5 comments about Live in Italy.

1. When I first heard Live in Italy, I was a VU fan somewhat leery of solo Lou, and had my head turned around by the fire-breathing version of "Kill Your Sons." That led me to buy a copy and, at the time, since I didn't have any solo Lou, I really got into the solo songs (except for the stupid "Martial Law") but thought that the versions of VU songs were lame. Now, however, I have the studio versions of just about all of these songs, and find just about everything on this album lame, and its very existence pointless, with the exception of "Kill Your Sons" which is actually better than the version on "Sally Can't Dance." So, overall, I recommend seeing if you can download an mp3 version of it somewhere, and skipping the rest of this disc.



2. Happydog's review is amazingly accurate.....
   
   I'm a Lou Reed fanatic and rather like the loud cacaphony of Lou with feedback and distortion. I bought the original bootleg and have not even listen to this "remaster."
   
   The blow your ears off loud is alright (if you like that as much as I do), but..........
   
   Lou is a great guitarist when he wants to be. Hendrix once said Lou Reed was his favorite guitarist. Lou is also a control freak and spoiled this concert.
   
   After The Blue Mask (with the distinct separate guitar tracks) which displays Reed's and Quine's brillance, this pretty much sucks.
   
   Kill Your Sons is good, nothing else is and oddly we don't get The Blue Mask, or The Gun or many of the great stuff from The Blue Mask era, even though we know it was played. What's a matta, Lou, Quine show you up??
   
   I dunno, but Lou is always a hard read. He has his tantrums and kicks out people like John Cale and later blames Bowie for ruining his career; then kisses and makes up as he did with Warhol. I have always been bothered by the fact that Quine absolutely idolized Reed and the Velvets and Reed seemed to have just dumped him.
   
   I own everything available that he has ever recorded. I truely believe he is one of the three greatest living Poets of our time (along with Patti Smith and Roger Waters).
   
   He is a mystery, when he is great, it is stunning. When he's bad; it's BAD.
   
   He can be great; He can be bad and this is bad.



3. You would think that with this band, this would be a great disc, right? Sadly, it's not all that great. Lou and Quine were at loggerheads at the time. As a result, Quine's guitar is oddly muted and minimized on much of this. As much as I love Lou Reed, and I do, he will never be the guitar player that Robert Quine was. This CD suffers, as a result, from Lou's lack of guitar skills - even on his own music, by his own standards. The second thing that makes it a not-buy is Lou's refusal or inability to sing. He simply shouts his way through all the songs. The third reason to give this a pass is that there are no dynamics. All the songs are played as loud as possible, meaning that ear fatigue sets in a little over halfway through. It begins to sound very samey after a while. Lou's best live set remains the semi-bootleg "American Poet" album. Even for a Lou Reed fan, this is not a must, I'm sorry to say.



4. Fantastic, glorious. this is much more than what I thought. You got it and you got a fantastic live on concert



5. I love Lou Reed - but I really can't stand that talk-singing thing he started doing in the 80s. This is a pretty unremarkable disc. Some of the Robert Quine work is worth a listen if you can find a cheap, used copy.

5 comments about 30/5/00 - Wembley Arena, London, England.

1. 
   I thought this show in London was better than their previous night there, I think it has one of the better versions of Black which the crowd really gets into towards the end of the song, Eddie isn't very talkative but for the most part he seems in a good mood and Matt is having a more fun tonight with the drums ecspecially on Immortality which Eddie remembers most of the lyrics, all in all its a good show better than average but not their best European show.



2. There's a lot not to like about this show. Start with some unfortunate lyrical stumbles on Corduroy, Dissident, and In Hiding early in the set- the latter is absolutely ruined, which is a shame because it's such a great song. Just as importantly, the encore is a scant six songs- this would be great for any other band, but for Pearl Jam, it's a night off. By ending the set with six standards, it was no doubt a crowd-pleasing show, but it wouldn't have killed them to throw a "Baba O'Riley" or "Yellow Ledbetter" at the end.



