In celebration of the upcoming release of Everything that Happens Will Happen Today, and David Byrne's subsequent and sure to be mind-blowing supporting tour, now's the ideal time to revisit some live Talking Heads at the peak of their powers. Fans of The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads will recognize a lot of the material here, as that double disc set included a number of tracks from this remarkable FM broadcast. Still, it's amazing to hear the spectacle as it unfolded on this particular night. The lineup featured here is nearly identical to the one from the Stop Making Sense concert film, but thanks in large part to the wild lead guitar of Adrian Belew, this incarnation is slithery, less muscular and far more psychedelic than the one that would appear on screen a few years later. My favorites from this show are the selections from the then-recently released Remain In Light, but the reinterpretations of the band's earlier material are all pretty incredible as well. If there's been a better band in the past 30 years, it's certainly not on my radar.
Showing posts with label Live. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Live. Show all posts
Thursday
Talking Heads
Live at the Tokyo Sun Plaza, February 27, 1981
In celebration of the upcoming release of Everything that Happens Will Happen Today, and David Byrne's subsequent and sure to be mind-blowing supporting tour, now's the ideal time to revisit some live Talking Heads at the peak of their powers. Fans of The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads will recognize a lot of the material here, as that double disc set included a number of tracks from this remarkable FM broadcast. Still, it's amazing to hear the spectacle as it unfolded on this particular night. The lineup featured here is nearly identical to the one from the Stop Making Sense concert film, but thanks in large part to the wild lead guitar of Adrian Belew, this incarnation is slithery, less muscular and far more psychedelic than the one that would appear on screen a few years later. My favorites from this show are the selections from the then-recently released Remain In Light, but the reinterpretations of the band's earlier material are all pretty incredible as well. If there's been a better band in the past 30 years, it's certainly not on my radar.
In celebration of the upcoming release of Everything that Happens Will Happen Today, and David Byrne's subsequent and sure to be mind-blowing supporting tour, now's the ideal time to revisit some live Talking Heads at the peak of their powers. Fans of The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads will recognize a lot of the material here, as that double disc set included a number of tracks from this remarkable FM broadcast. Still, it's amazing to hear the spectacle as it unfolded on this particular night. The lineup featured here is nearly identical to the one from the Stop Making Sense concert film, but thanks in large part to the wild lead guitar of Adrian Belew, this incarnation is slithery, less muscular and far more psychedelic than the one that would appear on screen a few years later. My favorites from this show are the selections from the then-recently released Remain In Light, but the reinterpretations of the band's earlier material are all pretty incredible as well. If there's been a better band in the past 30 years, it's certainly not on my radar.
The Faces
Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners - 1974
Though the band lost its spiritual core when bassist and founding member Ronnie Lane left in 1973 to form his own group, Slim Chance, the Faces remained one of the few bands in town able to challenge the Rolling Stones' title of World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band up until they disintegrated in 1975. With four magnificent studio LPs under their belt, the band only released one official album that showcased where their bread was buttered, Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners, a live LP recorded at a pair of Los Angeles dates in 1973. The band is ragged and the tunes have a slower, almost molasses-thick drive to them, but all of these reckless elements are what coalesced to make this band the endearing and enduring live act that it always was. At this point in their evolution, not having Lane to share the mic and spotlight with brought Rod Stewart to full bloom, for better or for worse. The fact that so few high-quality live recordings exist of a band who staked their claim on the stage, makes this one all the better. The CD version of this classic is long out of print, but hopefully this means that a deluxe reissue is just around the corner. Best enjoyed with a bottle of Blue Nun, Rod's favorite.
