Amazon.com

With her hazy, passionate, expressive alto, and slightly detached, observational lyrics, what's most accessible in Patty Larkin's music is her crisp, earthen guitar work. On the live À Gogo, she strips away the minimal instrumentation found on her studio recordings and proves she's a songwriter-guitarist who can sing. It's easy to be astonished by the instrumental "Banish Misfortune/Open Hand," a spidery exhibition of Celtic/bluegrass fingerpicking played here with a loving precision that feels like second nature. But even on vocal-heavy tracks such as the wistful, windy "Tango" and bitingly literate "Don't," Larkin's rasp flows when the instrument ebbs, like old friends in balanced conversation. She tenderly sings "I Told Him That My Dog Wouldn't Run" (which Holly Cole covers), and her inspired rumble of a voice outshines her fingers on "Me and That Train." But, for the most part, À Gogo is an album about a guitar and its girl.--Sally Weinbach ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Captured Essence - Let the collective unconcious awaken.
I just saw Patty Larkin live at the Broward Center (Florida) a couple of weeks ago. I purchased the CD at the show. The acoustics of the hall that night were superior (as Larkin noted) luckily so were my seats (3rd row center). This cd truly captures the essence of that live performance (including the perspective from such excellent seats).
Larkin, a truly gifted vocal,instrumental and compositional artist, stands alone in full display on this outing. Both she and the songs are better served by her solitude. Though her abilities in the studio are interesting, her direct live performance is much more powerfull to witness. With this disc, we get a grouping of some of her best songs, given their strongest performances available to date.
Don't Do It, doesn't really work for me (perhaps, I remain too attatched to the Band version). Though still good, I preferred the unprocessed vocal version of "The Book I'm Not Reading", given at the concert, I attended.
My only real complaint, is that the concert lasted well over two hours and the CD doesn't. Too bad, if it did, it might have included some of her entertaining banter. Better yet, would have been inclusion of her "channeling" of Marlena Dietrich, Carmen Miranda, and Ethel Merman. Not to be missed.

Let the collective unconcious awaken.

Awesome!
I saw Patty Larkin for the first time in February and had never heard any of her music, and now I am a FAN! I love GOOD THING and her skills on the guitar are just wonderful and numbing!

WHO IS THIS LADY?
If you can handle some of Patty Larkin's songwriting and dry humor, you'll be getting on "A-GoGo" a solo live guitar performance that's as good anybody has ever put down on record. Larkin combines smooth Joni Mitchell control "Banish Misfortune/Open Hand" with Amy Ray speed "Don"t" for a unique style all her own. The songs and the sound quality are "A" perfect and one listen to "Wolf At The Door" will get your batteries charged.

Pretty good CD
I like this CD. It has alot of great sounding tracks and lyrics to enjoy. Concidering that it is a live version you might think the sound quality is bad; well thats not true at all. it sounds fantastic!

Entered a skeptic; left a believer
I had never heard of Patty Larkin, or her cadre of loyalists, when I heard 'Do Not Disturb' on the radio. I picked up the CD and loved it, top to bottom (though I admit I skipped over 'Mary Magdalene' when I listened a second consecutive time).

I've never seen her in concert, but I'm sold on her vocals, her lyrics, and her six-string virtuosity. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A wonderful wit...
Christine Lavin gives her humerous opinions on everything from Prince Charles to office romance in this album. She shows that she has, not only a rare wit, but the intelligence to put that humor forth in a way that anyone who listens to her music will find infectuous. While there are a few slow moments on the album, her homage to bald-headed-men and her song "What Was I Thinking" make the album well worth it to add to any collection. This album will be especially loved by those who enjoy accoustic, folksey music with a message as opposed to those who like the "hip, three-minute dittys" that don't really say alot.

fun, silly, poignant, and a great gift
Not only are Christine Lavin's lyrics brilliant & hilarious, but her melodies are catchy too. This CD is one of her very best... it captures her personality which really comes through during a live show. She definitely transcends the "folk" genre, and she has one of the cutest voices I have ever heard! I gave this CD to my mom last Christmas and then she ended up giving a copy to her sister on her birthday.

