Editorial Review

There are a lot of diehard Pretenders boosters out there who'll warm to this unplugged hits set much faster than Read more

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Reviews (18)

CHRISSIEHYNDE5 STARPERFORMANCE
Love Chrissie's Sound, Style, Poetry you will absolutely love the work she has done here !
Bring on the revolution
Chrissie Hynde's bad attitude was always more refreshing than most - she has no patience for celebrity, no desire to sugarcoat her "message," barely even a desire to give anyone asking her a question the time of day.One of the great shocks of The Isle of View, then, is Hynde's vulnerability in full play.It's an acoustic set, but it's an coustic set of a particular bent - the guitar parts of old get morphed into string arrangements, and on occasion, the songs themselves morph in tone.The result is remarkable - it's not just a shift in tone during a song like "Back On The Chain Gang," it's a somber, moving refocusing of that song's true nature of loss and nostalgia.The best moments of the album are like that - versions of "Kid," "Sense of Purpose," or "2000 Miles" that take the songs in directions you didn't realize they'd gone all along, which proves just what a deft poet Chrissie Hynde can be.It needs to be said that not all the moments are perfect - the laconic version of "I Go To Sleep" is just laconic, and the rejiggering of their obscure debut album song "Lovers Of Today" might only prove that the song should have been forgotten in the first place.Still, by the time Hynde arrives at her last extraordinary "Freedom!" in "Revolution," the strings blazing with galvanic charm, it gets difficult to imagine a much better live attempt than this one - a winning, sly, cleverly concocted minimalist set.

Warm Intimate and Rewarding
I am a lukewarm Pretenders fan, enjoyed the first three albums, felt they lost a bit along the way after that, but still always willing to give Chrissie and friends the benefit of the doubt.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Hard Rock    3. New Wave    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Popular Music    7. Rock    8. Rock & Roll    9. Rock/Pop   

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Reviews (5)

A curiosity, for fans only
Buy the real houdini album first.This is a decent live performance of it, expect there;s not really an audience.the recording is marginal, and Crover's drums don't have the sonic beauty of the proper "Houdini" release.

Rock and roll
In my country Melvins are the best band.Live performances are better than most bands out there.Why don't more people think so?Some rock fans seem to discard Melvins because of their talent.Listen to Houdini and become educated to the new ways of music revealed.That was in history and it was to be so futuristic.There is a grand scale to the course of their careers.Enough of hating, where is love for Melvins?

Once again, The Melvins!
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Pop    3. Punk    4. Rock    5. United States of America   

Editorial Review

The Godfathers of Glitch and the Kings of Kling-Klang come out of seclusion with a double live CD culled from various concerts on their 2004 tour. Read more

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Reviews (48)

Fun! Fun! Fun!
This live set is very impressive. The sound is excellent. When I put it on, it just makes me feel relaxed and really good. It's a thrill to hear such enthusiastic crowds cheering on this strange, bubbling, mechanical music. Some people claim Kraftwerk is old hat, but I say it's too unique to sound dated. I've never been one to care much about how current or fashionable music is anyway. In these live settings, Kraftwerk augments these songs and makes them sound fresh.

Maximum thrill
My best recommendations to this powerful, electrifying work of art. I saw Kraftwerk's concert here in Reykjavík Iceland when they did this tour in 2004 and the CD doesn't miss one bit of the atmo.
Too bad you can't just by Disc 2...
...because Disc 1 is pretty tired.Now that the price is $5 less than I just freakin' paid for it, might be worth it.Disc 2 is very good, not nearly as 'dated' sounding at Disc 1.A much tighter and more compelling line up of tracks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Electronic    2. Kraut Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (67)

Mystery White Boy
I was really excited when i bought this as I have both grace and live at sin-é but this was very dissapointing. 'Dream Brother' and 'Mojo Pin' are good but i found 'Hallelujah' pretty poor. He sings in this wierd tone like he's had anaesthetic injected into his mouth. Don't get me wrong, I'm as big a Buckley fan as anyone but steer clear of this, by far not his best live performances.

