5 comments about Music In High Places.

1. I guess any punk band that goes acoustic nowadays has my respect. I love punk-when it's genuine. The beef I have with today's punk (it's okay, really) is that it's downweighted by all mainstream sounds and expectations from major lables that it can be. The result? Millions of cookie cutter pop-punk lovesick junkie bands. It's good, but after the 5th time around, it gets a bit stolid.
   
   That being said, Unwritten Law does not fit into this catagorie. For one thing they're lyrics are much deeper and, well, more phylisophical to say the least. Not all they're songs are all "my girlfriend dumped me for someone else" or "I just met some hottie and I can already tell she's my soulmate," basically sh** that just doesn't fly in real life. Just read the lyrics to "Seeing Red." But on another level, the guitar is so much more sophisticated. It's not just four power chords making the song sound like a 60's bubble-gum pop band sped up. Unwritten Law are far more advanced musically than that.
   
   Well, now that we have a happy little review of the band as a whole, lets go to the cd, shall we. This 11-track disc features unplugged versions of past works, most of which can be found on the previous studio release, "Elva" (which as a sidenote, I would also HIGHLY recommend.) But it is more than that. Just listen to, say, "Up All Night," the hit song off "Elva," then listen to how it's revamped on "TMIHP" and you'll notice that's it's given a completely different face. The origional version on "Elva," is loud, enjoyable, and overall just a classic punk song even if it never overplayed on the airwaves. The version on here is not necissarily better, but it proves that studio effects were not the driving power of the song. The song just rocks, period.
   
   Unwritten Law do not just confine themselves to Punk. "Rest Of My Life," also off "Elva," is your achtypical alternative pop mainstream music, lovey dovey, you name it, but somehow, Unwritten Law just make it their own. "Elva (the song)" has a life of it's own. It's not your typical pop love song. It's what the radio needs to be playing today. Also imbedded in this is the fact that they don't restrict themself to one punk sound. See, there are a bit different types of punk, from the nemesis of the Clash and the Sex Pistols, To the old school sound of Social Distortion, to the new wave of Green Day, to the poppy mediocrity of today. Unwritten Law covers it all, from the heavy rockin' "Blame it on me" to "rest of my life." This album prooves to me that they can pick up accoustic instruments and not ruin a song like some non-talented artists do. Nuff Said? Great! Music fans that aren't living in a carboard box of media expectations, buy this album. Pick up elva to, eh:)
   
   Oh, and contrary to what amazon has posted, only one track, "blame it on me," is recorded live. the rest are just studion acoustic mixes.



2. I guess any punk band that goes acoustic nowadays has my respect. I love punk-when it's genuine. The beef I have with today's punk (it's okay, really) is that it's downweighted by all mainstream sounds and expectations from major lables that it can be. The result? Millions of cookie cutter pop-punk lovesick junkie bands. It's good, but after the 5th time around, it gets a bit stolid.
   
   That being said, Unwritten Law does not fit into this catagorie. For one thing they're lyrics are much deeper and, well, more phylisophical to say the least. Not all they're songs are all "my girlfriend dumped me for someone else" or "I just met some hottie and I can already tell she's my soulmate," basically sh** that just doesn't fly in real life. Just read the lyrics to "Seeing Red." But on another level, the guitar is so much more sophisticated. It's not just four power chords making the song sound like a 60's bubble-gum pop band sped up. Unwritten Law are far more advanced musically than that.
   
   Well, now that we have a happy little review of the band as a whole, lets go to the cd, shall we. This 11-track disc features unplugged versions of past works, most of which can be found on the previous studio release, "Elva" (which as a sidenote, I would also HIGHLY recommend.) But it is more than that. Just listen to, say, "Up All Night," the hit song off "Elva," then listen to how it's revamped on "TMIHP" and you'll notice that's it's given a completely different face. The origional version on "Elva," is classic, enjoyable, and overall just a classic punk song. The version on here is not necissarily better, but it proves that studio effects were not the driving power of the song. The song just rocks, period.
   
   Unwritten Law do not just confine themselves to Punk. "Rest Of My Life," also off "Elva," is your achtypical alternative pop mainstream music, lovey dovey, you name it, but somehow, Unwritten Law just make it they're own. "Elva (the song)" has a life of it's own. It's not your typical pop love song. It's what the radio needs to be playing today. Also imbedded in this is the fact that they don't restrict themself to one punk sound. See, there are a bit different types of punk, from the nemesis of the Clash and the Sex Pistols, To the old school sound of Social Distortion, to the new wave of Green Day, to the poppy mediocrity of today. Unwritten Law covers it all, from the heavy rockin' "Blame it on me" to "rest of my life." This album prooves to me that they can pick up accoustic instruments and not ruin a song like some non-talented artists do. Nuff Said? Great! Music fans that aren't living in a carboard box of media expectations, buy this album. Pick up elva to, eh:)
   
   Oh, and contrary to what amazon has posted, only one track, "blame it on me," is recorded live. the rest are just studion acoustic mixes.



