5 comments about Kicking Television: Live in Chicago.

1. I am an extreme latecomer to Wilco's music; up until a couple of years ago I'd never heard of them. I became interested in so-called "numbers stations", radio stations that broadcast nothing but mysterious voices reciting strings of numbers, and somebody at work told me that a band called Wilco had used numbers stations on one of their recordings, which is how I came to listen to Wilco's 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'. It quickly became one of my favourite CDs, and it wasn't long before I discovered this sprawling gem of an album.
   
   'Kicking Television' has nearly everything I want from a live album; the songs are in many cases fresher, livelier and more eventful than the original versions, the playing is great, and the mood is palpably upbeat. I could wish that Jeff Tweedy had a more memorable line in stage banter, but he doesn't really seem to be that kind of guy. My favourite bit of the album is the sequence from the bubblingly cheerful rendition of 'Heavy Metal Drummer' via the edgy and nervous 'Poor Places' into a positively epic 'Spiders (Kidsmoke)' - most of the latter song is the same chord over and over and over again, and when the band finally surge into the descending instrumental refrain, the release of tension is exhilarating. This album is also, incidentally, one of the best-recorded examples of what Nels Cline can do with a guitar; although Tweedy is a pretty formidable player himself.



2. I really can't remember why I picked up this CD. Maybe I read all the great reviews here. Maybe I'm just always searching out GOOD music that I haven't heard before. I do know that in my quest for great CD's (some of which are obscure, some of which are well known), occasionally I pick one up one in which I think to myself, "huh, what was I thinking?". Don't get me wrong, I tried to like this CD. I've listened to it several times, and while its OK in places it just doesn't do anything for me. The sound of the vocals tend to be annoying to me. Hmmm, well, to each his own. I guess those that find this CD "amazing", and it seems there are many, are listening to something different than I am.



3. I have little to add to the points made by other reviewers here but to emphasize that Wilco is at their best live, and this record is at the top of my list of great live albums. Every track on this double CD is a fresh, and to my mind superior, version of the original studio recordings. "Kicking Television" spent six months in steady rotation on my vehicle's audio system and I still find it great road food. Highly recommended for adventurous rock fans who appreciate an innovative band that isn't afraid to experiment or draw on diverse influences and make them their own.



4. I put off buying this cd for a long time. I saw Wilco play at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati,June07. It was one of the best shows I've seen. I couln't resist buying the cd after the live show experience. It is a great cd. I have listened to this 2 disc live recording many times. No regrets about this purchase.



5. Disc #1 ******
   Disc #2 **
   
   There is always pressure on great "live" bands to release that one live album. Loyal fans of course will scream 'till they are blue in the face that they will never be able to capture that feel from actually being there and seeing it live. I think that is generally because the people that have actually seen the band live like to separate themselves from the masses, you know, feel special and all. Well, after listening to the first disc of this album you are ready to tell those prima donnas, hey, they are doing it! The first disc is magic. There are three songs on it that I might not have chosen, but overall, tremendous, shines bright. However, the second disc sees the band go into a lot slower numbers that could cause one to scratch their head. It's not that they are bad songs, just that they are not anywhere close to being rockers, which is kind of what I am looking for at a concert. The Sparkler starts to burn out a bit. Although, "Poor Places" and "Airline to Heaven" really do shine bright. Of course, how a song like "I'm Always in Love" does not make it on this release is a mystery to me, arguably Wilco's biggest crowd pleaser. Overall, the release is solid, showing excellent musicianship, but disc 1 proves quite superior to disc 2. So, if you were to rip a disc for your car stereo, you might want to lean on that more.

5 comments about Awake: The Best of Live.

