5 comments about Bursting Out: Jethro Tull Live.

1. Consider this a must buy for Tull fans. 'Bursting Out' is a brilliant collection of the best of the European 1978 tour featuring the lineup that would leave a lasting impression, John Glascock, Barriemore Barlow, Martin Barre, John Evan, David Palmer, and of course our good friend Ian Anderson. From the enthusiastic introduction by Claude Nobs, to the Aqualung reprise at the end of 'The Dambusters March' the listener is treated to the very best of live Tull, there really isn't a weak moment on this album, it's all good. I've been adding albums to my Tull collection, and really added this one without alot of thought, but after buying it I'm excited to have it, and can strongly recommend it to all Tull fans. 5 stars.



2. English prog rockers Jethro Tull's double live album Bursting Out was released in September of 1978.
   The Bursting Out album was recorded on the band's 1978 European tour in support of their excellent but underrated album Heavy Horses. This album captures the lineup of lead singer/songwriter and flute player Ian Anderson, guitarist Martin Barre, keyboard player John Evan, drummer Barriemore Barlow, orchestrator/keyboard player David Palmer (now known as Dee Palmer) and bass player the late John Glascock at the top of their game.
   We begin with Introduction By Claude Nobs who was one of the top music promoters in Europe. We follow with a stellar intro which gives way to a rocking version of the Heavy Horses album track "No Lullaby" which is a superb version. We follow with "Sweet Dream" which rocks alot harder than the studio version. We then have an acoustic portion starting with an excellent reading of "Skating Away On The Thin Ice". Next is an excellent version of "Jack In The Green" which is always one of my favorite Tull tunes. We then end the acoustic set with another track from the Heavy Horses effort being "One Brown Mouse".
   The second side of the album start with an excellent version of "A New Day Yesterday" which has a harder edge than the studio version. Next we get to hear Ian's impressive flute playing on "Flute Solo/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Bouree" and proves why he is rock's greatest flute player. We then have a short but powerful version of "Songs From The Wood". We end the first disc of this stellar two disc album with an excellent but condensed version of "Thick As A Brick". This version rivals the live version from Madison Square Garden found on the TaaB remastered CD from 1998.
   The album's second disc and third side starts with an Introduction By Ian Anderson which then goes into a powerful version of the Songs From the Wood album cut "Hunting Girl" which is a killer rocker. Next is an excellent version of the title cut to 1976's Too Old To Rock and Roll To Young to Die. Next is the instrumental called "Conundrum" which is the drum solo spot from virtuoso drummer Barlow proving why Barriemore is an excellent drummer and Martin Barre's riff here showed why he is a great, yet underrated, guitarist. The title cut to 1975's Minstrel In The Gallery is next and is a great version.
   The album's last quarter begins with an excellent and heavy version of "Cross Eyed Mary". Next is another exclusive instrumental "Quatrain" which is driven by a killer riff by Barre. We then follow with a killer version of the title track to 1971's Aqualung and is the best version I ever heard though the version from the 1981 video Slipstream (which is a bonus DVD on the remastered re-issue of 1980's A album/CD). Next is a great version of another classic "Locomotive Breath" which just rocks. We end with "The Dambusters March" which gives way into an instrumental which rocks and a reprise of Aqualung to end the album.
   Bursting Out upon release reached the US Top 20 and went Gold immediately and rightfully so as this live album just kicks arse beginning to end.
   The original US 1990s CD release wrongfully and inexplicably deleted Sweet Dream, Conundrum and Quatrain and much of the stage bantering to fit the album on one CD but this remastered 2-CD set released in 2004 restores the full album to its full length and how one first heard it when they either owned the LP or cassette or 8-track cartridge issue. If you want one live Tull album in your collection, Bursting Out is where to go for the best live Tull performance available.
   HUGELY RECOMMENDED!



3. Good to see this has been remastered and given a proper reissue.
   
   I actually have the original one-disc release of this CD, which I originally got to replace my LP. On that edition, not only were a few songs dropped to keep it down to one disc (an all-too-common practice back in the day), but the edits were *utterly* artless. There are literally jarring jump cuts between some of the tracks.
   
   I hope it was also remixed so that the double-tracking Anderson did with his vocals is a little less obvious. I mean, just how did he manage to sing harmony AND lead at the same time in concert? And hey, while I'm at it, did they restore Anderson's naughty words during his witty repartee? Mine were actually bleeped. BLEEPED! HAH!
   
   But I digress. If you are a Tull fan, of course you need this release... Probably already have it... and are reading this review to find something to take issue with.
   
   If you are a new Tull fan, you should have this set, as opposed to any of the countless budget comps out there. It really is a classic lineup and a representative sample of their classic music.
   
   Casual Tull fans, however, will not find much here in the minor live variations to recommend above the studio efforts (sit down, Tullhead, I'm talking to the casual fan). You'd probably be happier with "Living In The Past."
   
   I consider myself a Tull fan -- but apparently not a rabid one -- Since I myself am still trying to decide whether I should bother to shell out for a THIRD TIME for this release. Maybe I'll wait for a 24-carat gold edition with extra tracks and a bonus limited edition weather balloon.



4. I first bought this record in 1978. Great recording, stellar performances by the best line up, in my opinion, that Ian Anderson had ever put together. This CD has the best mix of acoustic and electric arrangements, clearly demonstrating the excellent musicianship of the band members. This CD has been digitally remastered, and it sounds great! I highly recommend this CD for all Tull fans, young and old. Its hard to believe this was recorded about 30 years ago!!! Enjoy a glimps into the dim and distant past...Jethro Tull ROCKS!!!



5. If you are a Tull fan, I completely recommend this album. I have been a fan for 20 years, and owned this originally on album and 8-track. There was an earlier release of this in CD, but poorly mastered. This version is GOOD. I have loved it. It is the entire double-album, nothing editing from the 70s first release.

5 comments about Space Ritual.

1. I've been working my way backwards through the Hawkwind collection after stumbling across the Greasy Truckers re-issue and being blown away by that muscular performance from 1972. I bought the 1999 disc after belatedly realising that it wasn't recorded ten years ago, but found it 'lite' with one or two exceptions [such as The Watcher]. I had avoided this [Space Ritual] because of the drippy cover but eventually it was time [or on sale]. It is very good. I'm particularly impressed by Lemmy's highly inventive bass playing and his interplay with Dave Brock's guitar playing. All in all, this has to be the standard against which all the other legit albums are measured. Where next....?



