story.
Critic's Take
Christy Moore in A Terrible Beauty is at his most affecting on tracks like “Boy In The Wild” and “Sunflowers”, the former opening with Moore's low, ember-like voice and the latter delivering a chilling ode to Ukraine. The reviewer hears Moore's peculiar instrument swinging between razor and feather, and praises the centrepieces - the intimate “Boy In The Wild” and the stark “Sunflowers” - as the best tracks on A Terrible Beauty. Side one, especially the first five songs, is declared as strong as anything in his catalogue, while the record's flip is judged weaker and occasionally dispensable. Overall the album is a potent mix of political weight and traditional tenderness, with those standout tracks making it worth seeking out.
Key Points
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The best song is "Boy In The Wild" for its gorgeous low-register delivery and emotional weight.