No comments about Your Choice Live Series.

2 comments about Live Oh Yeah!.

1. MU330 is sort of an anomaly, for me at least. I am not one to usually champion live CDs of any kind. A band has to have paid some *serious* dues to earn one. The best ones come posthumously, as a sort of living tribute [see the Smoking Popes live disc for proof]. But lately, it seems like every band thinks they have achieved the right to put out a live CD, and frankly, the market is getting flooded, especially in independant music. I'm personally blaming Pearl Jam for encouraging their fans' gluttony, but regardless. In the past year, I can think of the following bands that have put out live CDs: Braid, Smoking Popes, Dance Hall Crashers, The Slackers, Blink-182, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, Apples In Stereo, Built To Spill, The Clash, the list goes on and on [and I'm sure there are more waiting in the wings]. Most of those releases seem to exist for no notable purpose except to bolster sales of their back catalogue or to get something out there to make a few more dollars. MU330 are certainly an exception to this rule. Since their inception in 1988, they have played over 1300 shows and are still going strong, even after a few lineup changes. They are dedicated to their craft, if nothing else, and this is a good souvenir of the first 13 years for the band and fans alike. The breakdown of songs is as follows:
   Press - 2
   Chumps On Parade - 5
   Crab Rangoon - 7
   Self-Titled - 4
   Comp/7" tracks - 0
   So while MU330 Does still play their older material for the fans, it is obvious they enjoy their newer material for themselves, as well, making this live CD being something that will please almost anybody. This CD makes me regret my decision last year to sell "Press" and "Crab Rangoon," as this stuff actually isn't half bad, and I am not normally one to go wild over ska nowadays. If you've ever been a fan of MU330, you'll need to own this. If you've only heard a few songs, this is a veritable "Greatest Hits" package complete with crowd interaction, so you can't go wrong there. Let's see if MU330 can make it 1300 more shows...



2. mu330 is the best live band ever, and this album does a great job of capturing their stage performance. if you have ever seen them live, you know what i mean. i totally get lost in this cd, because it reminds me of being at the galaxy in st. louis and just rockin out.

   this cd is heavy on the ROK and light on the talk... dan only speaks when it is necessary or when their is something clever to be said. there are great versions of some great songs, including the usual sing-along with LA, my favorite mu song STUFF, awesome live version of IRELAND, and so much more. track 16 they do TUNE ME OUT, and dan's words at the beginning make me a little teary.

   these guys are the best band ever, and this is quite possibly their best album. even the liner notes are awesome. they list the more than 1300 shows in the band's history, and looking through it really takes me back. if you only buy one more cd ever, buy this one.

5 comments about 20/6/00 - Arena, Verona, Italy.

1. WOW. This CD is the best purchase I have ever made. It has, I believe, 32 songs, and the set list is incredible. I love this night's version of Yellow Ledbetter, Wishlist, Given to Fly, Do the Evolution, RVM and MFC. The sound quality is perfect and the crowd does get into some of the songs. I have heard the cds from Poland, Jones Beach and Las Vegas, and this was my favorite by far. Even when Eddie messes up, the songs sound great.



2. Disclaimer: Owner of all 72 official PJ bootlegs. This massive show has one of the longest set lists in the entire bootleg series, with a whopping 31 songs, and also has one of the longest running times. Apparently Pearl Jam was feeling sentimental about playing in Verona, as they hadn't been there for a while, so they pulled out all the stops for this show. Granted, the musicianship in this performance is not very noteworthy and can be considered rather average (as compared to the rest of the bootleg series), and there are many mistakes. Also, the extra-long set list starts to really drag during the huge encore, and the show really runs out of steam near the end. However, the band's enthusiasm and love for the fans are what set this show apart. There are many surprises in the set list, including a little bit of "O Sole Mio" at the end of "Even Flow," Mike McCready's insertion of some Black Sabbath riffs into "Porch," and intense jam sessions in "Daughter" and "Rearviewmirror." In the covers department, Tom Waits' "In the Coliseum" appears for the only time in the tour as Eddie Vedder's crowd pleasing chant-along, while Split Enz' "I Got You" makes one of only two tour appearances (although the band's rendition is pretty undeveloped). The highlight of the evening is a grandiose and transcending take on "Immortality" which is even greater because Eddie actually remembers all of the lyrics. They didn't perform this incredible song too many times during the tour, possibly because poor Eddie had such trouble with the words, but tonight everything works, and not just in this song.