1. I'm going to take a different approach to reviewing albums on Amazon. Instead of going in depth on each album and describe each album in detail, i'm going to simply rate each album with how many stars I feel each album is worth based on the below criteria. I hope this helps you make a better decision on purchasing this album with a simple individual rating. If it doesn't help read another review.
   5 stars- Classic, Album goes beyond description, Perfect in every way, Could remind you of a certain time or place, Lifetime replay value.
   4.5 stars- Near Classic, Incredible album, Maybe only one song that is skippable or just overall doesn't quite deserve classic status. High replay value.
   4.0 stars- Awesome album. Very solid album from start to finish. Met every expectation and more. Maybe only one song or two that is skippable or just doesnt' quite deserve a classic or near classic rating. High replay value.
   3.5 stars- Above average album. Solid from start to finish but there are a few songs worth skipping. Met expectations, minimal replay value.
   3.0 stars- Average album. Nothing bad but nothing great either. After the initial appeal will collect dust.
   2.5 stars- Major disappointment. You had high expectations that were ruined as this album is not good at all. There might be only one or two songs worth listening to. No replay value.
   2.0 stars- Below average album. This album doesnt bother you to hear as background music but you would rather not listen to it if you didnt have to. No songs really appeal. No replay value.
   1.5 stars- Terrible album. Makes one sick to hear it. No songs really appeal but there might be one song that you could stand to hear. Would rather throw in garbage than even waste space in your collection.
   1.0 stars- Makes one cringe and the ears bleed!
   *keep in mind, each album review might not be based on opinion of the band but the album itself in the bands discography



2. Being my favorite band I really love everything Live has to offer in music. This is a really good best of CD because it has songs from every album. It has all the songs I have enjoyed for the longest time and know all my favorites are on this one CD. It is an awesome CD from the greatest band LIVE.



3. I love almost all of the songs on this CD. It was my first time listening to this band. I had heard the All Over You song on the radio a couple of times, liked it and decided to see what the rest of the album sounds like.
   
   To my surprize, I loved most of the songs, and it's not even my regular genre of music.
   
   Scope's wife



4. I'm having a hard time removing this CD from my player after 8 months....really, really, good stuff. I don't think the Johnny Cash cover was necessary though.



5. While I don't actually own this particular CD, I do own most of Live's work, up to "V", where I finally gave up in exasperation. I'm so glad another reviewer mentioned two of my favorite songs, "Ghost" (which is actually entitled "Face and Ghost"), and "Voodoo Lady", which are unfortunately missing from this album. My favorite of all Live's albums was Secret Samadhi, then with "The Distance to Here", in my opinion, the downhill roll began, owing partially to the shift in the lyric-writing style, becoming more literal and nauseatingly earnest instead of being so chock-full of the poetic imagery that made Live so original and, well, deep. (I mean, does ANYONE else have lyrics like those in "Lakini's Juice": "I rushed the lady's room, took the water from the toilet, washed her feet and blessed her name"?) It's all but gone in Live's stinker, "Birds of Pray", which made me very sad, with lousy, school-kid lyrics such as those in that vapid song "Heaven": "I don't need nobody to tell me about god and truth, I look at my daughter, and I believe". (Well, good for you, junior, I thought when I first heard this tune, you went ahead and "found god and he was absolutely nothing like me".) All I have to say is, it's too bad they had to change. At one time, they were my favorite band. Now they stand among the ranks of those who coulda been contenders. Let's all shed a tear for Live and their wasted potential.

5 comments about The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads.

1. Retail Nightmare really is a nightmare. They never mailed my CD i ordered - and when I asked them - they said OH sorry we mailed 3 others that day and no problems with them. They said they would mail it out again which is wierd, it seems like they would be wondering where the copy they initially mailed was.
   
   I month later - credit card charged - no CD.



2. I can't really add much that hasn't already been written except to reinforce that this is one toe-tapping, kinetic album. I'm glad it finally appeared after all these years.