Though the band lost its spiritual core when bassist and founding member Ronnie Lane left in 1973 to form his own group, Slim Chance, the Faces remained one of the few bands in town able to challenge the Rolling Stones' title of World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band up until they disintegrated in 1975. With four magnificent studio LPs under their belt, the band only released one official album that showcased where their bread was buttered, Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners, a live LP recorded at a pair of Los Angeles dates in 1973. The band is ragged and the tunes have a slower, almost molasses-thick drive to them, but all of these reckless elements are what coalesced to make this band the endearing and enduring live act that it always was. At this point in their evolution, not having Lane to share the mic and spotlight with brought Rod Stewart to full bloom, for better or for worse. The fact that so few high-quality live recordings exist of a band who staked their claim on the stage, makes this one all the better. The CD version of this classic is long out of print, but hopefully this means that a deluxe reissue is just around the corner. Best enjoyed with a bottle of Blue Nun, Rod's favorite.Wednesday
David Bowie
David Live - 1974
Along the David Bowie timeline, the era between the fall of Ziggy Stardust and the rise of the Thin White Duke is a bit hazy. A span of albums that included an attempt at a new alter ego, a half-baked musical adaptation of 1984, and a short lived blue-eyed soul fascination proved that while his frequent reinvention may have fallen short of genius, it was the continued strength of Bowie's songwriting which kept him at the top of the pop heap. Overlooked in the years following its 1974 release, David Live shakes the tunes from the constraints of their overbearing albums, and shifts the focus back to the songs themselves; making it a vital document in getting to the bottom of Bowie's transitional period. Although touring in support of the recently released Diamond Dogs, it’s the material from 1973's Aladdin Sane that brims with a road worn confidence and steals the show. "Jean Genie" and "Cracked Actors" could never strut and swell with as much bloated passion as they do here. Unfortunately, Bowie seems far less inspired in bringing the songs from his then current album to the stage. Stripped of its trademark opening guitar lick, "Rebel Rebel" is buoyed by backup vocals and horns, but never lives up the the studio version's swagger. And considering Bowie cut Young Americans at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios in the middle of this tour, it's amazing that David Live contains none of the songs that made that album such a crossover success. That's not to say it doesn't hint at things to come. With lavish stage productions being half the reason to witness the man in the flesh, the high water mark set by the studio albums makes the live document almost unnecessary. The gorgeous packaging of this 2005 reissue, complete with fold out sleeve, a full list of 1974 tour dates plus extensive notes and photos, does make it a little easier to add an "inessential" to your collection.
Along the David Bowie timeline, the era between the fall of Ziggy Stardust and the rise of the Thin White Duke is a bit hazy. A span of albums that included an attempt at a new alter ego, a half-baked musical adaptation of 1984, and a short lived blue-eyed soul fascination proved that while his frequent reinvention may have fallen short of genius, it was the continued strength of Bowie's songwriting which kept him at the top of the pop heap. Overlooked in the years following its 1974 release, David Live shakes the tunes from the constraints of their overbearing albums, and shifts the focus back to the songs themselves; making it a vital document in getting to the bottom of Bowie's transitional period. Although touring in support of the recently released Diamond Dogs, it’s the material from 1973's Aladdin Sane that brims with a road worn confidence and steals the show. "Jean Genie" and "Cracked Actors" could never strut and swell with as much bloated passion as they do here. Unfortunately, Bowie seems far less inspired in bringing the songs from his then current album to the stage. Stripped of its trademark opening guitar lick, "Rebel Rebel" is buoyed by backup vocals and horns, but never lives up the the studio version's swagger. And considering Bowie cut Young Americans at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios in the middle of this tour, it's amazing that David Live contains none of the songs that made that album such a crossover success. That's not to say it doesn't hint at things to come. With lavish stage productions being half the reason to witness the man in the flesh, the high water mark set by the studio albums makes the live document almost unnecessary. The gorgeous packaging of this 2005 reissue, complete with fold out sleeve, a full list of 1974 tour dates plus extensive notes and photos, does make it a little easier to add an "inessential" to your collection.Thursday
James Brown
Live In Zaire - 1974
In the half-century career of James Brown there are multiple highlights, of which this 1974 show in Zaire as part of the buildup for the Rumble in the Jungle is unquestionably among the top few. Rightly christening himself The Minister of the New Super Heavy Funk somewhere around the recording of 1973's The Payback or Hell the following year, JB had pushed his grooves to the outer reaches and his cultural relevance to the brink. Frankly, with an output as overwhelming as his was around this time, releasing 45s and double LPs of new material on a seemingly weekly basis, JB was arguably spreading himself pretty thin. Professionally recorded (though never officially released) and arguably superior to any of his live LPs aside from Live at the Apollo (1963), this concert captures it all at its frothy peak just as the wave was about to break and the Godfather's career began its slow decline. This was a man on a mission to bring it all back to the Motherland at the peak of the Black Power movement, and he did not disappoint. Despite tremendous sound quality, the widely bootlegged version that appears here contains a mildly annoying gap between tracks and a few questionable edits that break the overall flow of the show. Other than that, this is the document of the master of funk at the peak of his powers.
