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

1 comments about All We Want.

1. The new album is perty good. Much like GO! but ya know, that is good.

   its only like 17 min but its pretty [inexpensive] so go get it

   dude. one weird thing is that the s-word is blanked out on my cd, but if you listen to the song on their website ... then it says it. weird

   peace out. go buy some h2o and get pumped

5 comments about Deep Dead Blue, Live at Meltdown.

1. Close your eyes. On the left of the stage sits Elvis Costello, geeky glasses, geeky smile, a microphone in his hand. On the right, Bill Frisell sits on the edge of a little Fender amp, rocking gently, picking his guitar in only the way he can.

   While the audience applause in between each of the tracks on this album leads me to believe the setting was not quite as small as I like to imagine it, my imagination still beats out my reason. And that's what makes listening to this record so exciting. Clocking in at under twenty-seven minutes, and costing over twenty dollars, I had to wonder if this was worth the money. After it sat on my "To Buy" list for a few months, I decided to just spring for it.

   I waited until, given what I'd read about the album and what I've already heard from Costello and Frisell as artists on their own, I thought the timing was right. It was a late night in November, sort of chilly outside. I wrapped up in a favorite blanket and listened to the album.

   The album begins with "Weird Nightmare," an obscure Charles Mingus composition. Costello's voice is haunting when paired with Frisell's sparse lines, and Mingus' creepy lyrics bring out the best in both musicians. The tone is similar through the next three (two written by Costello, one a Lerner & Loewe standard) before picking the mood up considerably on "Poor Napoleon." Though it was originally recorded for Costello's "Blood & Chocolate," it is rerecorded here to a very effective end. Costello's voice is dead on, and (once again) perfectly matched to Frisell's one of a kind style.

   This is music that needs to be heard. The next time you're lonely, pour yourself a glass of red (or two), light up a Lucky Strike, and curl up with a blanket. These twenty-seven minutes might not make you feel entirely better, but they'll certainly make you feel comforted.




2. live at the meltdown is truely one amazing piece of music. the pairing of elvis and bill was nothng short of genuis!! whether they are doing costello's "lovefield" or a mingus song "wierd nightmare" or the odd pair of writes (cait o'riordan/mac manus)"baby plays around" this CD offers nothing but talent from beginning to end. and i for one love elvis's voice



3. Costello and Frisell happen to be two of my favorite artists. I had no idea that this album existed--I happened to stumble upon it one day while browsing through Amazon.com. I think they compliment each other pretty well. I particularly like the rendition of 'Baby Plays Around,' a gem from Costello's 'Spike' album that unfortunately often gets overlooked. The album has excellent sound quality. Fans of Costello and/or Frisell will dig this album.



4. When most people think of New Wave, good singers is probably not the first thing to come to mind, heh if not the last. However, Elvis Costello is one of the few New wave artists to have a simply amazing voice and it is never more evident than on this CD. With only guitar and vocals, the CD seems like it would be empty sounding, but instead it is just the opposite, creating a full lush sound that would actually be hurt by the addition of louder, more crash instruments like drums or bass. Bill Frisell's guitar work lies somewhere between the piano style of Eric Satae and the ambient experimentation of Fripp/Eno bridging the gap between minimalism and ambience to create a smooth, flowing wave of notes that wash over the listener. Costello then softly croons over frisell's work in incredible vocal range going from a gentle whisper to a full falsetto. The subtelty and brilliance of this album is breathtaking and the depth and beauty they can create with only 2 instruments at their disposal is more than impressive. Apart from the music, the sound is A+ quality for a live release and allows every note to remain intact in a concert that truly relies on the important of each and every sound. Finally, clocking in at only about 30 minutes, the CD ends without becoming repetative or boring, which eventually would be inevitable using only 2 instruments, simply leaving the content listener with a nice, concise batch of love songs.