3. This is an unbelievable set! The sound quality is excellent for a live recording. The show begins with one of my personal favorites, Long Road and kicks right into Grievance (personal favorite from Binaural). From there the stage is set for a great evening with Pearl Jam. The crowd is totally into the show, PJ's palying to the vibe which creates some great moments for us on this disc. I believe there's actually 32 tracks on these two CD's. They feel the need to play extra long this evening due to the fact that they haven't been to Verona since their No Code tour! Pay careful attention to "I Got You" it's a nice surprise. Great starter set for fans that have only begun the collection process.



4. When I bought this I was a casual Pearl Jam listener. I bought this because of the song selection and two cd's for the price of one, you cant get a better deal. When I popped it into my CD player I was blown away. Unlike many other bands out there these days Pearl Jam sounds just as good live as they do in the studio. This is an awesome band and I encourage anyone who enjoys Pearl Jam to immediatly Buy this.



5. The Verona, Italy album is an excellent addition to any cd collection (whether for the hardcore PJ fans or newcomers). I own 2 of these bootlegs (verona and spodek-night#2) and this is definitely the better of the two, even though both are phenomenal. Eddie Vedder is on top of his game. Long road, wishlist, state of love and trust keep disc one going strong from start to finish. Disc 2 is even better, with a very raw version of RVM and an amazing Split Enz cover of I Got You. The final 5 songs make the disc. Alive, Last Kiss, Porch-great version, Soon Forget, and the classic Yellowledbetter are excellent. Overall, this double disc bootleg is the best I've heard. It's raw, rare, and amazingly cool, Pearl Jam style.

3 comments about Complete BBC Recordings.

1. "Live in Copenhagen" is relatively entertaining; I have trouble imagining a Buckley concert not being at least entertaining. However, Buckley does nothing new, so I estimate the cd is not worth buying. Buckley gives a good performance, and the band is alright, but it's extremely hard to tell how good the performance was because of the poor recording--definitely the worst recording quality in the Buckley canon. The concert would probably have sounded 10 times better live than on this recording. If the sound had been recorded flawlessly, it still would have been twice as good live. It just serves to remind me that the magic of music lies in making music for the moment at hand, and letting the moment own it; having it on record is just a cheap thrill.



2. Recorded on 12 October 1968, a mere five days after "Dream Letter Live in London 1968" ( the date on the sleeve notes of Dream Letter is wrong) this sounds like a huge step forward. Whilst "Dream Letter" includes some of Buckley's folk based material as a sop to his past and the London audience, as well as hinting at his future jazzy direction, this CD goes the whole hog into his future. "I don't need it to rain" glides effortlessly through 21 minutes of soulful changes backed by double bass, vibes and Lee Underwood's electric guitar while Buckley's voice swoops and soars and caresses. "Buzzin' Fly" is similar to the studio version on "Happy Sad", "Strange Feelin'" and "Gypsy Woman" both soar off in new directions from previous versions. 4 stars because of only 4 tracks and an audible hiss from the original tapes but all in all a superb album.



3. Despite London Records insistance that the Heart & Soul boxset would have every Joy Division recording on it, it didn't. It left out some key Peel Sessions (all collected here) and what was on Still. This disc also collects some other BBC sessions, but really, little in the popular music canon of the past 25 years can compare with these songs, some of which (Transmission) appear in their most realized recorded states.

   As a bonus, the Peel version of Love Will Tear Us Apart is slightly different but just as good as the various released versions. Give this CD to someone who's only ever heard Nine Inch Nails and watch them become the toast of the underground rock community. Give it to someone who was there and watch a tear roll down their eyes. An excellent re-release. In summary, perfect music.

4 comments about Live at the Westbeth Theater.