3. I guess any punk band that goes acoustic nowadays has my respect. I love punk-when it's genuine. The beef I have with today's punk (it's okay, really) is that it's downweighted by all mainstream sounds and expectations from major lables that it can be. The result? Millions of cookie cutter pop-punk lovesick junkie bands. It's good, but after the 5th time around, it gets a bit stolid.
   
   That being said, Unwritten Law does not fit into this catagorie. For one thing they're lyrics are much deeper and, well, more phylisophical to say the least. Not all they're songs are all "my girlfriend dumped me for someone else" or "I just met some hottie and I can already tell she's my soulmate," basically sh** that just doesn't fly in real life. Just read the lyrics to "Seeing Red." But on another level, the guitar is so much more sophisticated. It's not just four power chords making the song sound like a 60's bubble-gum pop band sped up. Unwritten Law are far more advanced musically than that.
   
   Well, now that we have a happy little review of the band as a whole, lets go to the cd, shall we. This 11-track disc features unplugged versions of past works, most of which can be found on the previous studio release, "Elva" (which as a sidenote, I would also HIGHLY recommend.) But it is more than that. Just listen to, say, "Up All Night," the hit song off "Elva," then listen to how it's revamped on "TMIHP" and you'll notice that's it's given a completely different face. The origional version on "Elva," is classic, enjoyable, and overall just a classic punk song. The version on here is not necissarily better, but it proves that studio effects were not the driving power of the song. The song just rocks, period.
   
   Unwritten Law do not just confine themselves to Punk. "Rest Of My Life," also off "Elva," is your achtypical alternative pop mainstream music, lovey dovey, you name it, but somehow, Unwritten Law just make it they're own. "Elva (the song)" has a life of it's own. It's not your typical pop love song. It's what the radio needs to be playing today. Also imbedded in this is the fact that they don't restrict themself to one punk sound. See, there are a bit different types of punk, from the nemesis of the Clash and the Sex Pistols, To the old school sound of Social Distortion, to the new wave of Green Day, to the poppy mediocrity of today. Unwritten Law covers it all, from the heavy rockin' "Blame it on me" to "rest of my life." This album prooves to me that they can pick up accoustic instruments and not ruin a song like some non-talented artists do. Nuff Said? Great! Music fans that aren't living in a carboard box of media expectations, buy this album. Pick up elva to, eh:)
   
   Oh, and contrary to what amazon has posted, only one track, "blame it on me," is recorded live. the rest are just studion acoustic mixes.



4. One day at the store, I noticed that this cd had just come out so I bought it. Even though it is basically just acoustical versions of songs off "Elva", it is still a pretty good cd. The production is very well done and the songs sound great in their acoustical versions. Even though I always skip a couple of songs here or there, the rest of them are good. Anyways, grab this one if your an Unwritten Law fan who wants some acoustical versions of their more popular songs.



5. If you like Unwritten Law you will love this. It almost has a very innocent sound to it. It also has an old treasure for old UL fans in the last track. Good Stuff!

5 comments about I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings.

1. A compilation of what I believe to be the Kid Amnesiac-era tour, considering that out of these eight songs, three are from Amnesiac and four are from Kid A. And really, that's all I can come up with about this album. It's certainly good, but it's only necessary for the converted. However, if you are converted, you'll find that there's a lot to like, including the huge reworking of "Like Spinning Plates", when it becomes a thoroughly beautiful piano ballad! Yes, that's right, it goes from some crazed, frigged-out avant-techno experiment to that! How did that happen? Well, however it happened, I like it. "Dollars and Cents" is also massively improved upon, removing the freaky noises and as such turning it into a somewhat great song. And the moody "True Love Waits", which never made it on a studio album, is the other fantastic highlight. Thom Yorke's falsetto and his acoustic guitar are a very good combination. On the other hand, "Morning Bell", "Idioteque", and "I Might Be Wrong" are nothing to write home about. If you've heard the originals (and I'm assuming you have), you're heard the remakes. They don't do anything particularly wrong, since "Morning Bell" and "Idioteque" so happen to be two of the best songs from Kid A (same with "I Might Be Wrong" on Amnesiac). It's just that, given what they do to "Like Spinning Plates", there was so much more potential. Come to think of it, the only song I'm really unimpressed by is "The National Anthem". Yorke's vocals just don't do the job for me, and the barely audible vocal scatting taking the place of the crazy horn section ruins the song. Let's face it, two or three people singing scat isn't going to wipe you out the way a horn section blowing whatever they please does. The remake of "Everything in Its Right Place" isn't the best, either. Still, it's interesting to hear Radiohead take some of their most challenging songs and put them in a live format, most of the songs are good, and none of them is bad. So it's a worthwhile addition to any Radiohead collection.