In the half-century career of James Brown there are multiple highlights, of which this 1974 show in Zaire as part of the buildup for the Rumble in the Jungle is unquestionably among the top few. Rightly christening himself The Minister of the New Super Heavy Funk somewhere around the recording of 1973's The Payback or Hell the following year, JB had pushed his grooves to the outer reaches and his cultural relevance to the brink. Frankly, with an output as overwhelming as his was around this time, releasing 45s and double LPs of new material on a seemingly weekly basis, JB was arguably spreading himself pretty thin. Professionally recorded (though never officially released) and arguably superior to any of his live LPs aside from Live at the Apollo (1963), this concert captures it all at its frothy peak just as the wave was about to break and the Godfather's career began its slow decline. This was a man on a mission to bring it all back to the Motherland at the peak of the Black Power movement, and he did not disappoint. Despite tremendous sound quality, the widely bootlegged version that appears here contains a mildly annoying gap between tracks and a few questionable edits that break the overall flow of the show. Other than that, this is the document of the master of funk at the peak of his powers.
Tuesday
Velvet Underground
Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes
Recorded at the peak of Lou Reed's songwriting powers and the band's apex as a well oiled touring machine, The Quine Tapes are undeniably the best official record of the Velvet Underground in all its ear bending splendor. There are live documents of higher sound quality, namely the double LP set 1969: The Velvet Underground Live, but for what The Quine Tapes lack in quality (and in reality, they're not all that bad) they more than make up for in capturing the spirit of a group that was light years beyond its time. Famed for his guitar work throughout the mid 70s/80s, Robert Quine befriended the Velvets somewhere in the midst of the 1969 tour and with the band's permission, began recording all of the shows he'd attend on a personal tape recorder. The best of the best were transferred to reel-to-reel tapes and those that survived comprise this officially released collection. Mirroring the band's set on the 69 tour, each disc climaxes with a monster-sized version of Sister Ray (24, 38 and 28 minutes respectively), while the amount of material pulled from each of the band's four albums is represented in almost equal measure - including plenty of Loaded material roughly a year before it was released, and a bevy of tunes that would never appear on the band's LPs. The consistent quality across these discs proves that even on shows that were recorded up to six months apart as they are here, the Velvet Underground was a live band without equal. Words like transcendent, frothy, superbly melodic, orgasmic, et al come to mind, but they're really of no use in describing what we have here. Just click, wait and reward yourself with a good listen. It hardly gets better than this.
Recorded at the peak of Lou Reed's songwriting powers and the band's apex as a well oiled touring machine, The Quine Tapes are undeniably the best official record of the Velvet Underground in all its ear bending splendor. There are live documents of higher sound quality, namely the double LP set 1969: The Velvet Underground Live, but for what The Quine Tapes lack in quality (and in reality, they're not all that bad) they more than make up for in capturing the spirit of a group that was light years beyond its time. Famed for his guitar work throughout the mid 70s/80s, Robert Quine befriended the Velvets somewhere in the midst of the 1969 tour and with the band's permission, began recording all of the shows he'd attend on a personal tape recorder. The best of the best were transferred to reel-to-reel tapes and those that survived comprise this officially released collection. Mirroring the band's set on the 69 tour, each disc climaxes with a monster-sized version of Sister Ray (24, 38 and 28 minutes respectively), while the amount of material pulled from each of the band's four albums is represented in almost equal measure - including plenty of Loaded material roughly a year before it was released, and a bevy of tunes that would never appear on the band's LPs. The consistent quality across these discs proves that even on shows that were recorded up to six months apart as they are here, the Velvet Underground was a live band without equal. Words like transcendent, frothy, superbly melodic, orgasmic, et al come to mind, but they're really of no use in describing what we have here. Just click, wait and reward yourself with a good listen. It hardly gets better than this.Friday
Can
Can Live: Music - 1971-1977
While their albums throughout the early and mid 1970s were landmarks of stylistic innovation and studio mastery, Can in the live setting was a band of startling, head wringing power. Most concerts would contain just a few tunes pulled from their various LPs, with the majority of the show left open to the whims of improvisation. Heady music in its most adventurous form. Songs would swell to double, at times triple the length of their studio counterparts, vocalization was sparse if it appeared at all and was treated as another instrument in the mix when it did, and the sheer volume and intensity of the music would reach cathartic levels. Originally part of the Can Box package, Can Live Music (1971-1977) collects material from the band's "golden period" and presents it here with tremendous fidelity. "You Doo Right" is incredible as usual, but here it emerges from the audience's rhythmic clapping as if being summoned from the depths. "Colchester Finale" is a massive 37+ minute jam that incorporates more than a few morsels from Tago Mago before falling in on itself in a swirl of chaos and stopping - quite miraculously - on a dime. Only nine tracks in all, but the majority of what's contained on this double live set is beyond compare, even when lined up to their studio output. This is the other side of the coin. Enjoy.