3. I ordered this CD as a gift. It came quickly and was everything I expectected.



4. Best album of the early days of talking heads. An absolut must for friends of live recordings.



5. A superb double-live album made up of concert highlights from 1977 - back when they were a really raw funk-rock group - to 1980, during the huge Remain in Light tour. For collectors, this features two songs that are hard to find elsewhere: "A Clean Break (Let's Work)" and "Love a Building on Fire", two songs that rank with the best of the debut. The previously released stuff is often similar to the source material, but the energy even makes formerly drab material like "I'm Not in Love"; "The Girls Want to Be with the Girls" and "The Book I Read" sound fresh and exciting, to say nothing of the very best songs - a very funky "New Feeling" is one of the best; "Artists Only" somehow becomes creepy; "Heaven" is still gorgeous philosophy; "Mind" still has some of their best lyrics. And I actually like this version of "Psycho Killer" better than the original. It still does an almost frighteningly accurate job of portraying what I always thought a psycho would be like, but here are the key differences: the guitar buildup at the end is even louder, longer, and more intense; Tina's bass is even funkier; David's vocals are even edgier. Similarly, "Drugs" (here subtitled "Electricity") is downright frightening, rather than merely unnerving; and "The Big Country" is one of my favorite satires of the American dream. But the real surprise comes in the form of "Stay Hungry", a song I had been quite critical of in the past, but no more. It's the synthesized strings that did it for me, see: rather than sound cheesy, as most do, they add a layer of ominous suspense that the original was so lacking. Now that is how you remake a song for the stage!
   So, now onto disc two. There's another "Psycho Killer" here, but it's nowhere near as good as the one on the first disc - too many ludicrous keyboard effects. Byrne doesn't sound terribly engaged to me either. There is, however, an interesting but sadly brief percussion breakdown. And a tempo change instead of the guitar buildup that features some very VU-influenced guitar playing. Much better is "Warning Sign"> I don't really like the studio version of this song, but this one is far better. For one, I like the way it starts, with the tense bass line, the freaky keyboard effects , a normal-sounding guitar solo, and vocals without all the echo and phasing found on the studio, which I think is good. And I love the synergy between the group members on this, a synergy that abruptly stopped occurring around True Stories or so. Anyway, I was all excited for another "Stay Hungry", since I like the version on disc one, but here it's just an excuse for jamming. On the other hand, "Cities" is still one of their funkiest tracks; and "I Zimbra" will always be one of the best fusions of rock and worldbeat you can get. Just to weird you out, there's a faster version of "Drugs" with, of course, nightmarish keyboards. It's... well, it's different, that's for sure. I'm not even sure if I like it or not, and I know I prefer it as the droning closer to Fear of Music. It's funky, all right, but I'm not sure if funky's the way to go about that one, you know? Still, always great when a band totally reinterprets songs live, and they make it almost unrecognizable. Points for that, at least. But "Once in a Lifetime" is a big disappointment for me. I don't like the keyboard tone they use, nor do I like Byrne's vocals. The version you hear on Remain in Light is still one of the best singles of the '70s, though. But you knew that. And why do they play that piece of crap "Animals" in the first place? I hate that song! The last few songs come from the Remain in Light tour, with its enormous band doing a pretty good job of recreating the intricate nature of that album while at the same point significantly extending the songs. Great stuff. For one, I prefer this funk freakout version of "Houses in Motion", with a bunch of gospely backup singers adding a lot of texture, to the studio version (which is still pretty cool). And the eight-and-a-half minute space-funk "Born Under Punches (the Heat Goes On)" is another favorite, because of the long, suspenseful introduction and the electric (or is it synthesized?) violin solo. They also make "Life During Wartime" work fantastically with a memorable instrumental breaks and make "Take Me to the River" funkier and trippier than you could've ever imagined it. And the gospely backup singers are perfect for this kind of song, which of course was a gospel song of sorts as performed by Al Green.
   If I had to pick favorites per disc, I'd go with "Psycho Killer" for disc one and "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" for disc two. This pretty much covers all the bases, and there are only a couple letdowns, so this is the best possible introduction you can get for the group's early years. It's not the only early Talking Heads album you'll ever need, though. No way.

5 comments about Live from Mars.