2. I want to know, why, one of my favorite bands would release a live disc like this.U2 did this as well in 1983(Under A Blood Red Sky).8 songs?I was lucky enough to see the band, when they played in Victoria Park, Warrington ,England,10/02/00, the day before the release of Kid A.The show was recorded by BBC Radio 1.My buddy, who resides in London, recorded the show and sent it to me on two cd's.The sound is great and it has 20 songs.20,not 8.This live disc is a total ripoff.How do you get the nerve to charge your fans full price for a cd that is 30 min long?Discs, as everyone knows ,can hold nearly 80 min of music,so whats the deal?Why couldnt they have added a few more songs?The thing is,the live versions of songs from both,Kid A and Amnesiac sound much better live.But,this disc does have its moments.True Love Waits is the jewel here.It is a fantastic ,emotional,slow acoustic song perfomed by Thom Yorke solo.Like Spinning Plates is another song that sounds great live,the studio version from Amnesiac is weak and it has too many loops and other wacky sounds going on, that take away from the song.This version is Thom at the piano,its very moving and strong.The songs from Warrington,sound much more powerful than the tracks presented here.The National Anthem is not as loud or intense as the version from Warrington.Its actually quite dull.That is quite shocking,considering I have heard other live versions of this song, from this tour and they were great.This version is from Paris,France.Enough said.Why would the band release this version??Im sure, some of you, have been lucky enough to have a copy of the Warrington show.If you dont have it,somehow try to get it.You will understand what I mean.The band also allowed 2 shows from 2001(Rock Am Ring Festival,Germany,06/01/01 and Oxford,England,07/07/01)to be broadcast over BBC Radio 1.They both sound great,since they,the band,recorded the shows.The entire Rock Am Ring show was also broadcast live on German tv.4 out of the 8 songs here, are from the Oxford show,the bands hometown.The show was obviously recorded by the band. Why wont they release one, if not all 3 ,of the gigs I have mentiond.Instead,we get 8 tracks.Someone over there at the Radiohead camp dropped the ball on this one.Most hardcore fans,like myself, would,without question,love to pay and own each show ,IF, they were available.How great would it have been if say,the band released the Oxford show in its entirety.They played 24 songs that night.But,no,we,the fans get ripped off with only 8 tracks.Did I mention that enough.Sorry but,that really pisses me off.We could have used a little effort on this one.Thanks guys.Oh and,God forbid,you release a live dvd from this tour.Since,again,at least two, that I know of, were filmed.Maybe in another few years they will,like the Astoria show from 1995 ,released in 2005.That made sense right.Hang in there fellow frustrated fans.



3. Radiohead live... you can't go wrong. Quit reading others analyzing this record... just buy it! You won't regret it. Take care :)



4. In short, the recordings are excellent I think. For the most part, songs don't vary TOO much from the album versions, but the avid Radiohead fan will notice, and appreciate, the differences. The acoustic version of True Love Waits, which I don't believe I've seen on any other album, is another great Radiohead song and lyrically one of the most complex and interesting I've ever heard.
   
   Cheers to Radiohead, and boos to the haters who leave bad reviews for this album.



5. Okay. I love Radiohead to death. But i have one problem. Where in the heck is "Fake Plastic Trees"? That song is supposed to be on here. Live Recordings? I am so glad that the dreadful "Creep" isn't on here, although it wouldn't be too terribley bad. I am happy with everything else, but am saddened that "Trees" didn't make the cut. I wonder why? Is the song not good enough? I have heard the song played live plenty of times, and that's why i'm surprised that it isn't on here. Oh well. I'm not complaining as much as i could be. :)

5 comments about Out West.

1. Into the new millennium and Gomez together with Muse, Mercury Rev, Elbow, Coldplay and The Flaming Lips (from "Soft Bulletin" (1999) onwards) were the bands that really excited me the most. (Previous to these recent years Kings X and Dream Theater "did it for me" in the 90's, Marillion were "my 80's" band together with Simple Minds, Big Country, Waterboys and U2. My 70's favorites were largely Genesis, Rush and Jethro Tull.
   