Smart, original, different
A friend of mine left Christine Lavin's CD at my house one night, so I decided to listen to it. I have never laughed so hard in my life. In fact I'm listening to "What was I thinking right now" this is the only thing that cheers me up. I have tunred all of my friends on to her, and they thank me for telling them about it. She makes everything that you think actually make sense. Thanks Christine!

I love, "What was I thinking?" It's me!!!
I heard "What Was I Thinking" on the way to the hospital on New Years Day. I laughed out loud! I'm been trying to find out who sang that so I could buy it and play it for all my friends! My compliments to the artist!

Wonderful, enchanting as it is funny, a wonderful album
To hear Christine Lavin sing about her life, and of the lives around her, it is like listening to yourself, thinking outloud. She captures so much of what we don't want others to know we think, and does it so elegantly. The trick to Christine's ability is her soft and gentle singing voice and subtle charm. She eases you into listening with grace and with ease, and before you know it, you have listened to the album three times over. Her songwriting is original, quirky, provicative and fun, without testing the listeners limits. She has the ability to speak with great direction and strength, and loses no one in the process. It is amazing to think that she does not have the noteriety that The Indigo Girls or Sarah Mclachlan have, because she defintley fits into that catagory of performer. Please, take my word for it, Christine Lavin will make you laugh out loud, feel deeply emotional, think heavily, and maybe even turn off your T.V. and live life with a little bit of a spring in your step, buy her albums, you will be happy you did. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Happy to find it on CD
I didn't realize this was available on CD. I've had it on vinyl for about 20 years, (since before I got my first CD player.) I absolutely love this album! It's probably not for everyone, but what real art is? If you're already familiar with Loudon, but haven't heard this, you really have to get it. If you're not familiar with him, I recommend this one to anyone who appreciates funny, very personal, and extremely well-performed folk music. This is a real gem.

It's good
Whenever I come into my local record store, they are starting to know me as the guy who keeps special ording the Loudon albums. It started a few weeks ago when I was trying to remember a song that I used to play in college. Well I bought Unrequited thinking that it was on that, and WOW I had forgotten what a great album that was, then I bought Attempted, and WOW, I had forgotten what a great album that was. I just got this and if you are a Loudon fan--just get it, that's all--it's good, really really good.

Angry not-so-young man
Loudon's career was at a nadir at this point, and his anger about that definitely shows on this CD. He had gone from being a critic's darling, an SNL-worthy celeb, a "product" people were willing to throw money at to find the right packaging to wind up a guy who had (and still has, amazingly) trouble holding on to a label.

I was no LW3 novice when I first heard this album and still, I found it rather shocking in places. There's a little too much "feeling" in songs like "A Clockwork Chartreuse" and "The Suicide Song"--not to mention an awful lot of weariness in "Lullaby" and "Red Guitar" for a guy in his mid-thirties.

But persistence and professionalism pay off: LW3's pop-chart success may have been as random as any one-hit-wonder, but his skill as a performer was forged through hundreds of live performances, and it shows here at what might be considered a relatively "early" time in his career.

A great, intimate evening with a master showman
Some of these songs are hilarious, some are sad, some are both, but all are delivered with such warmth and feeling, you feel like you're right there in the room. There are several true classics here but I think his version of "Motel Blues" here is one of the finest live songs I've ever heard from a singer-songwriter. It's so honest and moving, it wipes me out every time. As a friend of mine said after I put that song on a mix tape for him, "He sure hit it out of the park on that one". Well said, Ken.

At his best
Right up there with More Love Songs as classic LWIII, at his best.

Recommended ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Mike Cross Live & Kickin
Awesome!!!I have seen him live at Thalian Hall in Wilmington, NC (siteof this recording) and he is even more entertaining in person than on thisCD.In my opinion his studio albums do not capture the energy he exudes onstage and if you are a first time listener, this is the CD for you.

His music stays with you forever
I fell in love with Mike Cross' music and the energy he exudes on stage over 20 years ago.He performed at our college(St. Andrews, Laurinburg, NC) at least twice a year.I have a couple of his lp's and I was excitedto find his CD's particularly on the west coast.You will love the humorand insights to life in all of his music.

I have found it!!!
I first saw Mike Cross in concert ina little bar at Appalachian StateUniversity in Boone, N.C. 20 years ago. I had thought that he had quitmusic because I couldn't find his records and hadn't seen any concertlistings. I am excited that he is coming back to Abingdon in 1999. I amsure he will draw a crowd!!!