Another tantalizing glimpse of a true artist in his prime.
I can't believe how many bad reviews there are up here for this album! Absolutely mortifying!The opening track weaves a spell over me ever time I listen to it, the chorus, and especially the last part are so much better than on Grace, it's asounding.I enjoy this entire album, every track, and if you're a jeff buckley fan, and even if you're not, this a beautiful album you should not miss."Moodswing Whiskey" is an intoxicating song that builds into something greater than you wouuld have thought, the version of Halleleuja on here is simply fantastic, any, anyway, this is the first amazon review I've written, but after seeing all the bad reviews for this album, I just had to say something!

Compressed dynamics, dubious instrumental placement, ...
... but, if nothing else, the version of "Eternal Life" here is to these ears even better than on Grace. Simply put, here it's the best piece of speed funk Jane's Addiction never recorded! That alone should justify the purchase price. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

When the Ramones left the confines of CBGB's in 1976--where they had developed their earmark three-chord speed delivery--and took the show on the road to England, they set the punk-rock juggernaut rolling. It can't be stressed enough how influential these boys from Forest Hills, Queens, were on Britain's emerging punk-rock scene, but a few seconds into Read more

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Reviews (62)

Shock Treatment
Originally only available an imported LP, the group had already achieved legendary status in the New York City punk/new-wave scene throughperformances at CBGB's, which heavily influenced the UK punk movement.
in your face
if you are looking for an in your face live ramones album, this is it. all 28 tracks recorded in 77 with all four org. members. the songs are wicked fast, bass and drums are slamming and the raw energy you feel off this record will have you set to go for the day. if your a ramones fan then if you don't have it, buy it. if you want to understand what punk was about and started then this, and rocket to russia will help you understand.

The Absolute Peak Live
There's something about the Ramones that makes them enjoyable.The innocence of their early songs and the fact that their early infulences were 60's based music may have something to do with it.
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Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. New York Punk    3. Pop    4. Punk    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Laurie Anderson scored an improbable hit in the early ‘80s with the atmospheric "O Superman," a song that appears near the end of this exhaustive two-disc live set. Despite a new arrangement, the track sounds just as entrancing as it did 20 years ago, if only because the 90 minutes leading up to it features some of the most complex, dreamlike, and unnerving music ever produced. But given that these concerts were recorded just days after the September 11 attacks in New York, the effect is all the more chilling--just try to hold back the goose bumps when Anderson sings, "Here come the planes / They're American planes / Made in America." The air of intensity is palpable throughout Read more

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Stellar!
I've seen Laurie Anderson live on a half-dozen occasions, and the shows are always somehow new.
Love
A maximum of 1,000 words is not enough to do justice to one of the most glorious artists of our time.

Attending the event
Playing this CD makes the listener feel they are attending the event itself. The music itself is amazing right through, as are the spken word pieces. There is an intimacy, some intensity, some discomfort but some delight too, for example when the anecdote ('Beginning French') about French 'traffic testers' gives way discreetly to the intro of 'O Superman.' But the intensity is felt most when Laurie refers to 9/11 and her reactions, playing that evening, the sense of an entirley changed world. Her songs fit. My favourites here are O Superman, which I knew from the 8os and Strange Angels, which I didn't know before. Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Popular Music    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

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Reviews (37)

Great live CD! Great bargain! 18 songs!
This is a great live CD with 18 full-size songs. A nice blend of Smiths, "You are the quarry", and various other songs.
Enjoyable for all fans, rookies and veterans alike!
I really appreciate that morrissey decided to release the live album and live DVD (of two different shows!) from the 2004 tour that supported his fantastic "You Are The Quarry" album.The songs from "Quarry" sound even better live, and it is nice that he is starting to play more of his songs from the Smiths era.If you decide not to buy this full album, you must pick up the single from this concert "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"/"Redondo Beach"."Redondo Beach" is a Patti Smith cover, and to disagree with one of the previous reviews, I enjoy it very much (perhaps because I love to hear Morrissey sing anything, especially if it is outside of his normal routine.Another highlight is the first verse of "Subway Train" by the New York Dolls.The New York Dolls are a Morrissey favorite, and he even wrote a book about them years before he started singing in bands.Here "Subway Train" leads into "Munich Air Disaster 1958, a fantastic b-side from the "Irish Blood, English Heart" single.On the "Who Put The 'M' in Manchester" live DVD he uses it to introduce "Everyday Is Like Sunday," which he did frequently on the 2004 tour.It works well in both cases.Sorry if I focused on the details instead of the whole, but this live disc is great.If you are used to listening to inferior fan-recorded concerts, do yourself a favor, support the best band in the world, and buy this album and the "Manchester" DVD.