5. I must say this is a delightful cd... only if you are an open-minded listener. I thought every Costello or Frisell fan was such kind of person. Should I say that through the years I realize I was mistaken? I guess both Costello and Frisell ask for the same musical curiosity (or, lets say it: heterodox musical erudition) from the listeners than the one that obsessed them all the way; that is: their opening to different styles in music is not the attitude of a snob --is the rejoice of a musician who let him be surprised by the "new values" as well as by the traditions of their roots. That is the only way you can enjoy this cd: let you be driven into the subtle complexity of Frisell's guitar on "Love Field" and "Poor Napoleon", two underrated masterpieces written by Costello, who sings them as if he had learned the best of Sinatra's or Bennett's style (but remaining himself); or dive for that rare jewel that is "Shamed into Love" just to merge full of charity and self-consciousness; or re-read the Lerner and Loewe classic "Gigi" and realize that every thirty/fourty-some guy is a nowadays Louis Jourdan character is this XXI century world. Of course, there is more: you have "the taste of beauty" (that already was on "Spike") with "Baby Plays Around"; the rare Mingus song facing a darkness that's always lighten; and the original "Deep Dead Blue" version with its real "deep-end" approach, that breathless feeling of ephimeral marvel, that sort-of-satori revelation that can only be captured when a sublime songwriter (and very personal singer --I must admit: the kind of singer I prefer: honest and imperfect like the glimpse of a truth) and a talented musician, both of them as open-minded as faithful to themselves, work together for an open-minded listener with a wide open and sensitive soul. (By the way, excuse me for my English --it is not my everyday language).

3 comments about Radio One Sessions.

1. This has what might be essential material for collectors, otherwise it is mediocre. The vocals are too prominent and the backing music blurred. This is a radio broadcast so its not really "live" either if that's what you're looking for, its just rougher. The early tracks are the more interesting. The second album also has momements of interest. The 1990 concert is obviously when they were past their prime. Definitely not a starting point.



2. Furs tracks in their less-produced incarnations, as most BBC radio shows were done in one take. To me, this was worth every penny just for the radio session of "All of This and Nothing". I've always loved the Talk Talk Talk version with the droning guitar in the background, and this version adds ghost-like synths instead. This disc gave a new perspective to songs I'd heard hundreds of times.



3. I am a giant Furs fan and had the opprtunity to meet them at an earth day concert in Gainesville, FL, USA in April 1990. This album contains some intriguing variations of the standards. However, if you are a fan of the mainstream Butler bros./John Ashton releases this is not for you. The tunes "We Love You", "Soap Commercial" and "Susan's Strange" are classic early Furs in a garage setting. The other songs are, of course great, but not polished up by production. But that's what makes them that much more treasured by the true Furs fan.

5 comments about Youth Are Getting Restless: Live in Amsterdam.

1. The sound is much better than the muddy "Live" album (most SST cds sound bad)



2. IF YOUR A BAD BRAINS FAN!YOU'LL LOVE THIS ,1,I, PROMISE!ITS A GREAT CD!its live too!



3. The Bad Brains: four rastas, ex-jazz-fusion musicians, turned into one of the most powerful and creative punk bands of all time. Some claim that they were the inventors of the Hardcore genre.
   
   This live album captures the Brains at what they did best, play mind-blowing shows. Being masters at both light-speed hardcore riffage and playing chilled out reggae and dub. This album combines both genres giving you a breather from the amazing and brutal hardcore assault with reggae interludes in between.
   
   The Bad Brains' lineup was filled with talent in every instrument with Darryl and Earl providing a solid and groove filled rythm section, Dr. Know on lead guitar riffing and soloing at the same level or better than any metal guitar gods. Finally, HR on vocals which are correctly credited on liner notes as "throat". Indeed, HR uses his voice as another instrument: shaman-like chants, crooning, wailing, screaming, reggae stylin' and sometimes even barking. HR is on pair with Mike Patton and Maynard James Keenan when it comes to vocals.
   