   This live album from 2005 is, for me, a summation of what is great about Gomez. Two great and distinctive lead singers, fantastic musicians who play great rock music. The first Gomez album I bought was "Liquid Skin" (their second) in 1999 and shortly after that got their tremendous debut "Bring it on" from 1998. Six tracks from each of these are here live with, for me, the highlight being a stellar performance of "Here comes the breeze" (from Bring It On). Two tracks from "In Our Gun" (2002), three from their 2004 effort "Split the difference", a cover of Tom Wait's "Going Out West" plus Nick Drake's "Black Eyed Dog" (a "combo track with Gomez "Free to Run" from "Bring it on" and a B side track "Do's and Don'ts" round off a tremendous live album.
   
   Certainly one of the great live albums of the new millennium from one of the great bands of these modern times, a tremendous experience in today's age - real musicians playing real instruments and playing with energy and passion in front of a very appreciative audience at the Fillmore in San Francisco.
   
   Certainly one of my favourite live albums over the last 35 years here are some of my other favourites...
   - "How the West was won" from Led Zeppelin (1972)
   - "Made in Japan" from Deep Purple (1972)
   - "Yessongs" from Yes (1973)
   - "Welcome back my friends" from ELP (1973)
   - "Too late to stop now" from Van Morrison (1974)
   - "On your feet or on your knees" from Blue Oyster Cult (1975)
   - "Live in London" from Bruce Springsteen (1975)
   - "One more from the Road" from Lynyrd Skynrd (1976)
   - "Frampton comes alive" from Peter Frampton (1976)
   - "Live Bullet" from Bob Seger (1976)
   - "Seconds Out" from Genesis (1977)
   - "A Live Record" from Camel (1978)
   - "Bursting Out Live" from Jethro Tull (1978)
   - "Two for the Show" from Kansas (1978)
   - "Playing the fool" Gentle Giant (1978)
   - "Waiting fro Columbus" from Little Feat (1978)
   - "Strangers in the Night" from UFO (1979)
   - "Live Rust" from Neil Young (1979).
   - "Paris" from Supertramp (1980).
   - "Exit...Stage left" from Rush (1981)
   - "Under a blood red sky" from U2 (1983)
   - "Stop making sense" from Talking Heads (1984)
   - "Live in the city of Light" from Simple Minds (1986)
   - "Live adventures of the Waterboys" from the Waterboys (1986)
   - "Operation Livecrime" from Queensryche (1991)
   - "Without a safety Net" from Big Country (1992)
   - "Secret World Live" from Peter Gabriel (1994)
   - "Together in Concert" from Tim Finn, Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga (2000)
   - "Live Scenes from New York" from Dream Theater (2000)
   - "Hullabaloo" from Muse (2002)
   - "Out West" from Gomez (2005)
   - "Instant Delivery" from Flower Kings (2006).
   - "Okonokos" from My Morning Jacket (2006)
   
   I really enjoy this album (especially up loud when driving), if you do get it I hope you do to.



2. This album disappoints. The album is poorly mastered and the songs do not do justice either to Gomez's sound in concert or to that on their albums. Gomez favorites, such as Free to Run or Make No Sound, lack the special licks that made them stand out. No violin, no intricate chord progression; the detail is missing, and the bass overwhelms the composition that you expect from Gomez. Overall, the album sounds flat and lifeless.



3. I've attended multiple Gomez shows and this 2 CD set definitely captures their energy. Three January 2005 concerts in San Francisco were condensed into one show-length setlist for this release. Luckily over half the songs come from the first two Gomez albums, classics that the band has failed to match. "Here Comes The Breeze" and several others clearly eclipse their respective studio treatments.



4. Compiled from three nights of material at the Fillmore in San Francisco, the two discs of Out West project an image of a band whose strengths seem only to be bolstered in the midst of a live performance. British five-piece Gomez have always had their share of jam-rock influences, but have managed to tread a cautious line between the infectiousness of `90s Brit-pop and the extended solos of a Bonnaroo Festival, without giving into either side's dangerous excesses. Out West is no exception, finding the band alternating between effectively concise songwriting and long-winded instrumental passages, often in the same song. The twenty tracks here are mostly comprised of Gomez originals, plucked from their four previous albums, with a couple Tom Waits ("Going Out West") and Nick Drake ("Black Eyed Dog") songs thrown in for good measure.
   