While their albums throughout the early and mid 1970s were landmarks of stylistic innovation and studio mastery, Can in the live setting was a band of startling, head wringing power. Most concerts would contain just a few tunes pulled from their various LPs, with the majority of the show left open to the whims of improvisation. Heady music in its most adventurous form. Songs would swell to double, at times triple the length of their studio counterparts, vocalization was sparse if it appeared at all and was treated as another instrument in the mix when it did, and the sheer volume and intensity of the music would reach cathartic levels. Originally part of the Can Box package, Can Live Music (1971-1977) collects material from the band's "golden period" and presents it here with tremendous fidelity. "You Doo Right" is incredible as usual, but here it emerges from the audience's rhythmic clapping as if being summoned from the depths. "Colchester Finale" is a massive 37+ minute jam that incorporates more than a few morsels from Tago Mago before falling in on itself in a swirl of chaos and stopping - quite miraculously - on a dime. Only nine tracks in all, but the majority of what's contained on this double live set is beyond compare, even when lined up to their studio output. This is the other side of the coin. Enjoy.Thursday
Otis Redding
Live In Europe - 1967
Recorded during the infamous Stax/Volt revue overseas tour in the Spring of 1967, the Live in Europe LP is a testament to the overwhelming power of soul music during this brief window in time, and the absolute rapture into which Otis Redding would send his audiences. It was coined "Beatlemania in Reverse" for good reason. Sadly, this was also the final LP Redding would see released before his death in December of that same year. As the Stax house band throughout much of the decade, Booker T and the MGs backed all of the artists on this European tour, and here do the same for Otis. Rather than the smoky, hypnotic grooves laid down by his usual touring group (as featured on his In Person at the Whiskey a Go Go LP), the MGs provide a tight, bouncy elegance that, aside from a few deviations and extended endings, keep the songs true to their studio counterparts. But as with any Otis Redding live document, his vocal prowess and ability to reinterpret his own tunes is nothing short of stunning. Now, forty years since it was recorded, the version of "Try a Little Tenderness" included here remains one of the most incredible performances of all time.
Recorded during the infamous Stax/Volt revue overseas tour in the Spring of 1967, the Live in Europe LP is a testament to the overwhelming power of soul music during this brief window in time, and the absolute rapture into which Otis Redding would send his audiences. It was coined "Beatlemania in Reverse" for good reason. Sadly, this was also the final LP Redding would see released before his death in December of that same year. As the Stax house band throughout much of the decade, Booker T and the MGs backed all of the artists on this European tour, and here do the same for Otis. Rather than the smoky, hypnotic grooves laid down by his usual touring group (as featured on his In Person at the Whiskey a Go Go LP), the MGs provide a tight, bouncy elegance that, aside from a few deviations and extended endings, keep the songs true to their studio counterparts. But as with any Otis Redding live document, his vocal prowess and ability to reinterpret his own tunes is nothing short of stunning. Now, forty years since it was recorded, the version of "Try a Little Tenderness" included here remains one of the most incredible performances of all time. Tuesday
Funkadelic
Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan - 1971
Recorded at one of the worst possible times for any band to make a live recording, Funkadelic limped into the Meadowbrook Arena in September of '71 with a rhythm section that had been hired the day before. And while the result was not too far removed from the junk funk of the magnificent Maggot Brain LP which they'd released just two months previous, the engineer who taped the show was so repulsed that he stuffed the reels on a shelf where they sat for over twenty years. Not surprisingly, they've aged like a fine wine. The Funkadelic captured on this night is nowhere near the Parliament/Funkadelic machine that would turn out the slick disco funk within a couple of years, but rather a troupe of acid drenched misfits with a penchant for searing guitars, violent synths and an overwhelming passion for the ladies. The concert's spoken introduction reads like this "...Let your minds be lather-like. George chief cokehead is gonna sprinkle funk from one end of this pavillion to the other.".. Eddie Hazel's heavy fuzzed out riffs kick in against the thunder of drums, deep pools of reverb slap back from the arena's shell, and it's on. A full on funk assault. Bernie Worrell cooly reigns in the proceedings from the banks of total chaos with his characteristically uncharacteristic synth leads, and the overall impact is a marriage of an ultra funky Band of Gypsies and Sun Ra in a playful mood. Wow! An incredible document of a band at the peak of their creative prowess.