   Separeted like a three act play, the album is divided into sets of hardcore tracks separated by reggae interludes: Day Tripper / She's a Rainbow, The Youth are Getting Restless and Revolution. It is worth noting that Day Tripper / She's a Rainbow has one of the gooviest bass lines, better than anything put out by Marley or King Tubby.
   
   All hardcore tracks are amazing, a few standouts: House of Suffering, Coptic Times, Banned in DC, Big Takeover.
   
   Hardcore is an acquired taste, like a fine wine, the first time you sip it out of a glass the taste might be kind of nasty but with time it becomes a greate pleasure. The same thing happens with the Bad Brains.
   
   It is a shame that the Brains don't tour anymore, it would be amazing if somebody would put live footage from this tour on DVD.
   
   Enjoy.



4. The originators of Hardcore Punk in 1979, come together in Amsterdam for 1987's live album recording. The music is played as fast and furious as ever as HR and the crew play classic after classic. Comprimised of material between '79 and '87, classics such as "Right Brigade", "Re-Ignition", "Coptic Times", and "Pay to Cum" are all on the same disc, and live at that. Hardcore never sounded better.



5. Bad Brains were easily one of the best bands in the early U.S. hardcore scene. Maybe even the best. This album perfectly captures their sound. This album is all about Dr. Know though. He tears it up on guitar. In some of their later albums H.R. lost the agressiveness in his vocals. On this song you can just hear everyone going insane to "I" in the opening. There are a few reggae songs in the mix and Bad Brains were always masters of both genres. The setlist is a great mix of all of their albums from the 80s. Stay away from some of the later live Bad Brains releases and pick this one up. The sound quality is great as well.

4 comments about Damned Damned Damned.

1. I got this without having Damned Damned Damned but I got it and firgured ehh its only 3 dollars more and 2 more discs I might as well get it! Great decision on my part, the live material is great and I love the album. Deffinately buy this if you're even a minor fan of The Damned, you wont be dissapointed at all!



2. If you've been a fan of The Damned for any substantial period of time, you most likely own a copy of Damned Damned Damned. My copy is well worn on vinyl and I have subsequently replaced it with other copies. I say other copies because this album in it's original form is a punk rock masterpiece. What more could be done to get me to run out and buy another version? Well, let's just say the impossible is possible. The 30th Anniversary Edition of Damned Damned Damned is the well worth tracking down. In the States, it's a hard-to-find import and is definitely worth the search. The original release is contained on the first CD with a generous amount of bonus material on the following two discs, most of previously unreleased except for the pesky bootlegs that have appeared over the years.
   
   The Damned are one of the greatest punk bands to ever emerge from the UK and while some site The Clash as the one punk band that mattered, I'd beg to differ. Both bands had a rocky history of sorts, but The Damned came through it with their heads held high and managed to write one of the best comeback albums of any band's career (Grave Disorder-check it out!). Fans of their punk years will eat this up as will fans of their later more gothic era.
   
   Up the punks, this is one album each and every punk rocker should own, it's genius!



3. It's difficult to believe that 30 years later, The Damned's music is still so relevant and so unmistakably powerful! My favorite track has to be New Rose - the first punk rock single ever released (on October 22, 1976). Just hearing the first few seconds of New Rose drums gives me an adrenaline rush like nothing else! You can't go wrong with The Damned... they may have stumbled onto genius, but it's theirs for the keeping!



4. This CD contains some of the greatest songs ever by the Damned, my favorite forefathers of punk. If you only buy one from them, this should be it. Although I know you'll want more.....

5 comments about Foot in Mouth.

1. This CD is awsome. If you are a Green Day fan it is a must have.



2. This is a collection of great live tracks from green day's earlier days and it is very good... But $70!!! I'm from England and i bought it from the UK amazon for £12 brand new, imported from Japan! Either i got a bargain or you're being ripped off.