2. This Hawkwind album does something I never even knew the band attempted- jamming out, in a jazzy style, while some punk-ish guitars are playing in the background. What a great idea, not to mention an innovative one if we keep in mind the time this album was created.
   
   Now, here's another interesting thing- the band not only blended these jazzy ideas with punk and hard rock elements, but they somehow came up with this genius idea to give the entire thing a space rock edge, which just blows my mind that a band who already shocked the heck out of me with their amount of creativity managed to pull something MORE out of their magical hat.
   
   So yeah, Hawkwind rules, and Space Ritual is exactly the right album by them you need to own. Some people may get sick of the sound and style the band had going after a while, but to me, it just gets better and better.



3. 3 1/2
   
   Expectedly satisfying in equal parts space and sludge, this live disc remains a sturdy time-capsuled recording but musically does not exceed expectations. It's all slightly amateurish and rather monotone in a garage-stoner sort of way, though arguably the best example of that, especially back then. It's great stuff to invest in when starting out in alternative classic heavy rock; people who argue Hawkwind's influence may as important as Sabbath's have every right to do so....many of the tunes just get a little old and repetitious over time.



4. This is the live album from the tour which Hawkwind funded from the profits of their top 3 hit 'Silver Machine' in 1972. There are god knows how many versions of this album, and IMHO they all sound pretty much the same, so go for the one with the most tracks.
   
   This is often called Hawkwind's best album. Is it?
   
   Well, it's hard to say. How can you compare this ballcrushing, chaotic, anarchic noise, poetry, sax squonks and synth wobblings with something like the hilarious, precise and shiny 'Quark Strangeness and Charm' (1977)? IMHO they are as good as each other. This is just the best of Hawkwind at a particular point in time.
   
   That point was shortly after they'd added the monster rythm section of Lemmy (later of Motorhead) and Simon King (one of the most underrated and instinctual rock drummers ever), cranked up the volume to horrific levels, and committed the brilliant Robert Calvert to vinyl for the first time (he would later become the driving force of the band).
   
   Basically, 'Space Ritual' is a unique, thunderous, ambient, totally mad document. Stoned poems alternate with blasting heavy metal space rock (and when we're talking 'Space Rock', Hawkwind are the true gods of the genre. How can you beat lines like 'Space is deep, it is so endless'?)
   
   It's a shame the CD doesn't include a live show, with the nude dancer Stacia, and the amazingly wasted Dik Mik and Lemmy, who admitted that during the the recording of 'Silver Machine' he had to be propped up by roadies and told which direction the audience was in.
   
   Above all, regardless of the style of the music, this is a document of a band who were utterly devoted to their music and audience, without a care for commercial success. The true 'people's band'. If the offer still exists of buying this along with 'Hall of the Mountain Grill' (their next LP), buy it. You'll also get HotMG, which for my money is the best of their early studio LP's.
   
   To sum up: blistering, unique, amazing, but if you are after perfect musicianship and tightness, forget it. A classic. It just may not be your sort of classic.



5. 
   Someone else used the term "protopunk" and I think that might be a good way to describe this outwardly trippy, sci-fi themed band of many legends (and parodies). WARNING LONG JAMS, which is why they are often lumped with other progessive rock bands of the period. Swoopy cool dated analog synth with lots of reverb, great driving beats and songs wringing lots of stuff out of a very few chords, some effects and a wahwah pedal. It really makes sense when Lemmy's next band defined Speed Metal. Great musicianship throughout. Sometimes a band's live album becomes their defining moment - Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus, Be Bop Deluxe's "Live in the Air Age", and for myself, that is the case here. It is dated to be sure, but this still a great artifact of a band, and as good as anything they have ever done.

5 comments about Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969.

1. This is not "Bless Its Pointed Little Head," but I am so happy I purchased it. The recording is a mixed blessing - some songs are first rate an inspired and Jorma and Jack soar - inspired by their Hot Tuna collaboration. Very interesting to hear "Uncle Sam Blues (Live)" having owned it for years on the Hot Tuna live recording. The Other Side Of This Life (Live) is the best performance on the record and "Volunteers" and "Good Shepherd" are also solid. You Wear Your Dresses Too Short (Live) has vapid lyrics (what was Marty thinking), but there is a moment of frenzied perfection in it, so I will not delete it from my iPod. Four and a quarter stars. School of Rock album, honestly.



2. We found It to be in very good condition and was very pleased with the transaction. My grandoughter made this purchase as we both use the Account.
   thank you bev nichols and brandy cooper



3. Having always been a huge fan of Bless It's Pointed Little Head, I've been disappointed again and again by other live Airplane releases. Thirty Seconds has its moments but, well, the Airplane was dying a slow death, and it's for that reason that I haven't bought Last Flight. Then there are the various Monterey releases, which are good but marred by off-key vocals, and then there was that truly awful Fillmore compilation a while ago. This one, though, has it all, with incredible versions of Good Shepherd, Pooneil, and Other Side. Yes, there's a bit of embarrassing stuff--Marty on "Dresses", though the jam behind him isn't bad (which, actually, is a preview of later Airplane, with Jorma and Jack jamming away, apparently oblivious to the lame material they're playing behind. Or perhaps they were all too aware, hence Jorma's "my body's getting tired from carrying others' loads"). In addition, 3/5 and Plastic Fantastic pale compared to the Pointed Little Head versions, and Jorma's blues tunes make me want to listen to Hot Tuna instead. Take those out, however, and you've go an album of around the same length as Bless Its Pointed Little Head (no, I haven't actually counted the minutes) and arguably as good or better.



4. What an incredible disappointment this disc is! With each new Airplane "live" release I anticipate the sister album to "Bless its Pointed Little Head," one of the greatest concert albums of that era, alas it is not to be, sadly again. Which I don't understand, because as a devoted fan of the Jefferson Airplane I firmly believe there has to be more seminal "live" material of the perfected quality heard on "Pointed Head" locked away in an RCA vault somewhere in California.
   