Excellent, a joy to listen to.
Would recommend to anyone who enjoys lively, upbeat music. I have benlooking for this on C.D. for years, and now have. My album has major gasheson several songs.

One of the very best albums ever!
I first heard Mike Cross at Winflield,Kansas more than a decade ago.Heremains one of the reasons that I make the trek to the Walnut ValleyFestival in this great setting as often as possible. This particular albumn( I had it in LP, no kidding) is one of my alltime favorites. Inparticular, it is a classic rendition ofhis "Scottsman", and"Appalachian Fiddle".. Finally, I could listen to the drivingenergy of his "Goodnight" all night.If you never heard Mikeeither on the main stage at Winfield on Saturday night, or, later at"Stage 5" you are missing a good bet!This album is as close asyou can come without actually coming to Kansas in September!BillMatthews, Norman OK ... Read more

Reviews (2)

warms the heart
Three incredible voices in absolutely gorgeous harmony.And they sound like they're having so much fun!Close your eyes, and even in the summer, you'll feel like you're sitting in a cabin in the woods, with a roaring fire and snow falling outside.

Watching the season turn to winter will be easier ....
when you have "Voices of Winter" to listen to.This collection of songs is a journey through the ages.The women weave their harmonies with all the emotion of the times they sing about.You will soon be humming along with this folk trio as they interpret this exceptional music. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

great
this is full tilt wailing. it wails beyond belief. i couldn't believe the wailing i was hearing. i'm a whale.