3. Pearl Jam is the best live band on the planet. This is an incredible concert that will be looked for years from now, when it's out of print. The band is flawless, energetic, playful, but most of all outstanding. Some of the band's most enigmatic material is on display in this rare experience. Classics like SOmetimes, Hail, Hail, ANimal, Habit, Off he Goes, not For you, Immortality, ALive ( a brilliant performance), Black. Oh, I could go on all day long. This is the band at one of its finest moments. Rock on, pearl Jam!!!!!



4. This is my favourite bootleg from the series because I was at this gig & it was the first time I'd ever seen PJ live. The atmosphere was beautiful, total strangers hugged me during the show & said things like 'isn't this fantastic!' It was the first time the band had played in England for about 10 years & most of us had waited that long to see them. Every time I listen to this CD it brings back the rapturous happiness of that night.
   My only disappointment is that they didn't play 'Porch', 'Angel' or 'Breath' at this gig. Then it would have been perfect.



5. I think the US fans will really get a kick out of the Europe series. The audiences in Europe are alive and kicking through the entire shows... singing, clapping and cheering the entire time. Some may wonder why PJ would release an entire tour on CD... might seem like overkill to some. But the band are kind of like the Dead or Dave Matthews in the respect that no two shows are alike... heck, no two versions of a song are alike. Therefore you will find that many reviews can be very subjective. For instance.. this show has my absolute favorite version of Daughter... it is haunting and thickly layered. Ask around though and maybe I am the only one who feels that way...that is the beauty of this series. So should you get this show over another.. well I put it near the top of the Europe shows (along with Verona and Katowice 2).

No comments about Live and Loud/Fly the Flags.

3 comments about We Got the Neutron Bomb: Weird World, Vol. 2.

1. The Weirdos are one of the often overlooked standouts from the first wave of L.A. punk rock bands (along with the rightfully acclaimed X and Germs). They created some wonderful, quirky punk rock. These songs were recorded live & in studio between 1977-1981 with 3 studio tracks from 1989. This collection runs the gamut of Weirdo rock from the anthemic-punk live version of "We Got The Neutron Bomb" from 1977, the great 60's-garage-punk sound of "Hideout" from 1980, the straight out Rock N' Roll of "7 & 7 Is" from 1989, the almost surf-guitar-rock of "Jungle Rock" from 1980, to three very eclectic instrumentals. An awesome mix of styles that The Weirdos very much make their own. This collection is amazing, The Weirdos are amazing!
   (Interesting fact: Nicky Beat from The Weirdos played drums on early Germs recordings.)



2. Don't feel like typing too much, but I like this volume more than volume one. Most of the songs here are also from the years 1977-1981, so in that respect this is like volume 1, part 2. But the unreleased and live tracks on this compilation make it better than the first, and definitely a keeper.



3. a truly amazing compilation with lots of previously unreleased tracks. there are a few songs off condor, but most are early 80's or late 70's. live versions of some familiar tunes like "destroy all music" along with experimental stuff that never made it beyond the stage. this runs the gammut through the weirdos entire range. awesome

5 comments about Live '88.

1. This album contains mostly all songs from the first two studio albums. The sounds are remarkably fresh and the sound quality is exceptional. I srongly advise purchasing this collection, especially if you're not a Shawn Colvin fan.
   
   Le Bateleur



2. Great companion to all the of Shawn's later works ... not a diamond in the rough but a wee gem.Live '88



3. The tracks are not interrupted with much applause, chatting or announcements. She sounds just as good as her studio work. Great way to round out a Shawn Colvin collection.



4. I love Shawn Colvin, her sound is fresh, creative and original. Live 88' does not disappoint on any of these counts. However, having listened to Steady on for many years, I thought Live 88' might be the raw version - it is not. This set is polished and very, very similar to the studio recording. If you are a collector or unfamiliar with the Steady On album, Live 88' is well worth having. If you are looking for something new from an old favorite, you will be disappointed.



5. Most of these songs subsequently appeared on Steady On, but that album's production - too lush and sweet - runs counter to the meaning of these gems. Here we see the other side of the spectrum in terms of production - a woman singing great personal songs accompanied by just her own guitar. These are the best songs that Shawn Colvin ever wrote by far. You'd have to go back to Joni Mitchell in the 1960s before you found anything better than this for this genre of popular music.
   