Recorded at one of the worst possible times for any band to make a live recording, Funkadelic limped into the Meadowbrook Arena in September of '71 with a rhythm section that had been hired the day before. And while the result was not too far removed from the junk funk of the magnificent Maggot Brain LP which they'd released just two months previous, the engineer who taped the show was so repulsed that he stuffed the reels on a shelf where they sat for over twenty years. Not surprisingly, they've aged like a fine wine. The Funkadelic captured on this night is nowhere near the Parliament/Funkadelic machine that would turn out the slick disco funk within a couple of years, but rather a troupe of acid drenched misfits with a penchant for searing guitars, violent synths and an overwhelming passion for the ladies. The concert's spoken introduction reads like this "...Let your minds be lather-like. George chief cokehead is gonna sprinkle funk from one end of this pavillion to the other.".. Eddie Hazel's heavy fuzzed out riffs kick in against the thunder of drums, deep pools of reverb slap back from the arena's shell, and it's on. A full on funk assault. Bernie Worrell cooly reigns in the proceedings from the banks of total chaos with his characteristically uncharacteristic synth leads, and the overall impact is a marriage of an ultra funky Band of Gypsies and Sun Ra in a playful mood. Wow! An incredible document of a band at the peak of their creative prowess.Wednesday
Talking Heads
The Name of This Band is Talking Heads - 1982
Often overlooked in favor of the live concert film soundtrack Stop Making Sense, The Name of This Band is Talking Heads is a tremendous document that captures the band throughout the most interesting stages of an extremely varied career. Titled in response to the constant incorrect reference to the band as "The" Talking Heads, as well as a play on the way in which David Byrne would introduce the songs in the band's set "The name of this song is 'New Feeling'..." The Name of this Band... was released in 1982 as a stopgap leading up to 1983's Speaking in Tongues. The first disc features the familiar lineup of Byrne, Harrison, Weymouth
Captain Beefheart
Grow Fins Vol. 1 (Early Demos & Live) - 1966-68
Even the Captain had to start somewhere, and not surprisingly, his "somewhere" was pretty out there for most folks. Rounding up tracks and traces from the early days of the Magic Band, Grow Fins Vol. 1 (the vinyl-only compilation of the Just Got Back From the City and Electricity discs in the fantastic Grow Fins box set) is a fine collection of demos that would pre-date the Safe as Milk LP, a full-length television performance from 1968 and a smattering of demos and live versions. Through its many incarnations, the Magic Band in turn, had many primes. With slide virtuoso Ry Cooder as a full on member of the band on many of these cuts, and Van Vliet searching for and ultimately finding his voice over the course of this set, this compilation is undoubtedly one of them. Highlights here are numerous, but my favorites include the 1967 demo of "Sure Nuff n Yes I Do" and "Electricity", presented here in two extraordinary live incarnations. As they say, if you got ears, you gotta listen.
Even the Captain had to start somewhere, and not surprisingly, his "somewhere" was pretty out there for most folks. Rounding up tracks and traces from the early days of the Magic Band, Grow Fins Vol. 1 (the vinyl-only compilation of the Just Got Back From the City and Electricity discs in the fantastic Grow Fins box set) is a fine collection of demos that would pre-date the Safe as Milk LP, a full-length television performance from 1968 and a smattering of demos and live versions. Through its many incarnations, the Magic Band in turn, had many primes. With slide virtuoso Ry Cooder as a full on member of the band on many of these cuts, and Van Vliet searching for and ultimately finding his voice over the course of this set, this compilation is undoubtedly one of them. Highlights here are numerous, but my favorites include the 1967 demo of "Sure Nuff n Yes I Do" and "Electricity", presented here in two extraordinary live incarnations. As they say, if you got ears, you gotta listen.Tuesday
The Kinks
Everybody's in Show-Biz - 1972
The first Kinks album on which Ray Davies dabbled in the eccentricities that began the band's spiral into vaudevillian camp, Everybody's in Show-Biz is also the last album to maintain the songwriting quality of their late '60s and early '70s LPs. Tales of domesticity and life on the road make up the majority of the first LP of this double set, and although it doesn't quite reach an Arthur... or Village Green... level in terms of a fully formed concept, the songs themselves are really tremendous. My favorites are numerous, but "Hot Potatoes" and "Here Comes Yet Another Day" are absolute classics. Having finally hit their stride as a touring act, the band devotes the second record to a compilation of live tracks - most of which are pulled from the previous year's Muswell Hillbillies album. Buoyed by a full horn section and John Gosling's keyboards, the tunes are executed incredibly well - at points even, more so than their studio counterparts - but Davies' performance as the front man fop steals the show. Sadly, "Lola" is represented here in spirit only, and includes only the crowd sing-along of the chorus. But in the end, its this combination of drunken weirdness and casual brilliance that makes the album so appealing. Not necessarily a great introduction to the Kinks, but once you’ve digested the hits, head here for dessert.