Finally--A defintive album of The Frost!
...Not to mention a big improvement on the original "Rock and Roll Music" album from 1969. If there was one group that a person could point to as the best example of bridging the gap between sixties psychedelic/garage rock and seventies heavy metal, it would have to be The Frost. Actually, it could be any number of proto-grunge bands from Detroit. But the Frost, perhaps, best exemplifies that description.
Previously, I had given a somewhat scathing review of the Frost album, "Rock And Roll Music", describing it as a "Jeckyll-and Hyde" disc, full of "wild concert stuff and mild-studio recordings". Actually, the liner notes by the producer of this disc shed quite a bit of light on that recording and this one--as well as the band itself. The truth is, this is what the original "Rock And Roll Music" album should have been. But for some reason, the original recording that they taped at the Grande Ballroom didn't turn out as well as they hoped, so they threw out a lot of what I would consider the "good" live recordings that were subsequently restored to this album, and made the band re-record some of the vocals, and some of their "lamer" songs at the Vanguard recording studios in New York, and then put out the "Rock And Roll music" album as kind-of a half-baked, patchwork album as a result. But this album right here is that album as it should have been in the beginning--the full concert gig from start-to-finish. Unedited, in all its grungy-glory. Gone are the syrupy ballads like "Linda" that were recorded to fill space on the "Rock And Roll Music" album, and replaced by great jams like "Baby, Once You Got It" and "Take My Hand/Mystery Man", restored here for all to listen to. The trick, however, was to get those original recordings sounding better--which, thanks to modern recording techniques, they were finally able to do. So this is the original "Rock And Roll Music" album as it was meant to be. If I had one criticism of this disc, it is that I do think the re-recorded studio vocals on the "Rock And Roll Music" album live cuts still sound better, and clearer, than the "brought-up-to-scratch" vocals on this disc, particularly on the song "Rock And Roll Music" itself. Also, for some reason, the live cut, "Help Me Baby" that showed up on "Rock And Roll Music", was excluded from this disc. Perhaps, it was because the song sounds too much like "Baby, Once You Got It", that was included here. But there was a lot of really great guitar riffs from Dick Wagner that were left out of this album by not including "Help Me Baby", particularly Wagner's funky-little rhythm playing at the beginning, alongside Gordy Garris' rolling bass lines.
About the band itself: Well, the liner notes really shed a lot of light on Dick Wagner as a guitar player. He did have a unique style for a sixties rock guitarist, and you can hear it all through this disc. However, I disagree with the liner notes, in that I do hear a distinct blues-influence in his playing, as many other Detroit guitar slingers did. True, some of Wagner's delicate style of singing and playing owe a lot to "folk rock", but you can't hold notes and bend strings the way he does without having picked up a little B.B. King or T-Bone Walker along the way. That sort-of Folk/Blues/Funk style of Dick Wagner's, I think, influenced a certain young protege of his named Mark Farner, who would go on with greater success in the seventies as head conducter of the blues-rock express known as Grand Funk Railroad.
Overall, as I've listened to this disc, I've discovered that this group truly did have a unique sound--somewhat like a harder-rocking, longer jamming version of The Byrds or Buffalo Springfield, with all the west coast-derived harmonies to match their loud guitars (the words in the song "Take My Hand" could easily be interchangeable with "Eight Miles High"!) In sound, they come awfully close, but I would never quite consider them "Heavy Metal". As high-energy as they were, their sound was still way too jangily and undistorted. Maybe, with the right guitars and amplfiers, they could have easily been as heavy as Led Zeppelin at the time.
But I highly recommend this disc as the only Frost CD you should ever buy, if you never buy another one. they only came out with 3 other albums in their short career together, anyway, and most of their best songs from the first two albums are on this one (hence, the title: "The Best of The Frost"). And besides that, this band only ever sounded good "live", so you're not missing anything by by-passing their two-and-a-half other studio albums. If only they'd added the track, "Help Me Baby", I could suggest that Vanguard Records discontinue putting out the "Rock And Roll Music" album, altogether. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This souvenir from Neil Young's Y2K Music in Head tour shines brightest when it reaches what in a vinyl world would have been side two's opening cut: "Words" starts out as a reminder of the depth and genius of Young's Harvest album, and then grows, over the course of its 11 minutes, into a fractured waltz that shows just how nicely a bunch of good old boys and girls can breathe new life into classic rock. Instrumental demons Donald "Duck" Dunn, Spooner Oldham, Jim Keltner, and Ben Keith (along with the Young family backup singers, sister Astrid and wife Pegi) perform similar miracles on "Tonight's the Night,""Cowgirl in the Sand" (18 big minutes!), and a crowd-pleasing "All Along the Watchtower" featuring tour-mate Chrissie Hynde. The shorter cuts are less remarkable, from the previously unreleased "Fool for Your Love" to a draggy "Motorcycle Mama" that barely warrants its four minutes. But when Young and company crank it up on the open highway, rock doesn't get much better than this. -Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Disappointing Live Neil Young From 2000 Tour
Neil Young is surely one of the most prolific rock artists of all time. "Road Rock Vol 1 - Family & Friends" is Young's second release of 2000, and it's a live recording, made during his 2000 tour. Unlike most of his other live recordings (there have been three official live albums in the last decade alone), this one does not feature his long-time collaborators, the primitive but effective Crazy Horse. Instead, Young is backed by Friends and Family, consisting of long-time friends like Ben Keith, Spooner Oldham, Jim Keltner and Duck Dunn, plus wife Pegi and sister Astrid on backing vocals. While its certainly not a bad CD, "Road Rock" will probably leave many Neil Young fans scratching their heads.

This single CD includes versions of "Cowgirl In The Sand" and "Tonight's the Night" that, while enjoyable, will not make anyone forget the previously issued live versions of either song. Its nice to have performances of "Walk On" and "Words," two '70's classics that Young has not previously revived. Also included is a cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," on which the Pretender's Chrissie Hynde joins Young.

The problem with this release is that it doesn't really have anything to say. The musical arrangements and performances are solid but unexceptional; unlike Dylan or Springsteen, for example, Young doesn't seem interested in reinterpreting or reinventing his earlier triumphs to find new meaning. None of the other instrumentalists seem able to push or prod or wrestle with Young as the boys in Crazy Horse would. Complicating matters further is that neither Pegi Young or Astrid Young are accomplished singers, and their performances are somewhat less than professional. Finally, the recording quality of the entire disc is disappointing, with much of the music sounding muddled and indistinct. In the context of a Young with Crazy Horse show, such crudity is acceptable, or even welcome; here its just frustrating.