A great live performance!
I actually bought this CD and forgot about it for a bit because I was listening to his studio music. I only caught a few glimpses here and there. Then after a dry spell I looked and saw this CD in my collection and put her in.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

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Reviews (11)

One Final Blast on the First Leg
This final show on the first leg of the 2000 American Tour is now out of print, and fairly pricey if you happen to stumble across it. It's a shame, because it is a great performance, only a very small notch below the Washington D.C. show from the same leg of the tour.The previous show in Phildelphia was reportedly somewhat shakey, and Pearl Jam seems on a mission to redeem itself here with a great set list (opening with "Even Flow"!) and a blazing performance. If you can find this show, pay the premium. It's worth every penny.

WITHOUT A DOUBT, #1 OF ALL 72...B SIDE IS UNBELIEVABLE
I'll keep it short because these get boring--i own all 72 shows, this is the best of all of'em....no huge sound problems (which happens on most shows, unfortunately).... the version of I Got Id is improved, a nice change (the only version of the song i'll listen to),and unbelievably strong.Stone's Mankind is great, and the version of Insignificance is probably the best they've done live.Porch has a longer than usual instrumental bridge, with Eddie getting the crowd involved, and a strong Ledbetter close.Yeah, every review says each show is the best, and i did not see this show, only the Philly shows,but this is the only show of the 72 that never leaves my CD changer.Agree?

if ur getting one bootleg get this.
I own them all and this is the best. Pure energy, great rockin setlist and even has wash! Buy it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Grunge    3. Hard Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

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Reviews (21)

Boingo onstage ROCK!!!
This isn't just a "best-of" collection or "useless compilation" like the person below me says, it's the final show EVER of the almighty Oingo Boingo, making this more of a historical artifact. If that seems a bit extreme to say it's because I really believe Elfman and company to be musical geniuses who were never really given their due or much respect at all. Why? Just because they were quirky and (God forbid) FUN?! Get this cd and the DVD of the show as well to get the full experience of what these guys were like live. I would give almost anything to have been there for this show, but at least I have this great sounding cd to listen to for all time. Boingo STILL rule!

Another Useless Compilation
Oingo Boingo had more compilations than any band has a right to and they all suck. Godawful songs like "Wild Sex In The Working Class", "No Spill Blood", "Piggies", "Sweat", "Grey Matter", "Little Girls", "Insects", and "Nasty Habits" ruin this one along with the necessities and marginal filler. This is one group where choosing the highlights should be easy. OK so you have to choose the overused and rather bland "Dead Man's Party", the fun "Wierd Science", and classics "Who Do You Want To Be?" and "Only A Lad". From there you pick "Nothing Bad Ever Happens To Me", "Winning Side", "Gratitude", "Stay", "Just Another Day", "No One Lives Forever", "Help Me", "Only Makes Me Laugh", "On The Outside", "Wake Up, It's 1984", and "Same Man I Was Before". From the new direction you can choose from "Where Do All My Friends Go?", "My Life", "New Generation", and "Home Again" from Boi-Ngo and the first 3 songs and maybe some others from Boingo might be OK to fill out the CD. Easy!!!