Miles Davis
At Fillmore - 1971
The result of a four-night stand at the Fillmore East running from June 17-20, 1970, At Fillmore is among the finest, and undoubtedly the most controversial live album in Miles' official catalogue. In order to fit Miles' Wednesday-Saturday residency into a double LP package, producer Teo Macero pulled some of the finer moments from each night and stitched them together to form a medley that took up a single side of vinyl. Initially, some listeners derided Macero's efforts on the basis that several tunes were repeated throughout the album, while others bellyached that editing the songs in such a fashion removed the groove that propelled each night's set. More savvy listeners however, heard the album as a brilliant distillation of Miles' live performance and a compelling record of the band's ability to so drastically reinterpret the same material night after night. Aside from the addition of Keith Jarrett on a wah-wah'd combo organ, At Fillmore features the same personnel that produced the live Black Beauty LP only two months previous - yet the two albums are so different that they could have been recorded years apart. Whereas Black Beauty was loose, mean document, ferocious to the point of frightening, At Fillmore is ambient, funky, tightly wound and extremely focused. On Black Beauty, the music was in complete control. Here, the ensemble holds the reins. Listen close. The results are absolutely incredible.
The result of a four-night stand at the Fillmore East running from June 17-20, 1970, At Fillmore is among the finest, and undoubtedly the most controversial live album in Miles' official catalogue. In order to fit Miles' Wednesday-Saturday residency into a double LP package, producer Teo Macero pulled some of the finer moments from each night and stitched them together to form a medley that took up a single side of vinyl. Initially, some listeners derided Macero's efforts on the basis that several tunes were repeated throughout the album, while others bellyached that editing the songs in such a fashion removed the groove that propelled each night's set. More savvy listeners however, heard the album as a brilliant distillation of Miles' live performance and a compelling record of the band's ability to so drastically reinterpret the same material night after night. Aside from the addition of Keith Jarrett on a wah-wah'd combo organ, At Fillmore features the same personnel that produced the live Black Beauty LP only two months previous - yet the two albums are so different that they could have been recorded years apart. Whereas Black Beauty was loose, mean document, ferocious to the point of frightening, At Fillmore is ambient, funky, tightly wound and extremely focused. On Black Beauty, the music was in complete control. Here, the ensemble holds the reins. Listen close. The results are absolutely incredible.Weather Report
Live in Tokyo 1972
While Weather Report were tight, focused and (at times) overly sick on their studio LPs, they were a completely different animal in a live setting. On stage, the band's focus turned from creating a singular, rigidly structured organism to allowing the members to stretch out on their own terms. And stretch out, they did. As expected, Joe Zawinul is tremendous, effortlessly switching from acoustic piano to heavily modulated Rhodes, often sounding like multiple keyboardists at once. However Miroslav Vitous and Eric Gravatt really come into their own here; managing to hold down the groove while tearing off into their own direction throughout. A truly captivating album and one of Weather Report's finest, hands down.
While Weather Report were tight, focused and (at times) overly sick on their studio LPs, they were a completely different animal in a live setting. On stage, the band's focus turned from creating a singular, rigidly structured organism to allowing the members to stretch out on their own terms. And stretch out, they did. As expected, Joe Zawinul is tremendous, effortlessly switching from acoustic piano to heavily modulated Soft Machine
Live at the Royal Albert Hall - August 13, 1970
Recorded the same year they released their magnificent Third LP, this live set from the Royal Albert Hall captured the Soft Machine plunging even further into the depths of heavy organ-based psychedelia ... and well past their fusion contemporaries with which they'd been inexplicably linked. Previously issued as Live at the Proms 1970, this 40 minute set includes three of the four tracks from Third, deftly executed and sonically expanded thanks to a barrage of modulation, delay and the warm echo of the gigantic hall; pushing Mike Ratledge's organ into an otherworldly domain and beyond anything the band accomplished in a studio. Massive, mind-blowing sounds.