3. i'd give this 10 stars, if i could! this was the 4th green day, well 'thing' i guess, that i bought(i acctaully found it at tower records for much cheeper then this), i'd had had AI, insomniac, and bullet in a bible before hand. it has awesome awesome awesome preformances, for ALL the songs on it, some which i greatly prefer over the studio recs. its a really wonderful line up aswell, except that at the end of FOD, billie does the 'hey-oh' thing into the crowd he does at alot of concerts, so not a terrific way to end, it makes you want more. but, really, even though it is an EP, it is still by far my favorite CD of all that i own. truely superb.



4. I own two Green Day live ablums, "Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking" and "Foot in Mouth" and this is by far the better one. It has most of Green Days earlier hits from their first ablum all the way up to Insominac. The song list is:
   Going to Pasalaqua 5/5- this one was from their first ablum, catchy with a new Bass riff.
   Welcome to Paradise5/5- the first single off Dookie, even more energetic live.
   Geek Stink Breath 4/5- first single off Insomniac, has a catchy palm muted guitar riff, not much changed from the Ablum version
   One of My Lies 5/5- A great song from Kerplunk, I don't have Kerplunk yet so I don't if there are any differences.
   Stuck With Me 5/5- One of the best songs from Insomniac, Billie says its new but thats because he's not in America when he played it live.
   Chump 4/5-This song is okay but I added an extra point because of the crazy ending guitar riff and because tihs song means Longview Follows.
   Longview5/5- This proably the best Dookie single, it has one of the best Bass riffs in punk rock. Live its more energetic and the crowd reaction is great, but theres a part in the chourus where Billie stops singing anf you can barley hear the crowd singing over the loud Guitar and Bass.
   2,000 Light Years Away5/5- This is Green Day's best Kerplunk song and Live it's even better.
   When I Come Around 5/5- Another well know Dookie single, live its played faster and I like the guitar solo better without a rhythim guitar played in the backround.
   Burnout 4/5- A little out of place as the second to last song since this is the first song on Dookie, its still good.
   F.O.D. 4/5- A great way to end a great live ablum.



5. This CD is a must for any Green Day fan. I have been a fan since 94', and always will be. Keep rocking Green Day!

5 comments about Live MCMXCIII.

1. I still mix it and play it all the time. The only version that holds up to it is Courtney Love's live version (which is also a killer). Docked a star for John Cale who is still arch after all these years (exception: Songs for Drella).



2. `The Velvet Underground Live MCMXCIII (1993)' is a two CD set collected from performances at the Paris (France) L'Olympia Theater. From the response of the audience to the Velvet's performances, I think the myth that only about a thousand people ever actually listened to The Velvet Underground (but, the story goes, each and every one of those thousand started a band influenced by the Velvets.
   
   By some standards, this may not be a `great' live album, in the same league as `The Who Live at Leeds', but I think it is pretty darn good. Since this was recorded at least 25 years after the Velvet's prime and the release of their first two albums, from which most of this material comes, it is really a pleasure to hear Lou Reed and John Cale and Moe Tucker and Sterling Morrison in such good voice. (Well, Moe seems to be a bit raspy and forced on her single solo, but it was done for fun, so it sort of fits).
   
   Since most of the material does come from the first two albums, there is a strong chance that all of your favorites will be here. And, when Lou or John does the vocal on a number originally sung by Nico, I think this live version is actually better, as I was never a big fan of Andy Wharhol's designated chanteuse.
   
   The only number I miss is the last cut of the first album, `European Son to Delmore Schwartz', which was a great closing number. Instead, they close the CDs with a very quiet song, `Coyote', which, frankly, I don't recognize, so it may even be a Lou Reed number.
   
   I am really happy that they stuck to the Velvet's material, even though both Reed and Cale have had successful solo careers. I am also very happy that we have the original four. I don't mean other sidemen couldn't have done as well, but I like to see the original band get the bread for doing the gig and not some pickup musicians backing Reed and Cale.
   
   Thus, to answer the big question on all live or `best of' albums, is this worth the cost of duplicating the numbers. To me, a died in the wool fan and proud owner of two original vinyl albums with banana sticker intact, I believe this is well worth the ability to carry around in one jewel case, an album of good performances by the original band with enthusiastic audience in thrall.