   I know, because I (sort of) clearly remember hearing the Airplane play one of the greatest concerts I ever attended in the gymnasium of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia on about, Nov. 25, 1969, a few days before these New York recordings were made. I am still naïve enough at 54 to purchase this CD thinking this would capture "my J.A. concert" and I was going to trip back in time to a magical night in Philly when the Jefferson Airplane were soaring in full flight, instead I get this bummer of a crash landing.
   
   Part of what made the U. Penn. Concert so memorable was the song selection from the Airplane catalog,, gems like "If You Feel", "Young Girl Sunday Blues", "Triad" and "Lather" as well as the (then) new stuff, "We Can Be Together" and "Hey Frederick". None of which appear on this cd, consisting of a tired rehash of songs that are better performed elsewhere. The songs on "Sweeping Up The Spotlight" (you know they have lost control of their music with such a lame title) sound rushed, as if they are very nervous (doubtful) or hopped up on too much speed (more likely). The exception is a bad version of "Good Shepard" that is so lethargic (with Jorma singing like he is in the john) it begs to be put out of it's seven minute misery. Two other mediocre time wasters are tepid renditions of "Uncle Sam's Blues" and "You Wear Your Dresses Too Short". The later was supposedly written for Otis Redding before he passed, and was wisely turned down by other soul music greats. Though Areatha Franklin did a version of "Come Back Baby" written by that famous guy, Traditional, that leaves Jorma's arrangement staring into the punchbowl at the Kool-Aid Acid Test.
   
   So what is good about this recording? Jack Cassady saves the day with a bass solo in the middle of "The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil" that will make you stop what you are doing and lose track of time--he is a master. They all are, which is what made the Jefferson Airplane so great. But it deepens the sorrow of their passing into music history when decidedly less-than stellar efforts are released and offered up as part of that history.



5. There seems to no middle ground on live Jefferson Airplane cd's. I've loved this band for 40 years but this material sounds perfunctory and uninspired to me. I think "Live at The Fillmore East" is their best concert cd, followed by "Live at Monterey." I also dislike "BIPLH."

5 comments about MTV Unplugged.

1. 1st things 1st..In the Past MTV Uplugged has brought in the best musicians and combined them with there own flavor..Bryan Adams has proved himself as a creative musician by putting a new kick to his songs. What I realli love about this Unplugged is that bryan didn't sing all of his hits. "Summer of 69", "Heaven", "Cuts like a Knife".were the popular songs there. The other songs were from his other cd's..There was one song that I can remember that he wrote specificly for unplugged and that was "I'm Ready"..what a song..so even if your not a bryan adams fan..but a mtv Unplugged fan..I say get this on DVD and CD..the instrumental are terrific..so i hope u all like my review



2. I'm a big Bryan Adams fan, but this is the first time I've bought his music. None of the songs I knew were on this CD, but I like just about everything.



3. I am please with this cd, it offers a different sound of many very well known songs, Bryan Adams and friends offer a top notch perfermance.
   The sound is very good and the choice of track is perfect for this kind of performance, it helps us discover a different side of Bryan Adams.



4. Acoustically, this is a gorgeous album. I didn't think it was possible, but it is. "When You Love Someone" is my most favorite song from Bryan Adams and the only one I have ever actually purchased. I love that song because I have lived the lyrics far too many times, and keep hoping that one day I will "learn to do things better." But at least, after hearing Brian's take on "when you love someone" I realize that I'm not the "only one out there" (stupid or not). For that I am eternally gratefully and forever in his debt!
   
   
   [ BRYAN ADAMS Lyrics ]
   
   "When you love someone"
   
   When you love someone - you'll do anything
   you'll do all the crazy things that you can't explain
   you'll shoot the moon - put out the sun
   when you love someone
   
   you'll deny the truth - believe a lie
   there'll be times that you'll believe you can really fly
   but your lonely nights - have just begun
   when you love someone
   
   when you love someone - you'll feel it deep inside
   and nothin else can ever change your mind
   when you want someone - when you need someone
   when you need someone...
   
   when you love someone - you'll sacrifice
   you'd give it everything you got and you won't think twice
   you'd risk it all - no matter what may come
   when you love someone
   you'll shoot the moon - put out the sun
   when you love someone



5. I enjoy high end home audio, so while auditioning a set of $20k+ speakers the owner of the store popped in this CD. I'm super familiar with Adams and have heard him on great systems in the past, BUT this particular CD has some exceptional tracks in terms of separation, imaging and soundstage that are extremely uncommon on live recordings.
   
   Even though I'm not a big fan of Brian Adams this cd has some "high end" qualities that I couldn't pass up, I had to buy it!
   One of the best recordings of "Heaven" that I've heard.

5 comments about Captured Live at the Forum.

1. By 1969, Three Dog Night {along with Creedence Clearwater Revival} were the kings of the pop charts in America. This record is a document of one of their live shows from late 1968. And it is one of the best live recordings we have of a working rock band of that fantastic decade, the sixties.
   
   With frontmen Danny Hutton, Cory Wells and Chuck Negron, these three vocalists were about the finest of their day. But the band of players that included drummer: Floyd Sneed, guitarist: Mike Allsup, bass player: Joe Schermie, and keyboard wiz-kid: Jimmy Greenspoon, really shine on this record. The Dogs had a really great rock band that held it's own along side anyone else on the stages of the 1960's.
   
   Three Dog Night, knew which songs to pick and present in the: "Dog Fashion" of Rock/R & B/Funky style that would bring them millions of fans and tons of million selling singles and albums worldwide. All of the members of this group already had years of experience in the Music Business as Producers/Arrangers and Performers. On this record at the Los Angeles Forum, in front of thousands of fans, Three Dog Night, delivered the Show.
   
   With two songs from Traffic: {"Heaven Is In Your Mind" & "Feelin' Alright"} to open the show, The Dogs do indeed prove they are just as cool as the British Bands of the day, as these versions are really nice. "Chest Fever" from The Band, features a great opening solo from the organ of Jimmy Greenspoon that really rocks. "Eli's Coming" is a few notches above it's studio cousin as a classic 60's rock song. "Easy To Be Hard" throws out the slow soul style of ballads that this group could perform in their sleep. This record contains some great music that is performed even greater. These guys knew how to ENTERTAIN, in the American tradition of Frank or Bing or Elvis, Three Dog Night loved the Stage.
   