This is hardly a disaster. There's a lot of fine music here, and perhaps this will sound better over time, as Young's 1973 "Time Fades Away" does now. Almost any other artist would be well-served by a live recording of this quality. This CD, though, is a letdown from an artist of Neil Young's stature and achievements. It lacks the power and energy of his Crazy Horse shows, and fails to find the beauty and directness that were so wonderful in Young's 1999 solo tour and recent "Silver and Gold ." Luckily, Young reinvents himself every year or so, and by now is already pursuing another musical direction, as he has throughout his long and varied career.

Gimme A Break...
Seems as if the top 500 "reviewers' here have little to no concept of what's going on, which probably means their top 500 "reviewer" status feeds their ego for personal reasons adding little to zero value to an actual opinion. 'Road Rock Vol.1" contains the first time Young has released "Cowgirl in the Sand" live with Reprise. The song itself is one of the many staples on his first 1969 Crazy Horse release, 'Everybody Knows this is Nowhere,' and throughout the years he has played it with many different people, in many different settings, and many times the song's feel varies. The 18 plus minute version contained here is just one take of wonderful arrangements and sounds. It starts the album and is worth the price of admission alone. 'Words,' another past gem, gets a tasteful treatment from Young, Keith Dunn, Oldham, Keltner, Pegi and Astrid. Is this Young's most solid live Reprise release? No. But it is definitely worth having around in the collection as Young's sound over the years changes from live release to album to who he plays with. It captures the magic of a rock n roll moment many years after it was supposed to rust, a bright evolution, a statement few are unable to quite hear.

10 Star CD
Wow. The opening track will blow the roof off your skull! Hello Cowgirls in the Sand? Cowgirls, can you hear me? What a consummate Rock entertainer! I became an ardent fan of his in the late sixties, having been priviledged to witness many of his shows live in San Francisco. He is one aging artist whom I can honestly say hasn't ever taken a misstep, musically. The guy will no doubt be rockin the ears off of fellow ghosts in the grave.

This live CD his best concert version yet. He was so "on" that evening, and his band was so tight, I can honestly say there are very few live albums to equal this. Little Feet comes close, but for sheer rock power, this man has no equal. This CD conjures up visions of Neil circa 1972, Winterland, fuzz-box, Bo-Diddely, looking, square guitar blaring at warp speed, dancers in the audience, including yours truly, gyrating frenziedly on the floorbaords. Light show, Stobes, Glitter Ball...oh those were the days!!
BEK

Crank It Up
It seems one of the best ways to hear Neil's later work like this is to turn up. Shall we say "Crank it up". This live recording is very loose. Not perfect but if you want real rock and roll that takes a chance, this is one of those. It's not a plastic, smooth album. I'm Diggin' this record at a very high volume in the headphone right now. A very good way to appreciate it I might add. Neil's voice and guitar are stellar. It is true that "Cowgirl In The Sand" and "Words" will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up at a high volume but "Peace Of Mind" is a beautiful song not to be overlooked. Play this album a few times and it does grow on you. That's what good music does.

Neil By Numbers Live
Desperately seeking to become as irrelevant as Graham Nash, Neil released a live CD featuring friends and family. I've 2 words for Shakey: Linda McCartney, or if that doesn't do it: Yoko Ono. Leave the wife at home, the kid sister aint Nicollete Larsen.
It's all very competently executed, but there's no sense that any of this really matters to him anymore. It is a better record than Year of the Horse and the soundtrack to Dead Man, but the fire is out, and that's a shame. It's better to burn out than.... ... Read more

Album Description

Japanese exclusive release spanning 40 years of great concert performances, Tracks include, 'It Ain't Me, Babe' (from a promo only album), 'Dead Man, Dead Man' (live In New Orleans 1981) which was a B-side for a cassette only single release, 'Born In Time' which was previously released on an EP, 'Somebody Touched Me' (traditional prev. unreleased), 'Wade In The Water (traditional prev. unreleased), 'Handsome Molly' (traditional prev. unreleased), 'To Ramona' (traditional prev. unreleased) and 'Things Have Changed' (prev. unreleased live version) and many more. 2001 release. Standard jewel case. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