What a surprise!
I ordered this with some hesitation. I like Oingo Boingo, and have since I was 16 (so that's been 18 years now, for those keeping score). However, I fell out of touch with the band around the time DARK AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL came out. So, my knowledge of the band is from the pre-1987 era. Also, I never saw them live (I kick myself for deciding not to go, but at the same time, I hate going to concerts alone; it was tough to find anyone who had heard of them during that last tour, let aolne wanted to see them). Those two factors coupled made me skeptical of this CD set. However, the large song selection made my mind up for me.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Dance-Pop    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Synth Pop   

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Reviews (26)

Ziggy and the Thin White Duke Grow Up
By far the better of David Bowie's two live albums, STAGE is an impressive document of the chameleonic rocker's 1978 North American tour, with an outstandingly tight band helping the Maestro to recreate some of his most carefully constructed studio recordings in concert. Their whelming success in this endeavor is indeed a pleasure to hear.
Solid Bowie Live Effort
Even though I prefer 1974's David Live to 1977's Stage, I still think that this is a pretty good representation of David Bowie's live act at the time.Adrian Belew/Carlos Alomar on guitars.Dennis Davis on drums.George Murray on bass.This is in the midst of the Bowie/Eno compilations and yet Eno is absent on the tour.Suspicious?You bet.Their union was probably dead even at this early date.Still, Bowie trudged on.No longer the wunderkind he had previously been with such classic releases as Ziggy Stardust, Diamond Dogs and Hunky Dory, Bowie is starting to reach the age of medocrity and that's musn't feel too good.Still Stage has all the staples: Ziggy, Soul Love, Fame, Station To Station, Five Years & "Heroes".Also quite a bit of the Bowie/Eno instrumentals are represented here, too.Warsawza is among the better of them.I still prefer David Live but this is an interesting glimpse into the mixed and mumbled times that Bowie was facing at that strange turn in his career.Listenable and enjoyable.
Infinitely Better than "David Live"
Perhaps this album was issued as a means of overcoming the rather disastrous "David Live" from a few years earlier, or perhaps Bowie just felt it was once again time to document his live show. Either way, Stage adequately represents Bowie's multi-faceted career without sounding excessive, forced or extraneous. Full of incredible musicianship and focused in a manner that defined Bowie's character at the time, it rights everything that was wrong with David Live. It is also perhaps one of the most schizophrenic live albums ever made, since Bowie skims from various stages of his career without any attempt to conjoin his multiple phases of fashion.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Experimental Rock    3. Glam Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Prog-Rock/Art Rock    7. Proto-Punk    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. Singer/Songwriter   

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Reviews (54)

Four years of it and I still can't get enough!!!!!!!!!!!
I've had this cd for four years now and I still listen to it every day.For a live album, this one is awesome! Most live albums are not good. This is totaly opposite. LISTEN TO THE HIDDEN TRACK ON "EVERY NEW DAY"!!!

Five Irons Gratest CD Ever!
This Was My First Five Iron CD my second was Chesses of Nazareth. When I first listened to One Girl Army, Oh, Canada, A Flowery Song, Dandilions, Suckerpunch, ansd so on I fell in love with Five Irons sound and had to get all of there cds. There one of my favorite bands and if you haven't got this cd i would highly recomend it. It has the awsomest mix of Five Irons early songs. Which I think are the best.I would give this cd 10 stars but they won't let me.
The Quintessential Five Iron? Perhaps
Five Iron Frenzy makes a solid compilation of some of their best songs with the release of this live album, which will delight die-hard fans of the Denver ska-core ensemble and curious listeners alike. One of the things that has always set Five Iron Frenzy apart from other groups in their genre has been their unique stage presence and sense of humor, (which encludes dressing as the cast of Star Trek and crowd surfing a giant pinata filled with chili across their crowd) and these qualities are shown in this album. However, apart from the outrageously entertaining gimmicks of their live preformances, Five Iron Frenzy also offers fine musicianship and songwriting which is played out with even more energy than their studio records. These aspects distinguish the band from their contemporaries and make for an exillarating live experience. In short, Five Iron is a dish best experienced live, but this album is the next best thing (and is sadly the only thing available after the band announced their breakup in late November of 2003.) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Pop    3. Post-Grunge    4. Punk-Pop    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska-Punk    8. Third Wave Ska Revival   