Recorded the same year they released their magnificent Third LP, this live set from the Royal Albert Hall captured the Soft Machine plunging even further into the depths of heavy organ-based psychedelia ... and well past their fusion contemporaries with which they'd been inexplicably linked. Previously issued as Live at the Proms 1970, this 40 minute set includes three of the four tracks from Third, deftly executed and sonically expanded thanks to a barrage of modulation, delay and the warm echo of the gigantic hall; pushing Mike Ratledge's organ into an otherworldly domain and beyond anything the band accomplished in a studio. Massive, mind-blowing sounds.Elvis Costello & the Attractions
I Stand Accused (Live - April 12, 1979)
Thanks to a treble-heavy mix that pulls the combo organ and Costello's slashing rhythm guitar to the front (you've been warned), along with a barrage of the some of the finest tunes of his career and the bullet train intensity of the Attractions, this recording of a 1979 show in Bethlehem, PA is a prime document of a band and its leader at the peak of their power, and frighteningly early in their career. The tracklisting says it all:
Thanks to a treble-heavy mix that pulls the combo organ and Costello's slashing rhythm guitar to the front (you've been warned), along with a barrage of the some of the finest tunes of his career and the bullet train intensity of the Attractions, this recording of a 1979 show in Bethlehem, PA is a prime document of a band and its leader at the peak of their power, and frighteningly early in their career. The tracklisting says it all:- I Stand Accused (part) (2:31)
- Goon Squad (3:05)
- Two Little Hitlers (3:19)
- B Movie (2:43)
- Oliver's Army (3:02)
- Girls Talk (1:41)
- (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (4:39)
- Green Shirt (3:06)
- Opportunity (2:38)
- Tiny Steps (3:51)
- The Beat (3:55)
- Rhodette's Song (4:03)
- High Fidelity (3:48)
- Accidents Will Happen (2:52)
- Watching The Detectives (8:21)
- Big Boys (3:10)
- Radio Radio (3:23)
- Pump It Up (2:57)
- You Belong To Me (2:47)
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Bands
Railroadism (Live in the USA 72-81)
Although it's heavy on recordings from the Captain's late 70s-early 80s "comeback" period, this live compilation pulls together so many of the facets that made his live appearances so brilliantly bizarre; the bits of spoken word, the baiting of a surly audience, and a band that both sounds like it's being held together by a thread but could nail every inch of music with razor-sharp precision. Perhaps most memorable is that at least three different incarnations of his Magic Band are represented, and thanks to meticulous track selection and sequencing, the effect of presenting the hodgepodge as a singular concert is overwhelmingly successful. The highlights are numerous, but my favorites include "The Blimp," "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby" and "Dirty Blue Jean." Tremendous quality.
Although it's heavy on recordings from the Captain's late 70s-early 80s "comeback" period, this live compilation pulls together so many of the facets that made his live appearances so brilliantly bizarre; the bits of spoken word, the baiting of a surly audience, and a band that both sounds like it's being held together by a thread but could nail every inch of music with razor-sharp precision. Perhaps most memorable is that at least three different incarnations of his Magic Band are represented, and thanks to meticulous track selection and sequencing, the effect of presenting the hodgepodge as a singular concert is overwhelmingly successful. The highlights are numerous, but my favorites include "The Blimp," "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby" and "Dirty Blue Jean." Tremendous quality.
Friday
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis/Live! - 1971
Easily among the finest live soul records of all time, Curtis/Live! helped to serve as Mayfield's official departure from the Impressions and solidify his standing as a force to be reckoned with in his own right. Recorded live at the Bitter End in January 1971, the LP is a testament to the man's incredible guitar work and, buoyed by the slimmed-down ensemble, his deft ability at crafting tunes that held up even without the mountain of horns and embellishments featured so prominently in his studio albums. But what's most amazing about Curtis/Live! is the extreme subtlety with which this music, and Mayfield's overtly political bend were displayed; and how both have gone unmatched despite being often imitated for so long. With Mayfield's message startlingly relevant today, this LP is simply too good to not be in your collection.