   - Landon Moblad
   Synthesis.net



5. In 1970, The Who released Live at Leeds, setting the benchmark for many live albums to follow. Now Gomez has released Out West, recorded live at the Fillmore West in San Francisco earlier this year. Not all bands can pull off a live album. Often it's just a ploy to fill in time, or a way of making some cash after the band have called it quits. Gomez doesn't fit this description. This double album displays the work of a band showing no intentions of slowing down.
   
   The band have recorded four studio albums, debuting in 1998 with Bring it on. Out West contains twenty songs, including at least two tracks from each studio album. Blending psychedelic rock with hard blues, sounds from the 1960's echoed with today's electronic overtones. The songs are all very loose, each band member drilling their instrument to full capacity.
   
   The highlight of the album would have to be the drum and bass work. Best heard during `Here comes the Breeze', `Ping One Down' and `Get Myself Arrested'. I've only heard better on Live at Leeds. For those lucky enough to have witnessed Gomez's live performance, this album will bring back some cherished memories.

5 comments about Gloatin' and Showboatin': Live on St. Patrick's Day.

1. I am a big fan of the Tossers. Along with the Mahones and Siobhan they are, in my opinion, one of the best bands to come out in the wake of the Pogues. I've never seen them live and don't expect to get an opportunity so I was really excited to see a live CD/DVD combo at a very reasonble price.
   
   I was dissapointed with the live performance. They are not a band that puts on a great live show or are really exciting to watch on stage. The music and some of the vocals are not up to par, and Tommy (the lead singer) sounded like he was recovering from a cold. He also, admittedly, had consumed a few too many jars before the show.
   
   If you don't know the Tossers music but like Irish punk, I'd suggest you try one of their studio albums, but if you are a fan, then this live set is worth purchasing.



2. This guys and a girl are a pretty tight band, loved their music and when i saw the DVD i loved them more and more, they play very solid is a great show, you can feel their drunkness hehe, so buy this cd and dvd , if you like Flogging Molly, Dropkics and The Pogues , you'll love this one CHEERS!!!!!



3. I like the previous 2 reviewers am a great fan of the Irish / Celtic sound...and if your looking for a group to set in a bar and cry in your Guiness to then this is your band...I was in no way blown away with this album, but the DVD did save it !!! I like the cost for this package and it's worth the money but unlike the other 2 reviews The new Murphy's disc as well as "Float" from Floggin Molly are a better listen (My case in point "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya" which the Murphy's do alot better.) This is agood I feel like crap pour me another round disc but it leaves me thinkin once again that the Tossers are in the middle of the road with their releases.



4. Mo matter how many albums this band comes out with, you always know what your going to get. Out of all the popular Irish "punk" bands out now (Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys) The Tossers have been around the longest.
   
   Hearing them live is an experience that can only be beat by seeing them live. It's a great drinking St. Paddy's day album for anyone looking for that sort of business.
   
   I give it a 5 only becuase it's exactly what your looking for, your favorite Tossers songs preformed live and full with energy. The extra DVD puts it over the edge as a must own for Irish punk fans, or fans of drinking on St. Paddy's day.



5. This live CD/DVD shows you that The Tossers are one of the best live acts of the moment, hands down. They are no Pogues, but they are the best thing that happened to Celtic rock music since the Pogues, and that's a big achievement! This album is full of fast paced songs about drinking, societal issues, personal matters, etc. There are a couple of slow numbers too, but they are not less great because of that!
   
   What really bothers me though, is that they play three additional tracks that are not listed (Dancing Shoes, Altercations and another). But those three extra songs are not considered like one chapter or one track on the DVD and CD respectively. This means for instance that there's a song of 9 minutes, but that's just because Dancing Shoes is on it too. On the DVD it doesn't bother me, but it's annoying having two songs on the same CD track, especially when you convert it to MP3 to listen on your ipod. Secondly, it's really a shame that they didn't play any song off Purgatory. I love this album. But on the good side of things, they played many songs that were never recorded, most of which are really good. Tony sang a very good acapella song, Press Gang. They also play many old songs, but I miss the female voice on Buckets of Beer. And since this is a 2006 recording, no songs from Agony, of course. But including all their music videos as a bonus was really a great idea. And Becca is AMAZING! She plays fiddle like if it were an extension of her body. Clay Hansen is there and sings a good version of Seven Drunken Nights. There are three bonus live videos included on the DVD, but those are very badly filmed and recorded, they're not worth it.
   
   The Tossers are a band you ought to see live at least once, because you can't feel all the energy they put in their music if you only listen to their albums. They easily blow Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly out of water. It's not to say that those two bands are bad, I like them, but the Tossers are way better musicians and make more engaging music. So if you're a fan, you probably already have this. And if you don't know them, pick this CD up, you won't be sorry!