1. For fans of Ben Harper, this is a must have. Enjoyable live versions of his notable songs are here and the cover of "Sexual Healing" is fantastic.



2. Greatly written songs. Powerful music by great artists. A must-have for any fan of music of any kind



3. Its a great CD. Mix of diffrent musical styles. Easy to get into and realy enjoy



4. Title says it all. This is the most amazing live album I've ever bought. From the harder riffs on Ground On Down and Excuse Me Mr. to the softer soulful Not Fire, Not Ice this album is amazing. Then there's Please Bleed, The Drugs Don't Work, Walk Away, and Roses From My Friends. If these songs don't tear at your heart then you've never been in love or music just might not be for you. Along with Blessed To Be A Witness they are some of the most powerfully moving songs I've ever listened to and the live recordings just add to it. I have nothin bad to say about this except that even at 25 songs IT'S TOO SHORT! I wanted even more live songs!!! Just an incredible piece of work. Buy it.



5. this recording doent fully convey the essence of his concerts. there are better recordings of each song one can find on morpheus or limewire. It is worth the money spent however, i just found that there were a lot more worthy performances of his out there.

5 comments about Bullet In A Bible (CD/DVD, Jewel Case).

1. I'm not an oldie Sweet Children fan, but I'm not an American Idiot newbie ether. I started listening to Green Day when I was ten, when I believe Warning came out. I than started storing and stashing all the Green Day Cds, from Dookie to Warning into my crappy cd player and playing the cds over and over again, memorizing the songs and singing them to my heart. Than I moved on, that is, till Green Day's American Idiot Album came out and hit stores with a BANG! I listened to the cd, found it nice and very catchy, like a lot of Green Day albums, but with a different new flavor. Green Day jumped past its Warning and Nimrod to a whole new level, and everybody in the world took notice.
   As we all know, Green Day had evolved from being Sweet Children, punky little kids whom played at "86," and belonged to Lookout! Records and than went over to Reprise Records. The majority of punk bands turned their backs on Green Day, dubbing them as sell outs, ect... Green Day became popular with their first hit album, Dookie, which was phenomenal and than kicked out some new albums and slowly, bit by bit, went downhill out of the eyes of pop punk music fans till American Idiot boosted them into the spotlight they had achieved with Dookie again.
   Bullet In A Bible is a nice CD to add to your Green Day collection. The live music is nice and crisp, and the live DVD concert in England was awesome. I particularly liked the interviews in-between each performance and laughed at all the brits being interviewed. They played songs from their newest album American Idiot, and than played some of there old treasures that brought back memories, particular the awesome Minority and Longview! My favorite would have to be Shout! which I play over and over again till you would I think I would be tired of it. Billie Joe Armstrong's voice and his performance on stage was great, they are really good at what they do, especially the hyper active, crazy Tre Cool on the drums and the mellow, cool Mike Dirnt on the base guitar and vocals. I think Green Day will go down in history as the greatest Pop Punk band, smashing out the silly duplicates of Blink 182 as well as the other Pop Punk bands that sprang up after Green Day to claim there "15 minutes," of fame.
   So if you didn't get to go to their big concert in England, go to the store or order Bullet In A Bible! You won't be disappointed, I sure wasn't, and lets give Green Day a round of applause and cheer for their newest album that is coming out later this year!



2. If you are a GreenDay fan this is a must have. The DVD is excellent and the CD is the same as the DVD so you can carry it around on your Ipod.
   
   I love the music and love watching the guys.



3. I think this will be the first one star review from a Green Day fan.
   To me, Billy Joe ruined it. His crows interactions were limited to "I said HEY-OH!", "HEY!", clapping hands, and swaying arms. While they were cool once or twice every few songs, it felt like it happened many times PER song. His "Mick Jagger" persona really really turned me off. I even forgot I was watching Green Day a few times.
   The MTV editing was annoying, but forgivable. The interviews and behind the scenes even though they were egocentric and annoying could have been put in an "Extras" section.
   The sound was pretty nice. It was well mixed and sounded better than any live show I've ever seen them in.
   All in all, while I respect Billy Joe, Mike, and Tre, their interviews/behind the scenes/ and all around performances were very sub par.