1. great price, shipped and received promptly and in good shape. My only complaint, which really doesn't have anything to do with the seller, is that the sound quality is kind of crappy; it goes from really loud to soft to uber loud again. Ah, well...Henry's worth it:)



2. While all of Henry Rollins' spoken word albums are worth hearing, Live at the Westbeth Theater is the best one of the lot. Showing a self-deprecating sense of humor not found in his music, Henry's spoken word shows are similar to seeing a top notch comic. Henry is a master storyteller and while he can go off the original subject at any given moment, he usually keeps you interested. Live at the Westbeth Theater cuts out the occasional rambling from the Talk is Cheap albums and is hard hitting from beginning to end. Some of the best stories include playing a festival with Sheryl Crow, attending a Ratt concert in a small club many years past their prime, and his thoughts about the Kennedys. "I Smell a Ratt 4" is particularly hysterical as he discusses the use of the English language by people who usually don't use it. All of "The Undoing of a Man", which discusses a male's inevitable plunge into domesticity, is classic. In addition, his impressions of people, particularly Lemmy from Motorhead, are spot on. All told, this album shows Henry at his best. If you've never heard his spoken word shows, this is a great place to start. I would also recommend Henry's albums to fans of topical comics such as Lewis Black or George Carlin since his albums are just as thought provoking with less profanity. Highly recommended.



3. you really could call it either. regardless, this is an album worth picking up, whether or not you're familiar with Rollins, his stories or his energy. Picture Dennis Leary's energy mixed with the posative enthusiasm of a guidance counsellor and the stories as tall as ewan mcgregor in a tim burton film.
   
   In this particular event, he takes through his views on Lemmy from Motorhead, the Kennedy family, and cheese-metal among other things.
   
   i think the sign of a good spoken word cd is that you listen to as much as a good music cd. I can that for any of David Cross' two stand up albums, and I can say that for this one, or any of Rollins' releases.



4. After the disintegration of the highly influencial punk rock band, Black Flag, lead singer Henry Rollins should have slid slowly into obscurity. However, Rollins' relentless drive to achieve and succeed have helped him to become one of the most respected figures in rock'n'roll today. In addition to his Rollins Band records, television appearances, and books, Rollins has also made a name for himself as a spoken word artist, telling tales of his rock'n'roll exploits, his opinions on current events, and his everyday life to loyal fans all over the world.
   
   Live @ Westbeth Theater runs in the vein of his many prior spoken word releases. Rollins shares more tales of his rock'n'roll life, including a visit to an LA club to attend a Ratt reunion show. Rollins also shares with the crowd his anxieties about having recently turned 40, and what the future might hold for this "aging alternative icon." Westbeth Theater is yet another example of Rollins' stellar story-telling ability and should amuse even those who are not familiar with Rollins or any of his previous work. That's why I give this 2-disc CD set five stars!
   
   *However, this record (like many of Rollin's records) does contain strong language and themes, so I would not recommend it for younger listeners!

3 comments about A Bad Brains Reunion.

1. I've liked Bad Brains for a long time, the 1987 live album "Yout are getting restless" being probably my all time favorite live album for as long as I can remember. Had some of their greatest hard works on it: stand outs like Re-Ignition, Sacred Love, In the Movies etc...
   
   Then nearly 20 years later they come again with all the good ones, done differently than before but still well, and with some other old and newer stuff also done fantastically to make a live record which is for me comprehensively better than the previous classic.
   
   The music is as good as ever, and as ever HR is all over the place. The band still has the edge that made it most lovable for so long. This is actually a really good introduction to the band in terms of songs although the production is probably not as spot on as the 1987 version.
   
   For those unfamiliar with the band it would probably fair to say they are not just a classic punk band. For me they also have a very strong element of what came later with bands like Living Colour and Faith no More with a sort of heavy edged music but in an accessable way: heading towards what Sevendust and bands like that started doing even later.
   
   Probably not credited by many as leaders of that modern hard alt rock scene but I think they have a right to take some credit for it.



2. I give it a one just for stealing my cash and saying it's remastered. Sounds just like the original release. No ifs, ands, buts about it.



3. this is the bare essence of punk rock. they still got it. if you cannot rock to this, there is simply not enough neurotransmittors in your body.

No comments about Live & Deadly: Memphis-Chicago.

5 comments about Live At The Continental And The Esplanade.

1. Paul Kelly is undoubtedly the most negligently overlooked Australian artist there is. One can argue with the song selection on his recent greatest hits compilation, but the songs chosen for this live effort all hit the mark. Alternatively acoustic and then some great guitar based interpretations of well chosen, sensational studio songs - this warrants repeated listenings. It is the Kelly album that I nominate when anybody asks where to start on this artist. Standout tracks are Dumb Things and When I First Met Your Ma. As a group of songs, this is also the best live album I own period, the closest being early Neil Young.