11 out of 16 ain't bad (ain't great but ain't bad)
This should get 5 stars for the music, 3 stars for Sony's track selection. As there is no shortage of rare and (officially) unreleased live Dylan covering his entire career, there was no need to include 5 tracks off of existing albums. For example: from the 1966 tour instead of "I Don't Believe You" (which many fans already have twice -- on "Live 1966" and "Biograph") Sony could have included "Just Like Tom's Thumb's Blues" (which is available only on a rare 7" and the Australian "Masterpieces" compilation). Likewise "Heaven's Door" from 1974's "Before the Flood" and "Shelter From the Storm" from 1976's "Hard Rain" could have replaced with additional tracks from the out-of print Woody Guthrie tribute album and rare promo "Renaldo & Clara" EP. From the MTV session, Sony could have substituted "Love Minus Zero" (which is currently available only on the video release) for "Dignity". And if Sony had to include something from Dylan's tour with the Dead, couldn't they have scraped up an out-take? In fact "Slow Train Comin'", "Dignity" and "Shelter" are arguably the three weakest tracks on this CD, making their presence doubly frustrating. As for the rest of it, from 1961 to 2000 the tracks are all good-to-great and, while not entirely unavailable before, not already in most fans' collections. For those 11 tracks, the CD is worthwhile.

Bob Dylan" Live" is a tribute to Dylan !
This album has some great live performances by the nr 1 of the 20th century."Somebody Touched Me"(2000)the first song shows that Dylan can still perform.There are several songs that is worth while."Grand Coulee Dam" (1968} has never been released on a Dylan album,a great song, with Dylan's voice in a good shape.I have allready own the version "It Ain't Me Babe"(1975) but it still gives me THAT feeling."Dead Man"(1981) one to remember,it has everything that Dylan had in those years."Could Irons Bound"(1997) is just as good as his album "Time Out Of Mind" from that time."Born In Time"(1998)is strong and you can hear Dylan is really putting his skills in this one.All the songs i reviewed have never been released.That's why every Dylan fan should have this Live Album.It will put a smile on your face !

May Be Worthwhile If You're A Serious Dylan Fan
(...) we could have done better by Sony with this one... There are many fine live tracks here - and, granted, most of these performances are unavailable elsewhere (at least in "official" releases). As a serious-but-not-fanatical Dylan fan, I swallowed hard at the purchase price, took the leap, and have ended up enjoying the album greatly from start to finish.

BUT: not only are there several already-released cuts on the album, but Sony saw fit to only give us one CDs-worth of material. Even though this is an import, it's still awfully stingy of Sony not to give us more material - and more rare or previously-unreleased material - given the very hefty price tag of this item.

There are many, many albums out there by Dylan and others that provide more music and better music for 1/3 or even 1/4 of the cost of this album! So, unless you're a serious Dylan fan, I recommend passing this one over and instead buying two to four other Dylan albums with the money you would have spent on this live import... You'll probably also have enough left to buy a six pack of some fine import - which you can savor while listening to all the great music you just bought! On the other hand, if you ARE a serious Dylan fan, this album is certainly worth your consideration despite its steep price: every performance here is a strong one, most of the material is rare/previously-unreleased, and of the previously-released material there some cuts that were the only gems in otherwise lackluster albums.

Expensive, but Worth it For Collectors
In a way this material seems like it was all thrown together, but collectors are going to want to get it for the unreleased material that's been salted into it. "Wade in the Water" from 1961," gives us kind of a bluesy Mr. D. "Handsome Molly" recorded at the Gaslight a year later gives us a folksy Bob. "To Ramona" from the "Don't Look Back" film is a nice version, but maybe they could have left off the horrible "Dead Man, Dead Man" recorded in New Orleans in 1981. The stuff from the "Never Ending Tour," is nothing short of outstanding. This CD is worth everyone of those five stars even with that one stinker on it.

Reviewed by Stephanie Sane

A MUST for Bob Fans
This is a fabulous compilation -- and really one of my favorite listens. A most enjoyable potpourri of young and old Bob! The gospel stuff rocks and isn't represented as well on any other live CD (as far as I know). I really can't understand why this CD hasn't been released in the US. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Three Rooms, Five Stars!
Nothing beats Eddie From Ohio live, and this CD is a great example! They chose a great mix of their best newer live tunes, plus some not-often-heard older stuff. If you have never heard EFO before, the only reason this album isn't a good "first listen" is because you'll never want to hear a studio-recorded version of any of these songs again! I was at the Somerville Theater show that part of this was recorded at, and it truly is just like being there. Vintage EFO in that the tunes just put you in a happy state of mind! Not only are Julie, Mike, Eddie, Robbie and Bob the NICEST people ever, they also make a damn fine team o'performers. And the cover art rocks. :)