   Her voice is strong and plaintive, her picking on open tuning gives her a distinctive guitar style, and while I would prefer to have heard these songs done in a studio with a production that matched the mood, this is more than good enough. Very few people can go out on stage accompanied by just themselves and energize an audience. Shawn Colvin is one of those rare birds that can.
   
   It's said that everyone has one good book in them. It may be that similarly most songwriters have one good album's worth of material in them. If so, then this is Shawn Colvin's one good album worth of songs. And it's more than good. It's wonderful.

5 comments about Severe Tire Damage.

1. This is a mostly live album by They Might Be Giants. In addition to the live recordings, there are three new studio recordings. "Doctor Worm" is a great song that has become a favorite of TMBG fans. "Severe Tire Damage Theme" is a brief instrumental. "About Me" isn't so much a song as a song fragment. The live songs were recorded at various venues, as opposed to a live album that features songs from one specific concert. What's interesting to me is that the live versions of the songs have very different arrangements than their studio counterparts. Most of these live recordings are very good. There are six unlisted bonus tracks, which are all improvised live songs about Planet of the Apes, of all things. These ad libbed songs are not very good, to be frank. Overall, though, the album is quite enjoyable.



2. The concept is supposed to a mix of live album stuff with studio songs thrown in as well. It's works for me, but I would have loved to hear their versions of other classic songs by them and instead there are new songs and strange improvisations on watching "Planet of the Apes." I mainly give this album a good rating because the new live versions of songs make them sound more refreshing and louder as well and the studio tracks aren't bad either, the "...Apes" tracks are hit and miss, though.



3. I'am a big fan of TMBG.I first herd it when my friends step Dad was playing it when I was over at is house.It sounded pretty cool,but I had no idea what the band was called.O well.About one year later when I was at camp my councler brought a TMBG cd.He was playing a song I heard(NEW YORK CITY)and it sounded familer.Well he started geting me to listen to TMBG,well I got this cd for christmas recently and I loved it.I'am glad it had Partical Man,but my fav is They Got Lost.And one of the hidden track(Nmb 21)Escape from planet of they apes is cool.But whats up with the song spyder.So I say you should but this one.



4. As a representation of their live act, it's not even close: nevermind the lack of crowd noise and stage banter, most of it isn't even from actual shows. It's 'live in studio' and soundcheck recordings, with overdubs galore.

   As a career retrospective, it doesn't work either. They seem to have attempted a 'best of' line-up here, but left off important singles like "Don't Let's Start" and "The Statue Got Me High". Who cares? Hits that are included, like "Birdhouse In Your Soul" and "Ana Ng", are slowed down and given strained vocal deliveries.

   But most importantly, it's just not a very enjoyable CD. Theres no flow, and it pales in comparison to their work in the studio. People who want a good overview of their career should get the 2-disc DIAL-A-SONG anthology. People who want to hear them live should get tickets to a show - they're lots of fun. You wouldn't know that from SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE.

   I'd say it's worth it for "Dr. Worm" and the rocking "Why Does The Sun Shine?", but those made it to DIAL-A-SONG. The only thing I really pull this out for is the power-pop version of "First Kiss", later transformed into a ballad for their Mink Car album.




5. I think if you heard all of these songs before (except the hidden tracks and Dr.Worm, which are all new) on other albums and want to hear them a little defferently, then you should soo buy this alblum. The bonus tracks are kind of weird on the first listen but once you get used to them they are really cool.
   "Why Does The Sun Shine" is a great song and the two best verisons of it are on this ablum and on TMBG's Direct From Brooklyn DVD (which has a live 2002 concert video of it).
   "XTC VS. ADAM ANT" has a great beginning with the electric guitar.
   "They Got Lost" sounds way cooler here than on the They Got Lost cd (you can check it out at tmbg.com).
   "First Kiss" I think the Mink Car version of it is longer, but both are equally cool.
   "Meet James Ensor" The trumpets make more sense on the John Henry cd, but this version makes me laugh when the Johns make the trumpet sounds.
   For the other songs on this cd you will have to listen them yourself. It's not because the other songs on this cd are bad or anything because all the songs are great, in my opinion. I just want you to buy this cd and check it out for yourself.
   And for the hardcore TMBG fans check out the They Got Lost cd at tmbg.com It's pretty cool once you get used to it.
   But before you buy that cd you must buy this one!