   
   The Band's big number: "Try A Little Tenderness" is the record's closing number, and it builds and builds, and explodes as the finale. All the fans inside The Forum are happy and the screams prove it all through this recording. Three Dog Night, was never considered as cool as Jimi or The Cream, but they were just as great.
   Capture this.
   Four Stars!!!



2. I had this on vinyl back in the day. Great group album.
   The other 3DG I have is a greatest hits and is mostly the pop stuff from a 3 singer group.
   This album from early in their career they sound more like a boogie band with 8 members.
   Yes there are a few hits here, but so much more ( just listen to Chest Fever ).



3. Alot of energy from the group *and* from the audience. The young ladies' joyous squeals in the near-silent intros. to "Eli's Comin'" and the incredible closer "Try A Little Tenderness" bring this ol' rock & souler back to a different time - it was late 1969 and R & R was going back to basics - 4 or 5 guys playing their brains out - playing stuff for Top 40 *and* FM! And Three Dog Night actually had....talent. Taking nothing away from those big, horn-driven, jazz-inflected groups like B, S, & T and Chicago and Chase, the new era had TDN and CCR...and you name 'em. (Where's Casey Kasem?.........).
   Back around '68 a High School classmate enthused over this great group doing "Try A Little Tenderness". Never heard of the group or the song. Well, the great *live* rendition is here, the best track on the album. The pandemonium has built to a point of impossible tension tempered with artistic control.
   Problem is...now go easy on me....I still don't know who's singin'? Chuck?
   No liners with that kind of detail. Another issue is that the CD does not sound "clean" - sounds like it was drawn from vinyl. Bass is still prominent but has a stereo to mono sound. (Gotta listen on the phones to confirm that, though).
   This album-to-CD is a little more about the live experience (in 1969) than about great live "versions*.
   Note that not all the l. p. graphics made it over to CD. Including the photo of that California girl in the front row. jk.



4. I have the LP and I also bought the CD of this concert. It is great fun to listen to this band. The part that is hard to believe is that Three Dog Night was the warm up act for Steppenwolf this night. To me "Chest Fever" is my favorite song of the show which features the whole band and shows how good Three Dog night really was. By the way Three Dog Night made alot of great LP's with with alot of hits and very little filler.



5. This Three Dog Night album is interesting for a couple reasons. One, it shows the world that the band was more than just a vocal harmony band, and two, only one song featured here is played on the radio anymore ("One").
   
   If you grew up listening to this band and expect to hear unique vocal harmonies, think again. While the vocals here are definitely good, it seems to me Three Dog Night wanted to prove that they could also stand tall with all the hard rock bands around at the time. "Nobody" and "Chest Fever" proves this for example. Songs that can rock convincingly.
   
   "Heaven Is In Your Mind" is another great song, and a fantastic way to open this set. I don't know if I'd prefer this version over Traffic's, but you know, the Traffic version sounds pretty old, while the boys in Three Dog Night give the song an updated sound with plenty of energy. Check out that guitar solo in the middle. In fact, check out the guitar work throughout the entire album. Yes that's right- there's PLENTY of guitar on this album (for all you people out there who might think the band was too weak to hang with the big boys, like Zeppelin and Sabbath- think again!)
   
   This version of "Feeling Alright" is quite good too. Again, it's about rocking out with some funk thrown in for good measure. This version is probably just as good as Grand Funk's. Joe Cocker's version can go... in the back of the closet.
   
   For those missing some of Three Dog Night's softer and prettier numbers, "Easy to be Hard" might fit the bill. It's a shame most people will probably write off Three Dog Night without giving some of their albums a chance. That is, most people who grow up today, under the assumption that Three Dog Night was all about old and dated vocal harmonies. Wrong! Pick this album up for proof of that.

5 comments about Last Exit.

1. I am a devoted Traffic fan and my love for their incredible music seems to grow stronger as time goes on. I saw the original Traffic trio perform in 1968 and still count it as one of the greatest of my live concert experiences ever. I have devoured all of the fantastic Traffic Remasters previously and Last Exit sounds as good or better than the others. I cranked up Shanghai in my car and was completely blown away by the perfection of writing, playing, singing and sound of this masterpiece. I wish there was more "hidden treasure" Traffic in the vault for future release but the fact that there probably isnt only makes the available jewels even that more precious.



2. As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.
   
   The record company's decision to release "Last Exit" a collection of previously unearthed Traffic studio and live tunes turned out to be an unexpected gift for all degrees of fans.
   
   The collector that must have every note could never be disappointed with the assortment of sounds that seem all over the globe and cohesive at the same time. Those that are somewhat into the band or looking for songs they heard on the radio will be happy with the inclusion of Shanghai Noodle Factory and Medicated Goo.
   
   The album opens with a wonderful bit of psychedelia called "Just For You." The vocals pay homage to the fantastic British Invasion sound circa 64-67.
   
   Shanghai Noodle Factory is one of the finest tunes that the band would leave us. Complex and catchy at the same time. There is a certain intensity in the delivery by Steve Winwood.
   
   Something's Got A Hold Of My Toe lets the music do the talking. A clever riff and perfect improvisation makes this worthy of a repeat listen.
   
   Withering Tree has Winwood using the vocal style that would be synonymous with Blind Faith. The words come from the heart and the instrumentation provides the perfect backdrop.
   
   Medicated Goo complete with a bit of funk and lyrics that remain with you was a Album Rock radio song for numerous years (Well deserved).
   
   Taking a page from Cream's playbook the record company mixed live and studio tracks for our pleasure. Recording at the Fillmore West in San Francisco you can feel part of the festivities with Feelin' Good and Blind Man. An opportunity to understand Traffic's gift to shine in and out of the recording studio.
   
   If you missed the exit the first time around the present is as good as any to make up for lost time.
   