Love Love Love EFO !
Eddie From Ohio is absolutely my favorite band. I've seen them live 7 times to date and was present at the Wolf Trap show that was taped for this album. For anyone who has not experienced EFO yet, this is the CD for you. It features all of favorite songs from Quick and a few of the older staples you can't help but sing along to. My favorite track is "Operator." The only thing that would make me think more highly of this album would be if they'd put the live band banter on. This group is hilarious and interacts on stage so well together. Everyone I have played their music for loves it - check it out today.

Once again EFO is folkin' excellent
I ordered this CD from the band's website even before it was released and have enjoyed singing along at the top of my lungs. This is a compilation of live performances, and you feel as though you are there. The running commentaries at the end of disc 2 are too funny (even if you are not YET an edhead, but you probably will be after listening to these recordings). I also think that the song "Old Dominion" would make a great state song for VA.

Amazing, soul shaking, music making from EFO
I've seen 'em perform live from VA to CA. This CD captures every musical nuance of a live EFO performance. By closing my eyes (very dangerous while driving) I felt like I was at the live Wolf Trap or Warner Theatre performances. The energy and interpretation you find at their live performances, the stuff that got us all hooked, is neatly wrapped up and delivered in this powerful 2 CD set. I've been a fan for 9+ years - and this CD leads the pack! Great job ya'll! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A double-dozen (give or take a few, they don't mind) songs about love, life, and chickens, Big Grapefruit Cleanup Job presents the wacky funsters of Ed's Redeeming Qualities at their best--live, in front of a hometown (well, an adopted hometown) audience. Transplants from the Northeast to San Francisco, the trio--Buckets and Breeders veteran Carrie Bradley, restaurant critic Dan Leone, and children's book author Jonah Winter--specialize in whimsical instrumentation (guitar, a one-string, homemade bass, ukulele, accordion, clarinet, violin) and playful lyrics. Sample: "If all I wanted was in your pants, I would've stole your laundry." Far and away their best album, as their studio recordings never captured the atmosphere of their live show, Grapefruit also features original band member Neno Perrotta. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fun Tunes from Fun People
This CD is fun and light-hearted music from a band that was a true delight to see live. I miss their gigs which always drew a crowd of people to dance, sing along, and laugh. In the years since I bought this CD, it has kept my fiance and I entertained on several cross-country drives and makes me smile whenever I slide it into my stereo. My favorites are "The Princess and the Horseman of the Apocalpse...(aka "the Unicorn Song"), "New Jersey", "I Met a Man", "Green Glass", "Driving on 9", "Swiss Chard", and "Calypso on the Beach". I even bought a tee-shirt at one of the gigs with the cover art and lyrics to all the songs... (sniff!) I miss Ed's :(

Prepare to transcend the mundane...
Transcending the mundane with its own devices.. I can think of no better way to describe the music of Ed's Redeeming Qualities. A quaint mix of folk, blues, alternative, with a dash of country, Ed's eschews the "standards" of these genres by REFUSING to embrace an over-reliance on percussion. It's impossible to describe how wonderful it is to hear Carrie's breathy expositions without some drug-crazed, slack-jawed wacko banging away arythmically on a snare in the background. Though one might find their music merely light-hearted, the jovial demeanor is really a veneer; what lies below is the stuff that we all struggle with in some form or another; death, love, ambition, finding beauty in ordinary flies in a blue light. For me, this is not party music; this music is for quiet introspection in a dark room with an alcoholic beverage in my hand, contemplating insecurities, failures, and hope for the future. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pluckin' great!
This is great ensemble hoe-down music.I swear you can feel the floor boards in the grange hall creak under the strain of the dancing going on.Seriously, there's a great drive to this combo that makes you want to get up and dance until you keel over.The guitar and bass pluckin' and banjo and mandolin pickin' and singin' and fiddle bowin' is kinda loose around the edges that suits the groove of this music.These guys know their way around old timey tunes--they dig in, play with incredible speed, and make you holler for more.I love listening to this CD on my way to work.When I pull into the parking lot I invariably have a goofy grin on my face--you will too, if you give this a listen!

