"Drawn from appearances across Ireland and the UK, Magic Nights (...) showcas[es] Moore in his element: before a live audience. Start with the second disc where the accent is on soul-bearing intimacy. There's a gripping account of Jackson Browne's 'Before the Deluge', haunting Appalachian accents on the fretful 'Only Our Rivers Run Free' and the forlorn 'Missing You'. Moore's take on Trent Reznor's 'Hurt' dilutes Johnny Cash's valedictory anguish with keening regretfulness. And oh, to have been there for the knowing winks and silky playfulness of 'Johnny Jump Up' with its momentary, crowdpleasing lapse of memory. Marked by greater variety, the first disc boasts a searing take on Charlie Murphy's 'Burning Times' recorded in Belfast and dedicated to journalist Lyra McKee and a softly stirring 'Spancilhill' with the Glaswegian audience singing along with quiet rapture. Moore aficionados will find much to please here in a blend of familiar songs and some welcome surprises".