4. Everything about this show/cd/dvd is perfect except for one small (but very annoying detail). Like the reviewer below me stated, after every song on the dvd an interview is given...not that the interviews are bad, it just gets really annoying and completely ruins the concert as a whole. why, Why, WHY didn't they make it an option to watch the entire show as a whole!? =(
   
   Oh well, other than that, this really is a great release. Great interviews with the band and it really is amazing how good this band is live. Like seriously, it's crazy. If you crank up your stereo to the max and shut your eyes you really feel like your at a green day show, complete with all the crowd "hey hey heys" and "hhhheeeeeeeee ooooohhhss".
   
   Bottom line: poor editing but the amazing performances more than make up for it.



5. On the 'Bullet in a Bible' DVD, Billie Joe Armstrong says that some bands worry about how they would create intimacy in front of a crowd of 65,000, but said that for Green Day it was irrelevant as they weren't trying to create intimacy, they were trying to create an event. Ultimately that's what 'Bullet in a Bible' is, an event, a fantastic spectacle.
   
   The band open with a spine tingling version of their newer hits with 'American Idiot' and 'Holiday' leading the line. They also show how well 'Jesus of Suburbia' works when performed live. After these songs, Green Day bring their newer, more uninitiated fans through some of the earlier Green Day catalogue, with quality performances of, among other songs, 'Longview', 'Basket Case' and 'Minority'. These performances should give an electrified jolt to all Green Day fans, new and old.
   
   During the encore, Billy Joe brings the only moment of the before eschewed intimacy to the concert, with his closing rendition of 'Good Riddance'. This brings a beautiful close to another fantastic show by the boys from California.

5 comments about Live: Roseland NYC.

1. Live versions of their best album tracks. They used an orchestra on this and it adds extra flavor and makes the songs even better. The live recording also adds an echo so you feel like you are really in some big hall listening to this.



2. It seems like it might not work at first, but Portishead's "Live: Roseland NYC" album is probably the most stunning and most original live electronica album. And the string orchestra enhances their songs in unexpected ways.
   
   If Portishead's second album sounded like a creepy soundtrack to a Halloween horror movie, the string ensemble take the scary crescendos to a whole new level. Beth Gibbons sings a crooning alto similar to the James Bond singer Shirley Bassey. In the song "Cowboys," the orchestra resounds with a wave of dissonance that escalates to a frightening peak with the electric guitars amplifying the dark tension. Combine that with the squeeky turntable scratches, and the band sounds like a deadly mix of James Bond mystery with electric mayhem.
   
   And believe it or not, there are plenty of smooth and sassy James Bond-style orchestrations. The blaring trumpets and strings in "All Mine" turns the copa cabana song into a smoky, jazzy scene, with guitars to electrify the atmosphere.
   
   Even though the live set begins with songs from their less popular second album, there are still plenty of fantastic mixes of songs from their debut album to spare. The high-pitched screeches of the violins in "Mysterons" transform the electronica song into a soundtrack from an Alfred Hitchcock horror film. "Glory Box" sounds even sassier and sexier with actual strings to back up Gibbons' voice and the funky DJ scratcher. And if Portishead fans thought "Sour Times" sounded cool, just wait until they hear the adrenaline-filled crescendo of strings, organs, drums, guitars and DJ scratches, combined with Gibbons' wailing at the end.
   
   And the band has an especially tender moment in the song "Roads," where the spacy jazz wah-wahs and the strings soften their set with a gorgeous faze of romanticism. Beth Gibbons' softening voice near the end make this ballad reach a wonderful intimate level like no other.
   