3. If you are a fan, consider this: there are live versions of "The Gift" and "I Heard Her Call My Name" on this record. And they are both not only as good as the versions on White Light/White Heat, but were recorded on modern equipment.
   
   If you are not a fan, you should be. I was aware of this record, but always avoided it for some reason. How could it possibly be good?
   
   Well it is. Lou Reed attempts actual singing more on this record than anything he's recorded since Loaded. He doesn't always succeed. And John Cale rarely succeeds when he sings. (But he does when talking 'The Gift' - go figure.)
   
   But the drums and guitars are everything they ever were, but the sonics improvements provide liftoff at every turn. And the songs are pretty good, too. The band that recorded WL/WH is the one that showed up for this reunion.
   
   The reunion they deserved.



4. I don't know why this album wasn't more popular than it was. I WAS glad to see that it charted in billboard magazine ( #180 ).This is their best live album ! I like it almost as much as their original studio albums. It was a great comback for them. I only wished they reunited and stayed for a while. I highly recommend this cd for any velvets fan old AND new.



5. 'Live MCM...' was recorded on the band's apparently unlikely reunion in 1993.If you're hoping for a stunning record here,you'd probably be a bit let down.It's okay,not great but decent.I've never been THAT huge of a VU fan,but I thought I'd give this disc a shot.Good alternative proto punk,as one might label it.Cuts I dug the most were "All Tomorrow's Parties","After Hours",one of their most memorable,the sedate "Sweet Jane","I'm Waiting For The Man"(I've seen this track covered on Hawkwind and Pink Fairies bootlegs/legit CD's)and "Heroin".Line-up:Lou Reed-guitar&vocals,John Cale-keyboards,Sterling Morrison(R.I.P.)-guitar and Maureen Tucker-drums.

5 comments about Blondie Live.

1. Very nice reunion gig of the '70's new wave/pop band while out on their '99 reunion tour.I got to see them play live a few years later and believe me,Blondie is still a fun act to go see.Total of seventeen cuts here to show you the band still means business.Enjoyed hearing again "Hanging On The Telephone","The Tide Is High"(I usually don't care for this tune),"Shayla","Rapture","X Offender",their signature song "Heart Of Glass" and "One Way Or Another".Four original members intact include Debbie Harry-vocals,Chris Stein-guitar,Jimmy Destri-keyboardist and Clem Burke-drums.I remember when I saw them play,there were two others with them,making Blondie a six piece.Couldn't find any info on the disc's cover.Recommended if you're an old school fan.You shouldn't be disappointed.



2. This CD offers a fair show of Blondie live in New York. Debbie sings great and the whole CD is great! All in all Blondie is still a hip and cool band that can still rock out!!!
   
   1. Dreaming
   2. Hanging on the Telephone
   3. Screaming Skin
   4. Atomic
   5. Forgive and Forget
   6. Tide Is High
   7. Shayla
   8. Sunday Girl
   9. Maria
   10. Call Me
   11. Under the Gun
   12. Rapture
   13. Rip Her to Shreds
   14. X Offender
   15. No Exit
   16. Heart of Glass
   17. One Way or Another



3. I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of live albums and rarely listen to them. But I've always liked Blondie, and didn't get to see them live, so I made an exception.
   
   I'll get one thing out of the way: the band hasn't lost anything over their period of collective inactivity. They can still rock even when they don't have studio tech to cover up any rough patches. It's a solid performance, with some ad-libbing here and there (some of it a little embarrassing), but aside from the occasional interlude there's little deviation from the sound of the studio recordings.
   
   What also results in disappointment as far as this release goes is something that plagues most artists who have been around for decades and achieved a kind of legendary status: the pressure to "crowd-please" and play the most popular songs, and not much else. Except for a few deep cuts from the then-current album, it's all hits. There aren't any real surprises; even lesser-known tracks like "Shayla" and "X Offender" are regarded as signature tunes. It's unclear whether this reflects the actual live shows, or it is simply the way they chose to sequence this album, since it features extracts from a number of performances. In any case, the end result is rather predictable.
   