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Morrissey: better live than recorded
I bought this album way back in the early 90s. At first I didn't like it, Morrissey changed some of the lyrics to some of his hit songs. After giving the tape another try, this album put its hooks into me and has not let-go since then. I believe Morrissey is 10X better live than recorded. I have seen him in concert three times and he is never a disappointment as a live act. Songs like "The Drazie Train" are not found on other albums and are a must-have for the true fan. Of all the albums, this is really not an album but a piece of Smiths history. It is a true treasure. These versions are refreshing departures from the studio-recorded songs. My advice: Buy all of the original Smiths albums and this one too. Don't waste your money on any of the "Best Of" albums.

The End
By the time this came out, the Smiths had ended.A recording from their aborted tour which the shocking news of the breakup was heard. Not the best of The Smiths live but an energetic album the same.Worthwhile to the diehard Smiths fan and the new.

Solid if inessential live album
While live Smiths was usually awesome to listen to, this album, recorded during the end of the last tour the Smiths ever undertook, while good, isn't essential except to diehard Smiths fans.The performances are good and interesting, but it's not their most inspired performance, although it was one of the better ones from the end of the tour.However, I read somewhere that the band initially wanted it released as a 2CD set to include the whole concert, while Morrissey crypitcally refused and instead compiled this 1CD set that was released.Knowing Morrissey, I guess we'll never know why he did that, as the complete show would have been a treat. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. College Rock    3. Indie Pop    4. Pop    5. Popular Music    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Who besides Ani DiFranco would begin an album with a piercing buzz and a muttered "I don't know why the f**k I play acoustic guitars"? But then who else would release a double-disc concert set only five years after the last one? Like 1997's Read more

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Reviews (52)

Ugh
You MUST be a fan to enjoy this. One of the worst guitar sounds I've ever heard in a professional recording. I knew Ani was a love her/hate her performer, but a couple of her full acoustic songs I had heard weren't too bad. I got this record from funky
This album is amazing! I am a huge Ani fan and this double disc is one of my favorite Ani releases. It is a collection of a lot of her great songs[32 Flavors, Dilate, and my favorite, Jukebox] but with a funky spin. Every note is harder and has more emotion then the versions you will find on her CDs. She performs with her 6 piece band which is made up of some horns, keyboards, and a booming bass.A lot of the songs soundcompletely new because of the passion in the performance. It also has 3 previously unreleased songs on it. I strongly recomend this CD to anyone, from obsessive fans to first timers!

Sadly not "Living in Clip" part Two
This album will do much to increase the "Ani is the female Dylan" hype. Like his Bobness, Ani often tries to reinvent herself, tours relentlessly, inspires loyal dedication in her fans and now (as this release proves) can't choose a good live set of tracks to save herself.
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Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock    3. Rock/Pop   

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You will feel like you are there!
I love this album I remember my grandmother getting it for me for Christmas in 1991, it was the first CD I ever played in my first CD player on that Christmas morning. I love every track on it. I do however disagre with the previous reviewer regarding the placement of The only studio track "Shining Star." I beleive it was good to have in the middle it was sort of an "intermission" halfway through the album.

FOREVER A FAN !
What can I say! Michael and the guys know how to deliver!Awesome songs - great music!Makes me feel like I was there - in the front row!!You rock my world!!
I missed out big time....
...on not seeing INXS live, from what I have heard they are amazing in concert.How could I do myself such an injustice?Listening to this CD reminds me of just what I missed, though I still really enjoy listening to it.Based on other reviews it is probably not the best live CD there is out there, but I still think it's good.I really like the opener, New Sensation which was from their Wembley Stadium concert, and the closer What You Need which is my personal favorite, Kirk's saxophones being the highlight for me.I also like Shining Star which is a studio track, one of my all time favorite songs by INXS that is only available on this CD.All in all very good live sampler of INXS, an essential for any INXS fan.Definite proof they were/are an awesome live band.And fortunately, finally I will get to witness that myself in the coming year.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. College Rock    3. New Wave    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Popular Music    7. Rock    8. Rock & Roll    9. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