   But the strings are the most entrancing in the hip-hop beat-oriented jam "Strangers." The beats, combined with the snazzy horns and strings, make this Portishead exciting and electrifying. It's a great way to end an awesome concert of hip-hop, Halloween rock and orchestral splendor. It also shows Portishead in their prime, with an artistic taste like no other electronica band in the world.



3. I read a review for Third in the New Yorker, and I found out that this live album existed. I had to get it right away because the reviewer was basically saying that Third is great, but nothing can ever beat the Roseland NYC album.. I have to say that Roseland is genius and I am extremely sd to have missed out on it for so long. Roseland really is a masterpiece.



4. One word: "Roads." What a mess the dimwitted NYC audience made of this song. Their stupid little clap-a-long and early applause ruin what really would have been one of the standout tracks on this album. Good news: no clapping on the DVD version! That said, I think most people will be happier with the DVD audio. Buy the DVD, and download "Sour Times" as this is the only performance that is really missing from the DVD.



5. This is a masterpiece of contemporary music. PNYC is a very complex album, full of arrangements that goes to deep obsesive levels. No matter what kind of music do you really like. Everyone who cares about music should hear this album, and watch the dvd concert...many, many times. Pity i can't give them more than 5 stars.

5 comments about Kick Out the Jams.

1. This is one of the BEST hard rock CD's from the early days. I NEVER get tired of listening to this. Each song rocks like there is no tomorrow. These guys gave it all and it really shows on this recording.
   
   I've always wished there was more music like this, but I'm also glad that this CD exists. It'll definetly get you through the day!!! This CD is definetly hard rock heaven!!!



2. This is the '90s CD reissue of this iconic band's 1969 debut on Elektra, with liner notes by the late Rob Tyner, the group's vocalist. Nobody, but nobody, rocked harder than the Five in the late '60s, and this album, recorded live on Halloween, 1968, at Detroit's Grande Ballroom, proves it. The group was actually politically active, too, which set them apart from, say, the West Coast psychedelic bands of the same period. "Come Together" is indescribably chaotic. These guys make fellow Detroiter Ted Nugent sound like Lawrence Welk. The group is long gone, having succumbed to the usual, but its name is still invoked with a certain amount of awe all these years later. This record demonstrates why.



3. If not, quit wasting time and get it NOW.
   
   If you already have it, check out Mighty High...In Drug City.



4. MC5. Punk rock heroes. This live performance is the perfect view on them and their times.



5. MC5 was one of the best rock bands in the 60's. Kick Out The Jams is my fav. I rate it a 10.

5 comments about Rock N Roll Animal.

1. the band is tight and ready to rock.lou is up to task and gives a first rate show.real fans will love it.



2. Easily in the top 5 list of GREAT LIVE albums, not debatable.
   Same class as Live at LEEDS(BEST EVER),HANK-Live, Live RUST!
   This takes you back to the filthy days when men made rock and roll and did'nt wory about how to sell it. LOU has always been on the cutting edge. Needs to be played loud and often.
   Lady Day/Heroin/Sweet Jane. You could try a hundred more times and never get an LP close to the original, just a classic thats all.



3. This is one of my two favorite live rock albums (the other is Stand In the Fire by Warren Zevon). This is probably the best live rock album ever. The guitar work is amazing. The energy is explosive. This is what rock and roll should be. Two guitars, bass and drums and four guys playing their guts out (OK, there are keyboards too.)
   
   This live version of Heroin, all by itself, should get Lou (as a solo artist) inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame. My favorite live rock track of all time. It's a lesson in how to build up a rock song to a screaming crescendo.
   
   Like everyone, my only beef with the record was: not enough, give us more! This release includes two additional tracks from the same concert: How Do You Think It Feels and Caroline Says I, which are also great and fit right in. The remastered sound is excellent. This release, unlike to old release on CD, has some nice liner notes. Enjoy.