Easily among the finest live soul records of all time, Curtis/Live! helped to serve as Mayfield's official departure from the Impressions and solidify his standing as a force to be reckoned with in his own right. Recorded live at the Bitter End in January 1971, the LP is a testament to the man's incredible guitar work and, buoyed by the slimmed-down ensemble, his deft ability at crafting tunes that held up even without the mountain of horns and embellishments featured so prominently in his studio albums. But what's most amazing about Curtis/Live! is the extreme subtlety with which this music, and Mayfield's overtly political bend were displayed; and how both have gone unmatched despite being often imitated for so long. With Mayfield's message startlingly relevant today, this LP is simply too good to not be in your collection.James Brown
Love, Power, Peace (Live) - 1971
While Sex Machine may be the more popular of the live records from this era, Love, Power, Peace is a better document of the band, and the Godfather, really tightening up and letting loose. Compressing "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "I Got The Feelin" into a 90 second medley, and stretching cuts like "Ain't It Funky Now" and "Sex Machine" into raw, sweat pouring funk workouts, JB was at the peak of his mighty funk power on this night. Originally planned as a triple album release in 1971, the LP was scrapped when JB left King for Polydor and several band members left to form Parliment soon after it was recorded. It wasn't officially released until 1992, and rivaling the great Live at the Apollo [1963] in its sheer intensity and crowd interaction, Love, Power, Peace is an essential document in the evolution of raw, heavy funk and an absolute necessity for all fans of the Godfather. Let The Brother Rap!
While Sex Machine may be the more popular of the live records from this era, Love, Power, Peace is a better document of the band, and the Godfather, really tightening up and letting loose. Compressing "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "I Got The Feelin" into a 90 second medley, and stretching cuts like "Ain't It Funky Now" and "Sex Machine" into raw, sweat pouring funk workouts, JB was at the peak of his mighty funk power on this night. Originally planned as a triple album release in 1971, the LP was scrapped when JB left King for Polydor and several band members left to form Parliment soon after it was recorded. It wasn't officially released until 1992, and rivaling the great Live at the Apollo [1963] in its sheer intensity and crowd interaction, Love, Power, Peace is an essential document in the evolution of raw, heavy funk and an absolute necessity for all fans of the Godfather. Let The Brother Rap!Thursday
Neil Young
Time Fades Away - 1973
One of the two Neil Young albums that to this day, remain unreleased on CD, Time Fades Away is the first entry in what is considered Young's "In the Ditch" trilogy. In the liner notes for his 3-LP compilation Decade, Young writes:
"'Heart of Gold' put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch."
While rehearsing for a grueling 90 city tour in support of Harvest, Young's guitarist Danny Whitten was in the midst of trying to kick heroin. In no shape for the road, Whitten was fired from the band and given fifty dollars and a plane ticket home. The next day, Whitten was dead, having used his severance pay to buy the drugs that killed him. The Time Fades Away album is a live recording of the handful of new songs Young and his band played on the subsequent tour, and despite the addition of David Crosby and Graham Nash on several tracks, the mood is expectedly dire. Hands down the most emotionally charged and erratic album in Young's vast catalog, and essential listening for fans of the two released albums in the trilogy, Tonight's the Night and On the Beach. Thrasher's Wheat has a great site dedicated to the "ditch trilogy", including quotes, reviews, history and cover art.
One of the two Neil Young albums that to this day, remain unreleased on CD, Time Fades Away is the first entry in what is considered Young's "In the Ditch" trilogy. In the liner notes for his 3-LP compilation Decade, Young writes:"'Heart of Gold' put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch."
While rehearsing for a grueling 90 city tour in support of Harvest, Young's guitarist Danny Whitten was in the midst of trying to kick heroin. In no shape for the road, Whitten was fired from the band and given fifty dollars and a plane ticket home. The next day, Whitten was dead, having used his severance pay to buy the drugs that killed him. The Time Fades Away album is a live recording of the handful of new songs Young and his band played on the subsequent tour, and despite the addition of David Crosby and Graham Nash on several tracks, the mood is expectedly dire. Hands down the most emotionally charged and erratic album in Young's vast catalog, and essential listening for fans of the two released albums in the trilogy, Tonight's the Night and On the Beach. Thrasher's Wheat has a great site dedicated to the "ditch trilogy", including quotes, reviews, history and cover art.
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