   Enjoy the music and be well,
   Craig Fenton
   Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"



3. Dispite some of the negitive press it gets for being thrown together by the record company, this is actually pretty good. The opening song hasn't aged well but everything else is pretty great.Shanghai Noodle Factory, Withering Tree and Medicated Goo shows Traffic as about as good as they get. Now about the live performances, these get ragged on quite a bit, however the new remastered version they've never sounded cleaner. The quality stems for how they were recorded-basic 2 track with no being able to fix it in the mix. The performances are all top notch and of songs that are not currently available elsewhere. Sure I wish Chris Wood was louder in the mix and Stevie Winwood's organ wasn't turned up quite so loud. Feelin' Good is wonderful and full of emotion. Blind Man shows how great they were at taking a blues tune and turning it into something special. You'd never guess that they didn't write these two tunes.



4. Let's begin at the beginning. Steve Winwood is a total talent and a prodigy. You can rate him as a composer, bandleader, musical innovator, guitarist, organist, and especially singer and he comes out on top in every category. In rock that's almost unknown. This blather about Traffic's second album being their best because of the dynamic tension between Dave Mason and Winwood is eyewash. Mason is a folky annoyance.
   
   When Winwood, still a teen back then, stepped up with Spencer Davis it was clear there was a new sheriff in town. The first Traffic album is amazing. When Last Exit came out, the third, nobody knew it wasn't their last. What about the complaints that Last Exit is a dog's breakfast, odds and ends tossed together? So what? On the LP, one side was live, the other was studio. Big deal, not exactly uncommon.
   
   Now, the songs. Just For You - throwaway fluff from Dave Mason, fortunately the only one of the disk. Shanghai Noodle Factory - excellent funk, great to sing along, love those lyrics. Something's Got A Hold Of My Toe - this is the one every reviewer gets wrong. Rather than being some random snippet of tape lying around the studio it is 2:14 of driving rock guitar and back beat that really doesn't let go of your toe. Withering Tree - classic Winwood doing pretty as only he can. Medicated Goo - man, if you can't feel this one in your funky sneakers somebody gave you a soul-ectomy.
   
   Then the big finish, Feelin' Good and Blind Man, 18-minutes of Traffic live at the Fillmore West. Sound quality is admittedly low but this shortcoming is vastly overshadowed by the performance, absolutely the best live Traffic ever. What Winwood does to Feelin' Good is simply beyond belief, he turns it inside out and puts a brand on it. As to Blind Man, that's the blues, big, bad, and beautiful. Just a fantastic CD. That's it from the Traffic-copter, now back to the studio.



5. Traffic's third album, "Last Exit," was originally intended to be the group's final album (hence the title), as Traffic leaders Dave Mason & Steve Winwood were splitting up over creative differences at the time, and because of it, both men decided to put Traffic out to pasture. Thankfully, this did not happen, as Winwood, flautist/saxophonist Chris Wood and drummer Jim Capaldi unexpectedly revived Traffic with their 1970 classic, "John Barleycorn Must Die" (but that's another review). In the meantime, "Last Exit" is a great odds-and-sods Traffic album, containing several rare singles like the lighthearted "Shanghai Noodle Factory" and the groovy "Medicated Goo," and a pair of barnburning, jamming live tracks (recorded at the Fillmore West) in the form of "Feelin' Good" and "Blind Man." "Last Exit" is an excellent album that no Traffic fan should do without.

5 comments about Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live.

1. i was one of the few lucky enough to be at the fisrt long island show on feb 24 1980.not that i had a ticket. all the money i had(about300.00)could'nt get me a ticket. luckily,myself and 9 others paid a ticket taker $25 apiece to slip us threw without a ticket.10 minutes before showtime.those were the days.absolute classic recording.thanks again mr. ticket taker 28 years later.



2. This is as far as I know the last live recording that the original members of Pink Floyd did. It is an awesome concert of their smash album "The Wall". Excellent recording Love it!!



3. Can it be 28 years ago that I saw The Wall live? Wow. Time flies, and while I'm sure many of the details have been lost to my memory, the impact of this show will remain with me all my life.
   
   I've never been a rabid Pink Floyd fan like some. I have most of their albums and appreciate their work, but I would never have planned to see them live if my college roommate hadn't made the effort to get tickets. I'll always be grateful for that, because I feel like I'm one of a select few on the planet who witnessed what has to be the most amazing multi media extravaganza ever. I know that the Berlin version of this was even bigger, but was essentially a mishmash of artists (more like a pageant than a self-contained performance) and, frankly, without David Gilmour's pristine vocals and weeping guitar, it's just not the same. And I also understand that the Berlin show was fraught with technical problems that weren't present in the flawless version I saw, which I believe was the very first show they did in L.A.
   
   This live recording is absolutely fantastic, and highly recommended. I've always found the original album to be fairly suffocating, especially in the later stages, but the live sound version gives the music some space and breathing room, and contains the patented technical mastery that PF is known for.
   
   The musical virtuosity of this band was really amazing, and it's definitely on display on this CD. I remember being incredibly impressed by the fidelity of the sound system at the time. During the "One Of My Turns" sequence when the groupie enters the room, all the lights were out, and it was like you were actually in a hotel suite. To some extent that quality is preserved here--but I certainly don't have a sound system to equal Pink FLoyd's. I was also impressed with the lighting rigs, which moved around the stage to accommodate where the performers were behind the ever-smaller holes in the wall.
   
   It's just a tragedy that there's no film record of this show (at least one that's been released). The thing that's missing on CD is the constantly surprising, jaw-dropping visual inventiveness that accompanied the music. A crashing airplane, giant puppets, a flying pig, brilliant animated sequences. All that and a wall which throughout the first half grew brick by brick, creating a sense of tension that fed into the narrative and made you wonder--would they ever finish it in time? And how could the band behind the wall could continue with the show? And then the wall itself became a screen for Gerald Scarfe's mind-altering animation and also, incredibly, opened up to reveal a hotel room stage.
   
   The band seemed to have spared no expense on this show, and that a complete film record is virtually lost forever is a great tragedy, but I'm so glad I have my memories, and now the live recording allows me to relive that incredible experience. I think this CD will be my preferred version of The Wall now.