   In the end, there's little actually wrong with the album, but it is completely inessential for virtually everyone. Those who have been to one of the shows may want a souvenir, but anyone else is better off with 'No Exit' and one of the many "best of" collections that have been released over the years.



4. Blondie was, of course, one of the premier bands of the late 70s and early 80s, when they racked up four #1 songs. Impressively, they've continued to record music and play live gigs. I really like Blondie, and I have one of their greatest hits CDs as well as their remix CD from a few years ago. However, I have to admit that I didn't buy "Live" on purpose - it was shipped to me by one of the music clubs to which I belong, and I forgot to send it back in time. So take my comments in that context.
   
   First the pluses --> All in all, "Live" is a decent concert collection. Debbie Harry is generally in good form, although she does get a bit shrieky and off-pitch on some songs. Her interaction with the crowd and "stuttering" vocals on "The Tide Is High" are fun. In addition, a knockout version of "Sunday Girl" cleverly incorporates a section of "Love Is Strange" by Mickey & Sylvia. The song selection is also quite good; "Live" includes most of their hits as well as a few somewhat more obscure songs, such as "Shayla" and their recent European #1, "Maria."
   
   Now the drawbacks --> Relatively little crowd interaction with Debbie is included, which is a mistake for a band that is so personality-driven. Part of this situation probably is due to the fact that the songs were recorded during different venues spanning 1998-1999. However, the outcome is a definite lack of cohesion. In addition, very few of the songs are anything other than a live re-creation of the studio version of the song, making for fairly boring listening. If I want to hear these songs, I'll listen to their greatest hits CD.
   
   If you enjoy live CDs and like Blondie, then you will probably add one star to my rating. Unfortunately, as much as I like Blondie, I can't go above 3 stars; and one of those stars is just because I admire a woman who can still rock in her 50s!



5. Sometimes when a band reforms after a hiatus, it often returns to mixed results. In 1999 Blondie returned with the album "No Exit" and they showed they never missed a beat. When I listened to Blondie when I was younger, I often confused Deborah Harry as Blondie. I often discounted a solid band that consisted of not only Harry, but Chris Stein on Guitar, Jimmy Destri on Keyboards, and Clem Burke on Drums. What really showed how well this reunion would go was a follow-up live album - and the quartet does not disappoint. "Blondie Live" is a combination of recordings in London, Las Vegas, and New York. Sometimes this collection is actually sold as "Blondie Live in New York", but the "Blondie Live" title is more appropriate given the recordings are from multiple places.

   Usually I would be critical of this type of live album for two reasons: 1) I prefer a Live album to be a recording of a single performance and 2) If a mixed bag of live performances is used, I would prefer to hear the recording when the song and band were at the peak of popularity (i.e. I normally would like to hear a live recording of "The Tide is High" the year they toured with that song). In the case of "Blondie Live", the mixed bag formula works - and works well. I understand that Blondie is focused on a comeback period of live performances and wanted to focus on the comeback as opposed to the past. The good thing is - the album does come off flawlessly with the multiple sources for the live numbers. It almost seems like a single concert.

   What I like best about the CD is that Blondie doesn't immediately launch into their commercial hits right away. They start the CD off with some old songs such as "Dreaming" and "Hanging on the Telephone" - then follow with a newer song "Screaming Skin". These songs might be popular among Blondie fans, but the most interesting thing is the first big "commercial hit" to the general audience doesn't follow until "The Tide is High" at track 6. Songs like "Call Me", "Rapture", "Heart of Glass", and "One Way or Another" are included on the CD, but they really are spread out among the CD. I think this is a good thing.