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From a whisper to a scream
A great album.Of course it doesn't capture the pure, raging range of Escovedo's live shows, but it comes close.(And in any event, what one album possibly could?Of the ten best concerts I've ever seen, nine of them were Escovedo, and virtually all of those featured a different instrument line-up, from 7-piece punk ensemble to string quartet.)Besides, the cover of "I Wanna Be Your Dog" is virtually an out of body experience.

the next best thing
this album is only a shadow of what alejandro escovedo is like live. his music is moving...he has a gift that enables him to really touch your soul when you here him. overall, a very good album. if you are lucky enough to have him visit your town, please give him a listen...it will be entirely worthwhile.

too bad about the money, al
really nice disk from austin-based alt.country rocker alejandro escovedo.actually, the alt.country label may be both overly confining and misleading:escovedo started out as a punk (the nuns) and subsequently moved through a variety of bands includingpunk-country (rank&file) new romantic (the troobs) revivalist (buick mckane). his bands often feature strings (as in violin and cello).so what we've got is a middle-aged singer-songwriter with a punk background and string players in his band. uh-huh.Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Americana    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Progressive Country    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Roots Rock   

Editorial Review

"Wanna buy a monkey?" It'd be more exciting than this safe collection of musical performances from the Read more

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Sheila Rogers Produced This CD?
Let's face it, this compilation is so outdated, no wonder it comes in at a whopping 87,000 on Amazon in sales!The singers on this CD are dinosaurs and some are extinct!
Worth a Reprise
"Live On Letterman" is a great collection that stands up 8 years later.Sheila Rogers has done an excellent job producing this for Reprise Records.The sound quality is crisp.The audience applause flows seamlessly between tracks giving the sense to the listener that you're listening to one long concert.There are some delightful tracks on the disc.Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane" blazes out with his edgy vocals and slashing lead guitar.Aretha Franklin may have sung "Think" 3,000 times, but she belts it out with an energetic band that'd have James Brown looking up their phone numbers, "I ain't no psychiatrist or doctor with degree, but it don't take much high IQ to see what you're doing to me."Lenny Kravitz also blasts out with "Are You Gonna Go My Way" with a thunderous guitar storm.Other tracks on the set are also strong including R.E.M.'s "Crush With Eyeliner" & the softest track on the set, Elivis Costello & Burt Bacharach on "God Give Me Strength."This little walk down memory lane from the small screen is worth a reprise on your changer.Enjoy!

Live On Letterman : Music From The Late Show [LIVE]
I've read the other reviews for this incredible CD; and have to admit...many of you are missing the big picture here. This collection of artists and titles are a must for any music buff. I play it regularly and find it endlessly entertaining. I just wish there were others produced and available...with Dave's fame and continued run on late night TV...I'm certain there'd be a dozen by now. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Adult Contemporary    3. Album Rock    4. Alternative Pop/Rock    5. American Trad Rock    6. Baroque Pop    7. Blue-Eyed Soul    8. Brill Building Pop    9. Celtic Folk    10. College Rock    11. Country    12. Film Music    13. Folk-Rock    14. Funk    15. Hard Rock    16. Irish Folk    17. New York Punk    18. Pop    19. Pop/Rock    20. Popular Music   

Editorial Review

Culled from a concert/MTV broadcast recorded at Orlando's Hard Rock club, Montreal's Simple Plan ably show here why they've bubbled to the top of a crowded pack of contemporary punk-pop contenders. No hand-wringing, emocore angst or mock street ‘tude for vocalist Pierre Bouvier; he's too busy prodding the crowd into good-natured sing-alongs of band hits like "Addicted" and "Worst Day Ever" like a hyperactive cheerleader. His bandmates thrash and harmonize away behind him with equal zeal, interjecting an infectious energy to even the band's darker moments – though "darker" is a decidedly relative term in the impossibly effervescent Simple Plan universe – like "Me Against the World" and "God Must Hate Me." Simple Plan bristles here with enough boundless energy to make Green Day envious, even if they scrupulously avoid the latter's penchant for provocative smarts in the bargain. But then songs like "Crazy" (also featured here in an earnest acoustic version exclusive to this set) underscore that Simple Plan succeeds by tapping into the timeless, innocent hopes and fears of its largely teen audience with music that's both punk anxious and bubblegum sweet. Read more