4. Pink Floyd's Is There Anybody Out There?: The Wall Live was released in April of 2000.
   The album was released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of The Wall. The album was originally slated for release in late 1999 but producer James Guthrie(who co-produced the original album) had to bake the master tapes to get the sticky glue off after sitting in storage for years. Also, the band had problems with their US record companies. The band had just inked a new deal with Capitol/EMI worldwide and were set to release but Columbia/Sony in the US and Canada were initially against the album but reluctantly agreed to release the album as the band's final album with Sony in the US and Canada after the band switched labels which were licensed the music(the band have the final say on what gets released and not released).
   Is There Anybody Out There? was recorded at London's Earls Court Arena during the band's performances of The Wall in August of 1980 and June of 1981, the shows were a bona fide spectacle. More than anything, Is There Anybody Out There? captures the volume, the bombast and the grandeur of these famed performances with remarkable accuracy.
   These performances are astonishingly faithful to the band's studio versions although the band does get to stretch out on In the Flesh(pt. 1), The Thin Ice, Another Brick in the Wall(pt.1), Another Brick in the Wall(pt. 2), Mother, Goodbye Blue Sky, Young Lust, Hey You, Comfortably Numb, The Show Must Go On, In the Flesh(pt.2), Run Like Hell and Outside the Wall with either extra guitar solos from David Gilmour showing why he is one of rock's greatest guitarists or extra keyboard solos from Rick Wright or extra verses or extended musical pieces.
   The other tracks Empty Spaces, One of My Turns, Don't Leave Me Now, Another Brick in the Wall(pt. 3), Is There Anybody Out There?, Nobody Home, Vera, Bring the Boys Back Home, Waiting For the Worms, Stop! and The Trial were arguably better than its stuido counterparts although remained faithful to them.
   Although they were kicked out in 1979 and 1982 respectively by Roger Waters due to his uncontrollable ego, co-founders keyboardist Rick Wright and drummer Nick Mason played better than on the studio version of The Wall, especially Rick whose Hammond Organ work buries that of its studio counterpart. Roger Waters didn't play much bass on this live album as he perfectly recreated the role of Pink and left Andy Bown to play bass in his place. David Gilmour's musical arrangements and guitar and vocals were superb as well.
   Run Like Hell is classic with Roger Waters' classic intro.
   This live Wall album also includes two unreleased tracks. What Shall We Do Now was left off the original release due to space constraints and The Last Few Bricks was a reprise of Happiest Days, Young Lust and Empty Spaces as an instrumental for wall builders to catch up to the band.
   Also, Storm Thorgerson's artwork of the four Floyd member face masks is striking and the booklets have recollections from the four Floyd members plus road crew and stage designers with some cool pictures.
   This live album did well for a from the vault release hitting #19 on the album charts and #1 on the Internet Album Sales chart and went Platinum in a month of its release. This live album has zero overdubs and is one of the best live albums I ever heard next to Pink Floyd's Pulse, Led Zeppelin's How the West Was Won or The Song Remains the Same 2007 re-issue, Rush's Rush in Rio, Queen's Queen Rock Montreal, The Who's Live at Leeds, Genesis' Seconds Out and Supertramp's Paris among many others.
   In July of 2005, the album was re-released with digitally remastered sound and the booklet has some updates in songwriting info and mastering info.
   Highly recommended!



5. Why the hell did Pink Floyd decide to release this live document of one of rock 'n' roll's greatest records in the year 2000? Couldn't they have released this back in 1982 for some reason? Anyway an excellent live performance of The Wall as it was originally done back in 1980-81. This is the third live release by the band and it rocks from start to finish although nothing compares to the original 1979 double album.

5 comments about Here and There.

1. Elton and company first put out the "contractual obligation" version to help fulfill recording requirements in 1976. "Here and There," pulled from a show in London and one in New York two years earlier, was just a single LP back then, though the songs included were pretty choice, even with limited side space available.
   In the later 90s, the album's (and Elton's) original producer, Gus Dudgeon, remixed and expanded the album for CD, adding a ton of extra songs from both shows. Added were, among other things, the John Lennon tracks from New York that were sadly his last concert performances. On a more positive note, if these were to be the former Beatle's last stage recordings, they're at least a worthy part of Lennon's (and Elton's) great musical legacy on their sheer power and charisma alone. They certainly left an impression on Elton, who still cites that show as his greatest concert memory of all time.
   As much a band album as a vehicle for Elton, all the musicians get superior treatment in the new mixes and were on fire during these shows, easy to see why they were picked for release. Some of the versions of Elton standbys are wonderful variations..."Honky Cat," "Love Song," both versions of "Take Me To The Pilot" and "Your Song," "Bad Side of The Moon" all take on a life of their own live.
   Both discs have their own atmosphere - a little more showy on Disc 1 in London, a little more straight up rock 'n roll on Disc 2 in New York, but put them together and you get a great snaphshot of Elton's range, esp. during his mid-70s heyday.



2. Este Album Doble es una verdadera Obra Maestra de Sir. Elton John quien es uno de los mas prolificos artistas que ha tenido y tiene los generos rock y pop. Cada vez que lo escucho me agrada mucho mas. Lo recomiendo como un Disco de Coleccion por el inigualable talento musical que contiene.



3. This is a great double CD set featuring two concerts from when Elton was at the eight of his fame. Both shows are good. If you enjoy Elton alone with just a Piano you may prefer the London concert as he does start this solo.
   the London concert is a little more formal, because of the precense of royalty but in most respects is just as good as the US concert. The difference with the US concert is the famous last ever stage performance by John Lennon. This makes the US concert of considerable historical interest. These are both superb shows and with the extra tracks now make this the best live audio recording of Elton John you can buy.
   
   The reason I have said nearly perfect is because if you listened to these concerts on vinyl for as long as I did, you will notice that in the remastering process, Gus Dudgeon has managed to digitally remove certain sounds. So for example at the beginning of Funeral for a Friend when a girl in the audience screams "Elton" this has now gone. In the sleeve notes we are advised that Gus has managed to fix the occasional musical mistakes.... Why!! It was there on the night and was an integral part of the recording and the atmosphere. Its a minor quibble but live is live as far as I'm concerned.