   There are four songs from the new "No Exit" album and they are solid tracks. "Screaming Skin" has the classic Debbie Harry narrative type vocals and the band really pulls this one off live - especially when Harry sings "...I'm a multicellular individual just way out of proportion". "Forgive and Forget" isn't the strongest Blondie song, but you can hear the relentless drumming of Clem Burke on that track. "Maria" was the most popular track from the "No Exit" album and it doesn't disappoint here. This is another song in which the band is awesome - Harry's vocals, Destri's keyboards, Stein's guitaring, and more relentless drumming by Burke. "No Exit" is another awesome song. This was a song that Blondie with Coolio as the title track for "No Exit". I would have like to have seen Coolio on this track, but this is a true "Alternative Rock Rap". Harry pulls the rap off flawlessly. Blondie were innovators back in 1980 with "Rapture" and they prove they are still innovators by once again putting a modern spin on a rap-like song.

   It is actually the commercial classics that are a bit of a disappointment on this album. "The Tide is High", "Call Me", and "Heart of Glass" are kind of letdowns on this album. "One Way or Another" is average. However, "Rapture" doesn't miss a beat. To me this is the best Blondie song ever done, and in the live version of this song is awesome. Clem Burke's drum intro followed by Destri's keyboards set the tone very well - and of course Harry's vocals are right on the money. When "...only eats guitars" comes on - the band goes into an incredible instrumental in which Stein's guitar work takes center stage.

   The liner notes do feature the associated credits of each song in terms of songwriters and publishers. There are footnotes that map the songs back to the dates they were recorded. There are no lyrics and there is no association of the songs back to the album. There is a collage of some blurry "concert-like" photos in a fold out liner note insert.

   The best thing about this album is it really helped me to discover Blondie beyond the hits. I got an appreciation for some of the older songs and also got into some of the newer songs. On top of everything, this is a really solid live performance - one worth making the investment into this collection.

5 comments about Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions.

1. For any long-time XTC fans who are wondering about their 'live-playing' days but never had a chance to see them perform, CDs 3 and 4 provide the answer. CD3, from the early Barry Andrews days, is an engaging blast of colorful, carnival energy. These early songs, soaring with fast-paced goofiness, but lacking in the maturity that the group began to develop with 'Drums and Wires', require and thrive on that energy. CD4 combines the live energy with improved musicianship and Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge's maturing songwriting skills that developed after the arrival of Dave Gregory. Overall it seems to me that XTC was indeed an excellent live act, despite Partridge's many remarks since stating the contrary. As far as the BBC studio outtakes, I find many of them to be relatively flat and lacking compared with the original album versions - which goes to show that some of the production values and studio effects put into albums like 'English Settlement' and 'Oranges and Lemons' were not for naught.



2. Unfortunately, before "Drums and Wires", XTC's first two records ("White Music" and "Go 2")were bouncy, somewhat disoriented, synth new-wave music. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but the new-wave sound has not held up well over time, which is what burdens an otherwise interesting document on the career of one of pop music's most interesting and continually evolving bands. Even XTC themselves must have realized their early sound was going nowhere fast and replaced the synthesizer with a guitar in 1979. The result was a decade of satisfying and consistently catchy and intelligent records. What makes this box set essential, of course, is the live music, a rarity since XTC has not toured in nearly 20 years. For the uninitiated, the "Upsy Daisy Assortment" is the place to start.



3. BEING AN OWNER OF ALL OF XTC'S ALBUMS, I AM ALWAYS EXCITED WHEN MY FAVORITE BAND RELEASES SOMETHING NEW--EVEN A GREATEST HITS COLLECTION SUCH AS TRANSISTOR BLAST. HAVING ALL OF THESE GREAT SONGS ON FOUR CONVIENENT CD'S IS A FAN'S GREATEST WISH COME TRUE. NICELY PACKAGED AND WELL THOUGHT OUT IN ITS FORMAT, TRANSISTOR BLAST TAKES THE OLD FAN, AS WELL AS THE NEW LISTENER TO XTC, THROUGH THEIR TWENTY YEAR CAREER--FROM THE EARLY, HARD-EDGED BEGINNINGS, TO THEIR MORE POLISHED, BUT NONETHELESS UNIQUE SOUNDS OF THE EARLY NINETIES. XTC'S MUSIC IS AS TIMELESS AS THEIR ORIGINALITY--THIS BAND ALWAYS SEEMS TO TOP ITS LAST ALBUM CONSISTANTLY. WITH THE SOON-TO-BE RELEASED APPLE VENUS, THIS IS A NICE SEGUE TO WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE TRUE XTC FAN. HATS OFF TO ANDY PARTRIDGE AND THE BOYS FOR THIS TREAT. I ONLY WONDER WHY THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHERE DIDN'T COLABORATE WITH THEM ON THIS ONE...OH WELL, WE CAN STILL DREAM.



