Tag: 26

These are the live albums that I rates at a score of 26 out of 30.

My reviews are scored on the basis of:

Set List – 10
Performance – 10
Authenticity & Atmosphere – 10

but when I review I also have an overall rating in mind and I have to reconcile the two scores. I refuse to follow the logic of 110% success and giving any album 11 out of 10 but it does mean the occasional compromise.

These are listed in alphabetical order rather than any preference:

David Bowie David Live 1974
Eric Clapton Just
Free Live 1970
Al Green Tokyo Live 1978
Bruce Springsteen Live 1975 – 85
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Weld 1991
Neil Young Unplugged 1993

Those albums that do even better are on these pages – 29 – 28 – 27

I also recommend these – 25 – 24

Bruce Springsteen Los Angeles April 23 1988

Los Angeles, April 23, 1988 is an archive released live recording of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with the Horns Of Love.

It was recorded at the Los Angeles Sports Arena during the Tunnel Of Love tour and is available from liveBruceSpringsteen.net.

This follows on from previous archive recordings from 1975, 1978, 1980 and 1984 that have been released in the same way.

After the worldwide success of Born In the USA in 1984/85, Springsteen went back into his shell with the Tunnel Of Love album and whilst it sold well, it lacked the commerciality of his earlier album.

By this stage Nils Lofgren was a member of the E Street Band after Miami Steve Van Zandt had left. His future wife and mother of three children, Patti Scialfi was also a member.

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Joe Cocker Mad Dogs & Englishmen Live 1970

Mad Dogs & Englishmen Live is a live album by Joe Cocker.

It was recorded on the 27th and 28th March 1970 at the Fillmore East in New York.

In 2005 an extended version of a double CD was issued. A few songs were recorded at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

The following year a six CD set was issued with the early and late shows from both days at the Fillmore East.

My Rating – Standard Album – 26 out of 30 (8 +10 +8)
My Rating – Deluxe Album – 28 out of 30 (9 + 10 +9)

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Tom Petty The Live Anthology 1976 to 2007

The Live Anthology is a live album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

The standard edition has four CDs.A deluxe edition was also released with an additional CD, two DVDs, a vinyl copy of Official Live ‘Leg and a blue-ray disc with all 62 songs on it.

It was recorded at around the world at concerts between 1976 and 2007 and was released in 2009.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers The Live Anthology

My Rating – 26/30

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Free Live 1970

Free Live is a live album by the British blues rock group Free with Paul Rodgers as the singer and Paul Kossoff on guitar from concerts in 1970.

It was originally released with eight tracks and it has since been reissued with 15 including alternative versions of All Right Now, Mr Big and Get Where I Belong.

Free Live – Overall Rating 26/30

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Al Green Tokyo Live 1978

Tokyo Live is a live recording of Al Green performing in Japan in June 1978. It his only mainstream live soul album.

If you want more Al Green, there is the Gospel Concert recording but reviews aren’t encouraging. Sound quality appears to be the problem but I haven’t heard it myself.

Tokyo Live is excellent.

Al Green Tokyo Live – Overall Rating 26/30

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Eric Clapton Just One Night 1979

Just One Night is a live album by Eric Clapton recorded at the Budokan Theatre, Tokyo, December 1979 when he was promoting the Backless album.

Claton had got into a groove in the late seventies with his easy listening blues albums like No Reason To Cry, Slowhand and Backless but he could still get excited when playing live.

Eric Clapton Just One Night Overall Review Rating – 26/30
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Talking Heads Stop Making Sense 1983

Stop Making Sense is a live album recorded by Talking Heads on the tour to promote the studio album Speaking In Tongues in 1983.

It is also the soundtrack for the concert film of the same name.

This live album is very highly regarded by critics but I have to admit to being puzzled because I don’t believe it is a match for The Name Of The Band Is Talking Heads, a live album from earlier in their career.

Stop Making Sense

My Rating – 26 out of 30 – highly recommended but the DVD is even better

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Neil Young Unplugged 1993

Neil Young Unplugged is an excellent live album contrast to loud, electric Weld album released two years earlier.

After the critical and commercial success of Weld, Young the notorious contrarian released the acoustic Harvest Moon, a follow-up to his biggest selling album, Harvest from 1972.

This album appeared quite late in the MTV Unplugged fad but Neil Young is a natural and it shows. This album confirms that it was such a shame that Young lost his way in the 1980s.

Neil Young Unplugged Overall Rating – 26/30

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Bruce Springsteen Live 1975 – 85

Live 1975 – 85 was Bruce Springsteen‘s response to the demands for a live album.

He’s been one of the most bootlegged artists since the mid 70s and with Live 1975 – 85, he tried to produce an epic drawn from many different concerts recorded.

This album was released to follow up on the immense success of the Born In The USA album which made Springsteen a much bigger international star.

I was thrilled when it first came out as he had such a great reputation as a live performer but all it’s done is prove that there’s much more that could appear.

Bruce Springsteen Live 1975 – 85 Overall Rating – 26/30
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Neil Young & Crazy Horse Weld 1991

Neil Young Weld was recorded in 1991 on the tour to promote the Ragged Glory album with Crazy Horse and it rocks hard.

If you’re a fan of hard rock and you’ve dismissed Neil Young as an acoustic folkie based on songs like After the Goldrush and Harvest Moon, you’re in for a big shock.

There’s nothing subtle or gentle in this album.

On the other hand, if you want Neil Young, the folk singer-songwriter playing live, then you’d better hurry along to Live At Massey Hall.

Neil Young Weld Overall Rating – 26/30

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