No comments about Acoustic Thunders.

5 comments about Swing Time.

1. If you are a fan of real country style music and yearn to hear great guitar backup and superb steel guitar played with genuine emotion and finesse, this is the album for you. If you do not have any other of Wayne Hancock's discs, get this one. Although it is a "compilation" album, it was recorded LIVE,at the Continetal in Austin, TX. The musicianship is outstanding as well as Wayne's genuine, in your face, delivery. This is raw Texas style country with no apologies. The LIVE setting really shows how good Wayne and his band are. It is the real deal and should be required listening for any country band members as an example as to "how it should be done".



2. I had never heard of Hancock so I previewed the Swing cd. I was really impressed with the band. Good toe-tappen music. Excellant intramental breaks. I am not too impressed with Wayne's very nasally sounding voice. Will probably by the cd to add to my dance library



3. Wayne and the band are having a great time with their music and all throughout this record you can hear that the crowd loves it too.
   
   Excellent music, Excellent sound, great drive. It'll get your toes a tapping.



4. I recently disovered the wonders of Accuradio and, in particular, the station TWANG. It is awesome. There are a few CD's that are in heavy rotation other than Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson. This is one of them, and for good reason. It sounds new and old, and Wayne's voice does have an uncanny resemblance to a certain Hank Williams. The music has this quality that you rarely hear of being familiar and completely unique at the same time. Hat's off to the band for making it sound oh so easy. It's toe tapping heaven.



5. A great live set recorded down in Austin by hard-country hero Wayne The Train Hancock and his band, featuring Dave Biller on guitar, a bit of trombone tootling by Bob "Texaco" Stafford, and solid, lively backing by all the others. From the album title, I had expected Hancock to indulge his interest in jazz-standards and swing, but I ain't complaining that this is a strait-up country album instead -- not by a longshot! Really, it's amazing to hear anyone playing such as rough and rowdy, yet accomplished and historically aware kinda country these days, and this disc captures the energy and charm of Hancock's live shows pretty well. High points include his new version of "Thunderstorms And Neon Signs," which may actually outdo the original -- overall, another top-notch release! Highly recommended.

5 comments about Live: 07-11-03 Mansfield, MA.

1. I'm going to go straight to the point - if you liked or like any of Pearl Jam's music, by this bootleg. With three CD's of live songs, one entirely acoustic, Pearl Jam is set to amaze. Without even going to the concert back in 2003, it is easy to feel Pearl Jam's stage presence and energy.
   
   If you're not convinced by now, check out these songs: "Long Road", "Footsteps," "Betterman" (the crowd sings the first half of this song), "Fortunate Son", "Given to Fly."



2. I'd buy this live disc piece just for the rendition of the opener, Long Road (best song Pearl Jam has to offer live, IMO), and for the amazing setlist it has to offer. This show has gained a reputation for being one of Pearl Jam's top all-time, and surely ranks alongside the "State College" show as one of their best from the '03 tour.
   
   By the way, Carlos Perez stole his review from Allmusic.com...just thought I'd let you all know!



3. The greatest Long Road ever recorded. Brilliant. The acoustic set on the first disc is a must have. Unfortunately the real concert is a little dissapointed. Eddie got some problems with his voice. I suppose the concert is too long. 3 stars will do.
   Despite off the great setlist. Try JB3, PH1, Seattle 2 or St. Louis instead.



4. Even for the first accoustic disc the price is more than worth it. Add in 2 more amazing discs of music and you've got quite a deal.
   A memorable night to say the least.



5. Pearl Jam eases into its epic 48-song Mansfield, MA, show with the poignant "Long Road" from the 1996 film Dead Man Walking. It is the perfect opener for these aging alternative giants who have made a mission out of avoiding the path of least resistance and putting on marathon live shows. This first set of the evening sticks to acoustic versions of fan favorites like "Indifference" and "Sometimes" before breaking for a Sleater-Kinney set (not included). Set two kicks off with an ominous version of "Can't Keep" from Riot Act before exploding into brutal, full-throated renderings of "Breakerfall" and "Brain of J." Eddie Vedder sounds tired yet incrementally possessed as the show continues, delivering the anthemic "Why Go" with its chorus of "Why go home/Why go home" like a schoolyard dare. The audience takes his advice and screams through three encores, including classics like "Jeremy" and classic covers like "Fortunate Son" and "Rockin' in the Free World," before delivering the enduring singalong B-side "Yellow Ledbetter" like the blue-collar road dogs the band has become

5 comments about After the Flood: Live from the Grand Forks Prom June 28, 1997.