4. Includes John Lennon's last live concert performance. A must for all Beatlemaniacs! Elton is also pretty good.



5. Originally a single disc album with ten songs, "Here and There" was a contractual obligation album that Elton disavowed. But in 1996, as part of the ambitious "Classic Years" remastering project, "Here and There" was given a deluxe redo, expanding the album to a pair of CD's, over two hours of music and the classic New York appearance on John Lennon with Elton for three songs. This is also now a terrific document of the extravagance and sheer exuberance of Elton's mid-seventies concerts.
   
   
   
   The "Here" segment was a benefit Elton performed in 1974 at the request of Princess Margaret, and is the more reserved of the two shows. It is also an interesting show in that Elton dipped into his oldies and played the likes of "Skyline Pigeon" and "Love Song." The British respond with typical stiff-upper-lippedness...until "Crocodile Rock" comes along. They jump from their chairs at the last minute, for "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting." But for the most part, Elton leans hard on the piano based early tunes like "Border Song" and "Candle In The Wind."
   
   
   
   The reserve is totally blown off for the "There" concert, Thanksgiving in Madison Square Garden 1974. The crowd is already roaring by the time the opening graveyard wind whistling of "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" breaks into its meaty main verses, and hardly wanes from there. While John's voice is a little raw from the constant touring (you can hear his voice crack on "Rocket Man"), he's obviously having a blast. You also get a couple songs here that have long since been trimmed from the live shows, like "Grey Seal" and "You're So Static."
   
   
   
   Even with all that energy, when Elton introduces Lennon, you can almost feel the Garden shaking. Little did these folks know that they were witnessing history; Lennon never played in public again. As history records, Lennon accepted a dare from Elton that "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" would not hit number one on the pop charts. Likely because of Elton's popularity and his piano playing on the single, the record did top the charts, and Lennon made good on the deal. The reward for us now is that Elton and Lennon's version of "Whatever...," Lucy In The Sky In Diamonds" and a loose, raucous version of "I Saw Her Standing There" are preserved for posterity.
   
   
   
   The remastering is exquisite, and when you figure the sonic improvements along with the extra tracks AND the inclusion of the Lennon songs, "Here and There" is the best of Elton's live albums. For all the live albums that glutted the seventies, "Here and There" can now be counted among the best.

5 comments about Live Cream.

1. Not as strong as I had hoped it would be. A real disappointment. The band just doesn't sound tight or as inspired as on other live efforts.



2. N.S.U. ,Sleepy Time Time, Rollin and a Tumblin' and Sweet Wine are all from the debut Fresh Cream. This is what those 4 songs sound like on stage. The Cream's strength is live improvisation and this is their best live document hands down.
   Also included is the backing track of Strange Brew with different bluesy lyrics.



3. a big fan of clapton i just got around to buying this and was surprised how heavy it was. the first song reminded me of sid barrett floyd, and for the rest I thought of hendricks, sabbath, and song remains the same zepplin. very worth buying for clapton fans to see where he came from.



4. It came as expected. I was familiar with the album, and was a great old album. Prompt delivery, good condition, definitely okay.



5. While Cream released recorded three fantastic studio albums during their short career that spawned several classic rock staples, most notably the huge hit singles "White Room" and "Sunshine of Your Love", it was their live shows which brought them to another level. Quite simply, there has never been a more exciting live band than Cream was in the late-60's. What made them so exciting? It was a combination of things. First of all, bassist Jack Bruce, guitarist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker were among the best rock musicians to emerge during the late '60s. The second reason was the massive egos, particularly those of Bruce and Baker, which came with the territory of being masters of their craft. But the most important reason why Cream was so exciting was their live performances. They were the first as well as one of the very few bands that can take a 3-minute pop song and stretch it into a long jam without a wasted note. While some may call this indulgence, the beauty of Cream was the incredible interplay between the members. Live Cream, released in 1971, long after the band had broken up, shows the band at the height of their powers. While bands such as the Allman Brothers Band and the Grateful Dead would become legends in their own right due to their stellar live shows, neither possessed the raw energy and improvisation of Cream. The fact that their amazing sound was created by only three musicians made this even more impressive.
   
   Right from the first notes of "N.S.U.", the magic of their live show is in full force. Bruce's vocals are very enthusiastic and the long jam that follows is nothing short of amazing. With Baker providing the anchor, Clapton lays out a long solo which bounces between tasty lead work and relentless power chords. Bruce's bass playing matches the proceedings, whether he's providing fast runs or slower melodic work. The mid-tempo blues of "Sleepy Time Time", while not quite as electrifying, provides a showcase for Clapton's lead work while Bruce and Baker's playing remains busy while not abandoning the original theme. "Sweet Wine" is an awesome example of the band's interplay. Bruce's counter bass lines provide the perfect accompaniment for Clapton's solos. However, it is Baker's drumming which holds it all together, changing in mood throughout while Clapton and Bruce follow his lead. At over 15 minutes, there is not one boring moment to be heard. Their cover of the blues standard "Rollin' and Tumblin'" is awesome, as this time Clapton and Baker provide the backbone for Bruce's energetic harmonica playing. The album concludes with a studio version of "Lawdy Mama", which is basically "Strange Brew" with different lyrics. In conclusion, Live Cream is an excellent album that showcases one of the best live bands that have ever performed. Highly recommended.

5 comments about An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: 2nd Set.