4. This is a classic album, and the music is what everyone else has said it is. My gripe is with the remastering. I have the original LP of this, and I bought this CD mostly so I wouldn't wear out "Sweet Jane". Unfortunately, when they remastered this album, they changed the tonal balance, in a not so subtle way. They took all of the heft and body out of it, to the point where the guitars were almost tinny sounding. I was shocked, so much so, that I pulled the LP out and played it to see if my memory was faulty. It wasn't. I am deeply disappointed with this disc.



5. Lou Reed-Rock N Roll Animal ****
   
   When first off this is one of the best and clearest sounding live albums of all time. You can hear everything and nothing was lost in the recording process. The musicianship is top notch, Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner play incredible guitar, but then that is what you would expect from two of the best studio musicians in the history of rock n roll. Reed's vocals are clear and crisp but it does seem as though he is singing via satalite because he doesn't seem to really be in the mix of things, might be because of drugs and it might be because he just wasn't feeling it that night.
   
   The song selection is great. 'Rock N Roll' 'Heroin' 'Sweet Jane' and 'White Light/White Heat' all are Velvet Underground classics. 'Caroline Says I' 'How Do You Think It Feels' and 'Lady Day' are all from his then brand new album Berlin, which was a massive commercial failure but some how went on to be one of the greatest albums of all time, much like the rest of Reeds material has done.
   
   While the song selection was great that does not mean the perfomances are. 'Heroin' which is one of the single greatest songs of all time is played out like a comic strip here. 'White Light/White Heat' could have used a little more balls and a little less organ but other then that it is a pretty good version.
   
   All in all it is a pretty good live album. It captures a great moment in Lou Reed's career and would make an addition to anyones album collection.

5 comments about Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium.

1. This live album was RAGE's final performance together,so the best of their songs are included in the album. I would reccommend this to someone who wants to witness and experience politically (or rather, anti-political) charged lyrics being spewed out, while simaltaneously being backed up by equally harmonic and juxtapositioning guitar. I feel that the live recording is better than the studio takes, mainly because of the palpable emotion (mainly anger, or rather rage) that helps get their message of individualism and transcending political stupidity to the listener better. The crowd roars when u roar and u feel as if u are at the concert. This is not an album to pass up, GET IT!



2. LOVE this album.....what an amazing band!
   We had tickets to a show that was cancelled right before the break-up and never got over it, at least this makes it a little better. Just sit back with a six pack & wish you were there!



3. but never bad. Buy it just to play loud and feel like you're not really a complete sell-out (even though you are).



4. I loved Rage Against the Machine before this album, but this album made them my favorite band ever. It blew me away right from the start with "bulls on parade". The intro to that song works perfectly with the bass that would later start it off. This album might have been the worst thing that has happened to Rage. Because after listening to all those songs live, it made their studio versions sound quieter and not as energetic and fun. Especially songs like "born of a broken man" and "know your enemy". Most of the songs were nailed perfectly like "killing in the name", "calm like a bomb", and "testify". I think that is just a tribute to the band and shows how talented they are. Zack is very explosive and i love how he changes his singing styles. I could just feel all of his emotion in "FREEDOM!"
   The one song that I did not think was too good was "kick out the jams" i thought his singing was way faster than the music and sounded sloppy.
   I also recommend the DVD, so you can see their performance at the 2000 Democratic National Convention.



5. A couple of years ago, I was beginning to wonder if Rage Against the Machine were ever going to release a Greatest Hits album. After all, they were a very popular and influential and innovative group, and I'm sure Zach de la Rocha misses the income (no matter how much he is against money/greed/wealth).
   
   Well, only a short while before these political rap-rockers disbanded (because Zach left), Rage were busy touring in support of their latest album, 2000's covers disc, "Renegades." While touring, they made a stop over in their hometown (Los Angeles) and played a show which was actually recorded and was to be released as a live album which wouldn't see the light of day for three years.
   