1. I heard Soul Asylum live at the RibFest in Fargo, ND and their stage show was very good (except for the corny jokes). I bought two of their CDs shortly after and am still wowed...



2. I thought this was a great album as well, mostly because I was there was well. I not only attended the prom the two previous years, but also went to this prom a year after I graduated (I subsequently went to two more proms after that) and this music brings back good memories.
   
   Normally I listen hip-hop when I drive my civic around town, but I give this album a thumbs up.



3. This band is a phenomenal live band and this CD features them playing a great set list at the peak of their popularity. While their most memorable hits are here, what really makes this set list great is the cover tunes that they chose to play. The extraordinary Alice Cooper rock anthem 'School's Out' kicks the CD off. 'I Can See Clearly Now' is very appropriate given that they were playing a post flood prom. 'To Sir With Love' is awesome. 'I Know' is really fun to listen to. Even 'Rhinestone Cowboy' is given the royal rock treatment and becomes a sing along favorite. I gotta believe that this track was added for the cheesiness factor, but it's done very well.
   
   The only negative to this CD is that Dave Pirner's voice sounds off at times during Misery. But I didn't mind that so much because it only adds to the credibility of this being a true live CD and not an over produced piece trying to pass for a live CD.
   
   I've seen Soul Asylum live multiple times. They are an incredible live band. It's great to be able to be able to bring that energy home or in the car via this CD. I'm impatiently awaiting their next studio album. (Soul Asylum, if you are reading this, I'd love to hear you guys cover Shawn Cassidy's `That's Rock & Roll' for the cheesiness factor. I think you could make it rock) This is an excellent buy. Do yourselves a favor and buy this CD.



4. One of the best live albums I have ever picked up. Thanks Sony, thanks Soul Asylum. This needed to get out!



5. Wow, I can't believe this got released! I was at the hanger for the Prom that night... the only High School dance I ever attended. I can tell you first hand that the atmosphere in the town at the time was pretty depressing. Most everyone I knew had lost pretty much everything they owned; houses, vehicles and almost everything else was fair game for the raging Red River that spring.
   
   Our graduating High School class had spent the weeks leading up to the eventual evacuation sandbagging the dikes around the river, trying (in vain it turned out) to keep the flooding river out of our homes and lives.
   
   Many families didn't realize the severity of the situation until the National Guardsmen came to our doors and told us to "pack for about 3 days, you need to be gone in 2 hours". That 3 days turned into upwards of 2 months for many of us. Friends were seperated with no way to get back in touch with one another and not knowing who was going to make it back for graduation... or even if we were going to have one.
   
   When they announced that we would be still having a graduation and would even still hold the Prom, we were ecstatic. It was a much needed break from all the rebuilding that was going on. Even more exciting; somehow, someway, someone had managed to get Soul Asylum to agree to play our Prom!
   
   When Soul Asylum took the stage, the energy in the hanger was palpable... you could almost taste excitement in the air. They didn't just *play* for us though, they got up there and poured their hearts into making the best of a bad situation for us and for that, I will be forever grateful. It was a stellar show and made for some pretty interesting stories when we started returning tuxedo's with tore-off sleeves and jackets that got ripped while crowd surfing.
   
   Thanks again gentleman for giving yourselves to a town that needed a little pick me up, it was a much needed boost and it's not something that we'll soon forget!

5 comments about The Family Values Tour '98.

1. The ice cube, korn sets are worth the price alone to buy this family value cd. Orgy does a good job, Rammstein devlivers on their hit DU Hast. Limp Bizkit's version of Jump around is so damm funny you can't help to laugh at the band. If you love Korn and Ice cube buy this cd.



2. And that's very true. Orgy had the best set here. KoRn was decent, Rammstein should have had more tracks as should have Incubus, but it was nice to see Bizkit drop some nice tracks not included on their albums like 'Cambodia' and 'Jump Around'. Ice Cube, no matter what you think, held his own here and is serves us a worthy track selection. Too bad 'Family Values' don't come around no more but with Limp sucking now a dayz it would be pointless. Still, this is a solid album with great live performances...could have been better but then again, it's very rare you hit something perfect.



3. its decent but y is ice cube here he is the worst performer but korn ruled i dont like bizkit orgy was good rammestien was good but only one song dont like incubus



4. I see that Rammstein peformed on this tour, but where are the songs by them? OK, so they have Du Hast, but common, they have like 20 great songs! Korn and Bizkit suck, let us all understand that who aren't 12 year olds. Orgy and Rammstein need more tracks on this album! What is wrong with the people that made this???