1. I only listen to Elizabeth Reed and Jessica but that is 26 minutes of music, this is a great addition to any music fan's collection, they won a grammy for this I think, I don't see me ever giving this one up



2. Bad news first: "You Don't Love Me" is a disappointment, and a big one at that. I understand you can't expect a bunch of guys who are a combined twenty billion hundred million thousand whatever years old at that point to, in the immortal words of either Franz Kafka or George Clinton (not sure which one), "tear the roof off the sucker" like they used to do back in "the day" (no, not that day, the other day), but it's still kind of stoic and boring. Now, the good news: everything else is far better. Especially when the group just jams - "Back Where It All Begins", for instance, might even be better than the studio version. And you know how they always slightly vary "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" when they play it live? Well, here's it's all acoustic! And it's sweet! Especially when it comes to the soloing. Now, here's a proposal for a bill that should be signed into federal law: all bands must record and release at least one song with an acoustic guitar solo. Hey, I'd vote for it. Oh, and there's a bass solo! I mean, how cool is that? And "The Same Thing" has some fantastic heavy blues licks - it's about the heaviest the group has ever gotten, in fact. Their Bo Diddley tribute "Nobody to Run with" (one of the four songs from Where It All Begins, along with "Back Where It All Begins", "Soulshine" and "Sailin' 'Cross the Devil's Sea" - all three are awesome) is good fun, as it was on the studio version. And they save (arguably) the best for last with "Jessica", with some slight shifts in tempo that give it an epic feel, as well as the usual great guitars that this incarnation of the band has in spades. It won a Grammy, and I understand why. It might even be better than the classic original. But that's a tough call. Oh, and look for the "There Is a Mountain" quote. Think they were feeling nostalgic? This is by far the best of the two "Evening With" sets, though both are fantastic - it easily ranks up there with the classic live albums of yore.



3. An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band 2nd Set (1995) was recorded in 1994 at shows in Raleigh, NC and New Jersey's Garden State Arts Center. This was during the Back Where It All Begins period, and there are four songs from that album included here. The opening song, Sailin' Cross The Devil's Sea sounds great, a lot like the studio version, and features Gregg Allman's legendary blues growl. Gregg and Warren Haynes both shine on this inspired version of Warren's Soulshine. Dickey Betts' Latin-flavored and breezy Back Where It All Begins features a long guitar jam, where he and Warren trade interesting and enthusiastic solos. They also do a great job on No One To Run With. They dip into the At Fillmore East catalog with a very good version of You Don't Love Me, and while not as ambitious as the 20+ minute Fillmore East version, it is very good, and Dickey even flashes back to the earlier version by quoting his guitar solo from it. It's really an amusing and touching moment, and it sounds good, too. They also do a nice cover of another old blues song, The Same Thing. This recording of Jessica won the Allmans their first and only Grammy Award, and what a wonderful version of Jessica this is! With dual guitar harmonies and more bongo drums and percussion than the studio version, the song sounds almost completely different from the original, and stretches out over sixteen minutes. Even with all this, the real highlight on the album is the breathtaking unplugged version of In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! The newbies who think Dickey Betts is no more than a mediocre guitarist should listen to this, and then reconsider. Warren Haynes stays right up there with him. The two guitarist show what they can really do on acoustic guitars, and bassist Allen Woody shines, too. This is priceless, a real gem that no ABB fan would want to miss. Like the First Set, the 2nd Set was produced by music legend (and At Fillmore East producer), Tom Dowd, and the sound is exquisitely crisp and crystal clear. The clever packaging on both sets is almost identical, with the same cover photo, except the First Set is blue, the 2nd Set is red, and the photos inside and liner notes are different (the layout is the same). This was a good place in time for The Allman Brothers Band and their fans, and it really shows on An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band, First Set and 2nd Set. Don't miss out on em'!



4. This album and its companion first set prove that Warren Haynes of Government Mule was the best possible choice to take the Duane spot. Haynes shines all over this album, not in displaying his own style to the detriment of the great spirit of the Allmans but in synergizing with Betts and the rest of the group towards the greater goal of re-capturing the magical Allmans spirit.
   
   He channels the spirit so well, he gets the rest of the band to remember what they were all about and feel it that much better. And though he has chops to spare, not one note is overplayed. Solos sound sweet endlessly without boring the listener just like vintage Allman Bros. Listen and be amazed and hear Dickey Betts rise up to the challenge of Haynes and play like a revitalized man. The best performances? For me it would have to be "Back Where it All Begins" "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" (acoustic), "No One to Run With," "Jessica," "Melissa" (acoustic) and a 10 plus minute "Dreams."
   
   Let me tell you, I even gave these two live sets the ultimate test, I played them back-to-back with the "Fillmore East" album and not only does it hold its own but sometimes it's even preferable. It has the spirit of the Allman Brothers in spades and that's all that matters, that's all that ever mattered (the spirit was wandering out in the air before the Allmans somehow latched onto it in 1969 and it became forever known as the Allmans' spirit), it's a seamless flow in terms of spirit, from a song off these live sets to something from 1971 if you had it back to back on a compilation disc.
   
   Tom Dowd took a lot of care in recording these shows and they have great sound quality. Real old time, pure analog sound quality of sweet tones and instruments played well. No digital harshness or thin sounding digital instruments or crappy digital processing, everything you hear is fantastically analog and thick and things are balanced just right. This entire band is about tone and the recording does them justice.
   
   Also amazing is how well Gregg's voice has held up and how deeply he still feels these songs. I could never figure out how a 22 year old white kid could sound as soulful as he did in 1969 until I read in the "Midnight Riders" biography book that Gregg's best friend Floyd Miles was black and through this friendship he and Duane had been playing with black musicians in the black part of Daytona Beach since the early 1960s. They were known as 'those white boys who can play that funky music.'
   
   So make sure you get both these live sets, this and the one with the blue cover since both are excellent and essentially one long concert released as two. If any of you out there reading this are new to the Allman Brothers, you need get the "Laid Back" solo album by Gregg, one he made in 1973 right after Duane & Berry's death, it's a great one, his best. You also need to get the 2 Duane Allman compilations that include some of his work with Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett and others at the Muscle Shoals studios in Alabama, right before the forming of the Allman Brothers Band. And if you're also into the more jazzy and world-fusion side of things jam-band related check out "Mondo Garaj" by Garaj Mahal and "Cosmic Hug" by Fareed Haque group.



5. AN EVENING WITH THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND: 2ND SET is another great live album which proves that Warren Haynes truly deserves Duane's slide guitar throne. This time, there are more newer songs from the three studio reunions, especially WHERE IT ALL BEGINS, including the title track from that album, which convinces me that even though I've given up food-related alumni events at my old school in favor of being in shape for a number of pretty actresses, I can never truly deny the role that school activities, as well as the summers I spent at camp and on a teen tour, played in helping me achieve that goal. The fact that past and present members of the Allman Brothers Band believe that the young Australian tourist jailed in Indonesia on drug-smuggling charges was unjustly convicted makes this CD/cassette an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.