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Reviews (6)

Funny; good perfromance
This CD is great, even for people who don't like the sound of a live show. Most of the songs sound the same as they do on the albums, and some sound better. Pierre really is a "hyperactive cheerleader," but that's not such a bad thing when you're playing for a few thousand people. There are sing-alongs (Perfect), and screaming contests (I'm Just a Kid). Many funny moments, like David yelling at all the guys in the crowd to "grab their balls and make some noise," Pierre saying that he wants to make out with the crowd, and David calling their first record "No Pads, No Helmets, Just Bizzles." The CD is also enhanced with two live videos, Shut Up and Jump.

ROXS MY SOXS
Now SP is my favorite band. This cd actually shows the above excellent music... but it also lets you listen like you were ACTUALLY at the concert. It has funny parts and it cracks me up everytime.... it has new songs and old songs.... in MY OPINION this is one of the best cds EVER!!! next to the real cds... so if you want a cd that you would like to listen to over and over again.... buy this cd.....

Awesome CD!
SP rocks on this CD because they are excellent live performers!This CD is my favorite because they don't hold back and just unleash with the vocals and music and really show how amazingly talented they all really are.I saw them in concert after hearing this CD and WOW!!!They give 100% out there for their fans, and it's awesome to have a CD to capture a little bit of that.The music blew us away and I can't say enough about this band.I have all their albums now after seeing them live.Hard Rock Live is still my favorite one.Check it out! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Pop    3. Punk Revival    4. Punk-Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Features

• Live
• Import

Reviews (9)

life in a moment
this is one of the only live albums id ever spring the payola for.the raw energy in the performances is just unbalievable.after seeing B.R. live about 6,7 years ago i was very pleased with the album for it brought back that show.this is definetly one of those albums you can listen to over and over driving everyone around you crazy unless there die hard fans too.id give this three thumbs up along the five stars.two of my thumbs and one from the guy standing next to me.a most definet worthy purchase.

Wow
This CD is amazing.I give it four stars only because of certain songs that weren't included. does any band sound better live than BR?
As someone who has listened to Bad Religion since they first came about, I am not only impressed by this album, I am obsessed with it. Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Hardcore Punk    3. L.A. Punk    4. Punk    5. Rock   

Editorial Review

Though Dave Alvin's reputation rests with his songwriting, the dynamismof this live recording puts the pedal to the metal and leaves the studioversions of much of this material in the dust. Highlights range from anine-minute medley of Alvin's "Little Honey" andBo Diddley's "Who Do YouLove" to the honky-tonk country of "Highway 99" to the raucous celebration of"American Music" that has been Alvin's anthem since his days with theBlasters. Not sinceCreedence'sJohn Fogerty has aroots rocker mined such a rich vein of Americana, though material such as"Haley's Comet," "Blue Boulevard," and "Wanda and Duane" find Alvin'shard-bitten lyricism growing increasingly dark as it matures. While hishalf-spoken, half-sung vocals lack the nuance of the best of his songwriting, akiller band featuring drummer Bobby Lloyd Hicks and keyboardist Joe Terryprovides propulsive support for his stinging guitar. Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (9)

Fine electric and acoustic live performances
As a full-time road warrior, it's no surprise that Alvin's confluence of music, philosophy and work ethic is captured so vividly on these live recordings. Steeped in rock, blues, folk, and country, Alvin's decidedly non-Hollywood California viewpoint is born from the grit of a working man's life, and fueled by the endless miles in between countless road gigs. + 1/2 Stars...Alvin Is a First-Rate Songwriter
Dave Alvin has released only two studio albums since his last live album (1996's equally enjoyable Interstate City), but Alvin said in a local newspaper interview before an Omaha appearance that his favorite thing to do is to play before a live audience."There are things that happen when we play live--intense musical things that are just about impossible to capture in the studio for whatever reason."