2. This is Paul Kelly at his very best. It captures the spirit of his live performances, at the peak of his career, and features extraordinary performances of 'Just Like Animals', 'Pouring Petrol On A Burning Man' and the heartbreaking 'Maralinga'.

   It probably helps to have heard the originals of some of the songs on this album such as 'To Her Door', as he varies them a bit in these live versions, but if you're already a P.K. fan then this is - absolutely - his best album. We have over 4,000 CDs at home, and this is easily our most-played CD.




3. Run, don't walk, and buy this CD. This is Paul at his best---funny (Dumb Things), tongue-in-cheek (God's Hotel) and socially conscious (Maralinga). Pouring Petrol on a Burning Man has a groove you won't soon forget. "Under the Sun" is my favorite Paul Kelly album, and many of its songs are reworked here to great success. Actually the best live CD I own.



4. This CD has some truly brilliant tracks. My favorites are When I first met your ma & To her door. The stories they tell and so well written they will make you laugh and cry. The music will bring a lump to your throat.

   Paul Kelly is a great singer/songwriter who has been known and respected in Australia since the early 80's. His music ranges from folk/country through blues to recent foray's into techno music. This is a great album to listen to if you're feeling down, and I recommend a walk in the park afterward to complete the sensation!




5. Paul Kelly has put out many fantastic recordings but this live CD has an appeal all it's own. Many of the older songs feature new arrangements and surprises. The intimate audience adds flavor to this performance and begs the question...."Why is Paul Kelly unknown?!?!"

2 comments about Live: In the Red.

1. Y'know how good, raw, and live rock records are hard to come by? Look no further! Great performance, great historical value, great cover photo by Michael Lavine and design by Art Chantry...what more could you want?

   Okay, maybe better sound quality. For an official live record recorded in the late eighties and released in the mid-nineties, this *could* be a bit better. I mean, gain, Pussy Galore was never a band that was known for sounding especially hi-fi, and of course there's no bass player, but hey, you just can't make out Bob Bert's great drumming all the time, and that's a ... shame, because as you may know from the later studio recordings, it's interesting stuff to hear. Why? Oh, let's see...found objects in his kit, I'd say! A gas tank, a shock absorber spring, a custom-made metal snare...you get the idea. Since the guitars take up so much of the upper frequencies, you can't hear all the great, piercing bashes and clanks that punctuate Bert's work in PG.

   But, that aside...this is a ... album. They start off with a RIPPING, INSANE cover of The Twilighter's "Nothing Can Bring Me Down". Never heard of it? Look around for an .mp3, it's pretty good in its own right. But this is a deadly arrangement...most especially the ascending/descending riff in the chorus. You'll know what I mean when you hear it. From there, it's largely a retrospective of PG's best. A lot of songs which were laughable scuzz-fuzz tracks in the studio are raw and hard hitting here..."Kill Yourself" and "Alright" couldn't be better. "Sweet Little Hi-Fi" and "Dick Johnson", while both great in the studio takes, are still great here but in a different way...in fact, that's how a lot of this breaks down. It's their *last* show, so it only makes sense that a song like "Kicked Out", originally preceded with a long intro, is a basic rock and roll song, but WHAT a rock and roll song! Same for "Understand Me", which has a quicker tempo and is all the more brutal for it. See, what's happened by this point is that Jon Spencer's learned how to sing, Neil Hagerty AND Kurt Wolfe are dividing up the guitar duties (with Spencer occasionally punctating things), and Bob Bert...well, he just ... like he always does. The ... has been cut through and it's nothing but insane, crazy, too loud rock and roll. If there's one rock live album you GOTTA have, it's Metallic KO by the Stooges, but if there's another one, get this. ... it even ends with Hagerty smashing his guitar, and let me just say, what a wonderfully disgusting sound it is. Get it!




2. Live: In the Red is a work of unquestionable genius. It pulls off the tricky feat of actually being a good rock 'n roll live album. I heard Skynryd has one, and that it sucks. All the hits are here, from "Kill Yourself" to "Dick Johnson", alive and mean and undead, ready to rip your silly little lungs out. Buy it now. Kid Rock beware!

No comments about Metallic F.O.: Live at CBGBs.