5 comments about Our Lady Peace - Live.

1. This is my first real introduction to Our Lady Peace and I was pleasantly surprised. I don't get into many new bands (yeah, I know, I sound old. I'm 34), but these guys rock. Not totally sure how I missed these guys when they first came out. Any rate, this is a good live album. Some bands absolutely suck live, but these guys sound good. Some live albums suck, but this one is pretty well done. I guess if you aren't too familiar with the band, this may be a good place to start. The main reason I bought this is for the song "Whatever" and got an album that I can get into.



2. My order came in time and in good condition. It was for birthday present.



3. Buy this album it is a great one from OLP! One of my favs is Wipe that smile....



4. this live cd was alright but didn't meet my expectations, production value was decent, could've been better with a broader selection of tracks. OLP has enough good material to merit a double disk live collection, something that would demand a lot of replay. Many of the performances on this record didn't really reflect the true value of their live act. There is enough singles for casual fans, most people remeber the recent and older hits from the nineties, but for the long time listeners the album just lacks something important.



5. If you're a fan of the band, and even if you're not, this CD belongs in your collection. Raine's vocals, amazing in studio, are even more incredible live. I like how they let the audience sing along... it's pretty amazing to hear all those voices singing together. It's one of my top ten life goals to see OLP live. A couple of songs are missing, but the only true downside to the CD is the inclusion of 'Not Enough'. Can someone tell me what that's doing on their live CD? In my opinion, it's the weakest song in their entire collection. I'd take a star off, but the rest is so great it really doesn't matter.

3 comments about The Complete Live At Raji's [Expanded].

1. If you are already a fan of this great band and don't have this CD; you must buy this. I thought the original release was already great. This one sounds even better. Steve Wynn is a man of many moods and influences which permeate his music--however, he puts a spin to whatever the influence is. This is what I've found so great about him and have followed his career for years. Being a great fan of theirs and the Paisley Underground, I flew to LA just to see this show. The crowd was small (189 people) but it didn't stop them from playing the songs fiercely as if there were thousands.
   
   Steve Wynn is a chameleon and isn't known for being a "great singer." That doesn't matter to me because it's made up in passion. I can find a Steve Wynn song for every mood. And you can never tell what he is going to do. I've seen them and him numerous times and each show is different. Paul Cutler, Dennis Duck and Mark Walton along with Steve always played their parts with intensity. I think that the band was in a "classic rock" phase when this was made (lot's of Peter Frampton quips). Check out the difference in "When You Smile" from the studio version. I wouldn't expect to hear too much of the sound from the first CD if that's what you are looking for. He grew out of that pretty quick. Nevertheless, "The Days of Wine and Roses" is just smokin'. Peter Case guested on "John Coltrane Stereo Blues" playing harmonica and that was one of several of the high points during the show. To have a live version of "Until Lately" is thrilling because they didn't perform that song very often. I've enjoyed all of their CDs as well as Steve's solo stuff so I LOVE this CD. When you consider that when this was recorded, they were pretty down and out and near the end of their existence as band and had no big budget, were recording for an indie label, etc., you would expect a subpar product. Yet the outcome was a fabulous show. Even if you didn't particularly like them, you won't believe how great this sounds.



2. Amazing sounding reissue of classic live blast. Really, this is one of the best sounding live albums I have ever heard. The set list is fantastic, the audience in prime form, and the band can't get more committed. Searing solos, bouncing feedback, a rhythm section that will tear your heart out: this has it all. It makes you sad thinking that this group of individuals may never record again. Steve Wynn's solo stuff is OK, but this document is an essential part of any true understanding of american popular music. Most of the songs come from either "Days of Wine and Roses" or "Medicine Show" and the sonic assult of "Halloween" is quite possibly the best redition EVER. I can't recommend this enough. I can't stop listening to it even though I've heard all the songs a thousand times. It's the real deal.



3. One of the very few bands who ever produced a vital live album. This is an incendiary piece of work - a great band captured at the peak of their powers. In the studio the Dream Syndicate could sometimes sound restrained and mannered, here the hounds of hell rip havoc all over the shop. This is a vital recording of one of the great American bands of the 1980's. Buy it!

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 Kick Out the Jams.