4. Wonderful set of derivitive versions of XTCs songs. 2 Live CDs plus 2 discs of Peel session versions = a Dynamite value for the money. A must buy for every XTC fan.



5. If you don't own anything by XTC this probably isn't the place to start. Instead, I'd direct you to any of their classic albums(THE BIG EXPRESS, SKYLARKING, BLACK SEA, ENGLISH SETTLEMENT, etc.), but for the XTC fan this is a gift from the band. These live tracks recorded for the BBC both during their touring days and after Andy's "breakdown" on stage during the English Settlement tour gives a rare insight into the band's creative process, dynamics as well as their songwriting development over time. About half of the material from this boxed set has been previously released and available as imports from the UK. The most startling tracks are those recorded when the band was a four piece and still performing. The pre-Gregory tracks featuring keyboardist Barry Andrews are notable for the wild energy and the unique sound that Andrews' fun house keyboard style. The pre-Dave configuration also allows Andy Partridge to shine as a guitarist. Although not as melodic or accomplished as later guitarist Dave Gregory, he brought a sense of fun and energy to the band's sound that would be elaborated on by Dave Gregory. Also, as early as the songs from their first and second albums, one can hear the unusual and creative approach Colin Moulding was applying to his bass playing. After Andrews left, guitarist Dave Gregory brought a more refined quality to the band's sound. Gregory, a highly underrated guitarist, delivers intense, brief solos that brings both an edge, as well as, more melodic feel to Andy and Colin's songs. Without the arrival of Dave, it is doubtful if the band would have become quite as accomplished. Although he never played a role as songwriter, Dave brought boundless energy, arranging skills(frequently writing the string and chart arrangements for songs)and melodic ideas that enriched both Andy and Colin's compositions. That said, the live versions of material after Terry Chambers left suffer a bit because they were using a drum machine. Sometimes this undercuts the strength of the song(as in "You're the wish(you are)I had") and on other occasions it brings a very different texture and feel to the material allowing further expansion of the songs original melody("Seagulls screaming kiss her, kiss her", "Scarecrow People"). There are a few instances where the starkness of the arrangement brings a welcomed rough edge to the material. Colin Moulding's "One of the millions", a tab overproduced on ORANGES & LEMONS, benefits from this stripped down approach. It's almost like listening to an elaborate demo. The 1980 recording of the band live at the Hammersmith Palais, previously available as an import, shows XTC flying through versions of their material up to and including BLACK SEA. The band plays terrifically and one could argue that, of all the band's of the new wave era, XTC was the most talented and the best of their generation. XTC was a bottlerocket of a band live. Although some of this material has been previously released, it is well worth the cost to pick up the unreleased material, as well as, having the comments of Andy and Colin on their songs and performances. What could have improved the box would have been impressions from Barry Andrews, Terry Chambers and, the latest member to leave, Dave Gregory. All three were instrumental in helping Andy and Colin develop the sound they had long sought for the band and, in the case of Dave Gregory, still a part of the band's sound. TRANSISTOR BLAST presents a well rounded view of the band's development and, what's more, a terrific opportunity to imagine what the band would sound like if they ever toured again. It'll also keep most XTC fans(like this one) happy until Andy and Colin finally finish their latest album.