   Unless the record label decides to cash in and releases a Greatest Hits album for Rage's anniversary, "Live At The Grand Olympic Auditorium" is as close to being a greatest hits album that you're going to get. But, at the same time, this live C.D. is much better than a Greatest Hits release. Why? Well, RATM's live shows were quite powerful, energizing, and inspirational. Thus, some of the songs on here are so intense, they actually make the studio versions sound calm and restrained (for proof, see "Bulls on Parade" and "Testify")!
   
   The rhythm section (composed of Tom Morello, Tim Cummerford, and Brad Wilk), coupled with Zach's angry vocals and inspired lyrics, makes every one of these songs detonate like a grenade. Tom, not surprisingly, pulls off a flawless performance. As "Testify," and the aforementioned "Bulls On Parade" show, he makes noises on the guitar that I couldn't even make with my mouth! His guitar swoops, beeps, punches, crunches, chugs, creaks, wails, and about everything in between. Also, Tim's bass (which hums, grumbles, and makes a wah-wah sound) is a lot more audible, here, than originally. Finally, drummer Brad Wilk fills in the remaining gaps and anchors the songs, making them as solid and impenetrable as a brick wall.
   
   Even though the whole set is great, my personal favorite songs are "Bulls on Parade," "Bullet In The Head" (where Zach switches off vocal parts with the crowd), "Sleep Now In The Fire" (which also features some great bass riffs), the exciting, adrenaline-pumped and very catchy renditions of "Guerilla Radio" and "Kick Out The Jams," and the perfect album/concert closer, "Freedom" (which has a few impromptu, added lyrics).
   
   Ultimately, it's just a hair away from being perfect. Zach can't complete the whole rendition of "Killing In The Name" without pausing to take a breath, and he forgets part of the ending to "Know Your Enemy." And, I, overall, prefer Rage's "Live and Rare" album to this. But, even still, "Live At The Grand Olympic Auditorium" is more than a welcome inclusion in your collection and a great snack if you're tired of listening to the same four Rage C.D.'s again and again.

5 comments about Under a Blood Red Sky.

1. this remains one of the best live albums I own. It's funny because I am listening to it now, in 2008, after not having listened to it for years, and I am struck by the freshness and just sheer brilliance of it. It's a shame that U2 started going down the drain as of The Joshua Tree... It wouldn't have taken that much to keep these levels up without becoming yet another globalised band. This still sends shivers down my spine. Every song. More than 20 years after I first listened to it. Amazing.



2. I just think this was as real as a band can come accross, Perfect setting and the sound made the words even better



3. U2's 'Under A Blood Red Sky' is a superb live record from U2. It's one of the best live records of the '80s in my opinion. The eight songs here are all essential for any U2 fan. This is a must-own for any U2 lover.
   
   But, I do have a few things to say for the U2 collector.
   
   -First, not all of the songs here were recorded at Red Rocks, making this more of a live album than a soundtrack to a film. These were all taken during three stops on the 'War' tour. Only two were recorded at Red Rocks, and those were 'Gloria' and 'Party Girl.' 'I Will Follow,' 'Electric Co.,' 'New Year's Day,' 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and '40' were all recorded in Germany, and '11 O' Clock Tick Tock' was recorded in Boston. All were recorded in 1983.
   
   -The second is more of a note to collectors than casual fans. 'The Electric Co.' has a snippit chopped off. Bono sings 'Send In The Clowns' in the middle of the song, and because of copyright issues, Island was forced to remove the song from the CD release. This won't bother casual U2 fans, but for die-hards like me, it is a tad annoying.
   
   If you collect bootlegs like I do, you probably have the whole Red Rocks show and the full version of 'Electric Co.' that was featured on the vinyl.
   
   But still, despite that one flaw about the edited version of 'The Electric Co.,' this is a superb live album. One of the best from U2.
   
   Highly recommended. A must-listen live album. ENJOY!!!



4. Bono's voice was meant to be heard live. He's a passionate political activist and all of his raw energy clearly comes through in a live format.



5. This "album" is a collection of singles. U2 needs to take a whole concert and put it on CD. And only eight songs!