5. i'll be first to say that i was totally unimpressed with the sets by korn and limp bizkit but extremely surprised when orgy played the best set by far on this entire album. like many people i bought it when it first came out in 1998/1999 at which point it quickly earned a place at the bottom of my pile of cd cases. i was still a fan of korn at this point and "nu-metal" in general before it was actually called that. what can i say, it all seems silly and stupid in retrospect (and it probably is) but for about a year it seemed like this kind of music was going to be THE new alternative movement in america; comparisons to nirvana and the seattle sound were rampant in music publications. as we all know, this forecast came to naught and record sales started to slip around the time the three year mark of the 1999 breakthroughs of many of these bands was reached. everyone likes to pretend they weren't picking their jaw up off the floor the first time they heard anything from the first three korn albums now that that kind of music has fallen out of favor into the bottomless pit of passe, but the energy from these bands was definately infectious for the time (except for limp bizkit, who always sucked). the first two orgy albums and first three korn albums still remain a guilty pleasure of mine, having come before they became the generic has-beens they are now. out of all the bands featured on this album, korn seems to be the only one (barring incubus) that even has a single leg left to stand on nowadays.
   
   anyway, onto the music. most of the people that bought this album way back in 1998 bought it for either the korn or limp bizkit tracks, obviously. limp bizkit sounds ok but their music is another matter. in short, you can't polish a turd. korn, on the other hand, sound genuinely bad on many of the tracks. jonathan davis sings like he has the flu while fieldy seems to have doubled his bass volume when the engineer wasn't looking before the show. munky and head sound buried much farther in the mix than they should be. overall, a sense of muddiness prevails. the shot liver medley is about the only salvagable thing korn did with their alotted time on the album. the opening bagpipe strains of "shoots and ladders" float out ethereally and then proceed to fall into a mishmash of recent and older korn songs. ice cube and rammstein sound about like you'd expect them to, a huge-scale listening party of their album. this is to be expected; they aren't relying largely on unpredictable conventional instruments to create their on-stage sound and as such sound much more cohesive.
   
   the biggest surprises by far on this entire live album came courtesy of then-newcomers orgy. they were still very much rookies when they played the first family values tour and even now they come across as strikingly tight, cohesive, punchy, and fresh. as such, orgy takes the cake for the best performance on the album.
   
   case in point, i wouldn't run out and buy this album just because you like the bands on it. many of them have released other live volumes that are generally of higher quality to date. most of the music, although less than 6 years old, sounds sorely dated; especially given the shake-ups in the rock landscape over the past few years.

5 comments about Malediction & Prayer.

1. You can never tell whatcha might get with Diamanda, but I love that in her.
   This album absolutely blew me away, nothing I thought it would be and I love the fact that I got chills from the softness you can actually hear in her voice on most of the tracks, it's a definate top cd of mine.



2. I wrote a review awhile back in 2001 and my view of this cd hasn't changed. I still very much enjoy this cd. Since then, I have bought her two other subsequent releases: "La Serpenta Canta", and oh I forgot the title of the other cd. Oh well, check this cd out; I'm sure Diamanda would appreciate it.
   
   Julius-Allan



3. ...I first heard of Diamanda Galas more than 15 years ago, and before her music I knew about her outspoken nature. I read in a magazine about how she wanted to f--- a man because she wanted one to know what it was like to be raped. Okay...a few years later at a conference about AIDS she proclaimed one of the big problems about the disease was she couldn't get laid easily anymore (though someone else on the panel said he'd be glad to oblige her).
   
   Anyway...the shocking blue madness of Galas conceals the woman's skills as a vocalist and a musician. This live recording catches her abilities well, with a few subleties and a lot of fire.
   
   Hearing "25 Minutes to Go" done like this was taking a classic blues song and turning it into something like Dante's Inferno. So bizarre, so twisted and yet you understand somehow.
   
   This is surely not for everyone, but the diverse material and Galas' handling of it impressed me.



4. When you've listened to Galas before, and felt chills down your spine from the cries on Vena Cava or Litanies of Satan, this will probably surprise you. Unmistakenly Galas, with her voice somewhat richer, deepened in musical texture, the songs nevertheless are sometimes actually beautiful to listen to, instead of little musical displays of horror. Both the recording and the music are, in want of a better word, clear. Dark sides are, of course, crucial to this clearness.



5. Hopefully You've never listened to Diamanda Galas before.
   
   If that's you, and you've just stumbled upon this album, be prepared for a strange musical experience.
   
   This is a compilation of Diamanda Galas tracks performed LIVE. There is a great difference between this album and her studio releases. A lot of raw emotion is captured here that would've otherwise been tamed down in the studio.
   
   It will SHOCK you!