Excellant Old timely music
Saw this band live at Bumber Shoot Music Feestival in Seattle, and imeadiatley bought this cd. " They are spectacular!! If you enjoyed the soundtrack of "Oh' Brother were art thu" you will love this CD!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best of the best.
3 of the greatest fiddle players in the world!

What can i say, its a non stop fiddle festival: incredible!!
Wow, i can't stop listening to this album. It's diverse and relentless. They couldn't have chosen the tiltle better!!

But don't listen to me, listen to it !! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One voice, one guitar, one mind, one heart, one soul...
This is a compilation of live performances in 1962 and '63, including "We Shall Overcome" done at predominately black Mills College in Alabama in '63. Of the 20 selections, two are early Dylan classics ("Don't Think Twice" and "With God on our Side.") Three are sung in Spanish or Portuguese and ten are traditional folk airs. In the current age, when Britney Spears at 19 requires background dancers, taped vocals, fireworks, smoke, mirrors, et. al., it is refreshing to be reminded that in the early 60's, at around the same age as Britney, Ms. Baez could hold an audience with just her voice, excellent solo guitar work, and her perfect phrasing and diction. In addition, the songs often meant something real, and were worth learning. She bared her feet, but not her midriff, and her heart, but not her breasts. For those who would like to find out what made her the female lead performer of the whole folk/protest revival, this disc is a good purchase. For those who liked her back then, and would enjoy having some of her best early work on CD, it's also a great buy. My own favorite is "Gospel Ship"...and even if you aren't Christian, or don't normally like hymns, the clarity of her vocal, the crispness of her guitar accompaniment, and the simplicity of the song combine to make a three-minute wonder here. I also love the way she does "Long Black Veil" and for my dough, only Johnny Cash equals her performance. "Fennario" is great as well, but you may know it as "Pretty Peggy O". Dylan did this on his own debut album, and comparing the two versions is a treat. Joan's version of "Don't Think Twice, it's Alright" is equal to Bob's own, at least, in emotional impact. "We Shall Overcome" is probably the second best version by a white artist behind Pete Seeger's. This collection even offers "Kumbaya" the much-maligned campfire sing-along, but Joan is the one who made it so ubiquitous that people eventually got tired of it. Listen to it here, recorded in '62, and you realize why people fell in love with singing it.

Great!
Only one of two Joan Baez albums I've heard-but I love it! My favorites are Long Black Veil, Don't Think Twice, and With God ... She has SUCH an absolutely beautiful voice... and boy, do I wish I could play the guitar like that! I love Bob Dylan, but I can't help thinking she sounds better singing his songs than he does. (Sorry!)

another beauty by joanie
Eveything Baez does - esp. her earlier work, like this one - is beautiful to me. This is a good mosaic of many of her styles: classic broadside ballads (Fennario), Dylan (Don't Think Twice, With God, etc.), Appalachia (Copper Kettle), Spanish/Portuguese (Te Manha, etc.), Gospel (Gospel Ship), etc. This is the first Baez album I ever bought, and learned to play guitar with in the 60's. It's still a thrill - beautiful. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For a man openly hostile to tie-dyed nostalgia, Bob Dylan's 1987 summer tour with the Grateful Dead was a confounding event indeed. The result on this concert recording is Dylan warbling across the usual Dead groove: neither rock nor roll. No new compositions emerged from the summit, so their repertoire is limited to an unsurprising list of chestnuts ("All Along the Watchtower," "Knocking on Heaven's Door," etc.). Their meandering version of Dylan's "I Want You" would be a vicious parody of the original if it weren't so sadly true. And if these were the stadium tour's best performances, pity anyone who actually sat through one of these concerts with a clear head. --Steve Appleford ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Dead on arrival
You love Dylan. You love the Dead. You'd think the pair of them together would be incredible, right? Wrong. This is an extremely disappointing live album, and the fault lies mainly with Mr D. The seven shows the Dead and Dylan did together in 1987 were slow to gel, mainly through lack of rehearsal, but the last four found the combination clicking fairly often (thanks to some excellent guitar work from Jerry Garcia, Brent Mydland's valiant keyboard efforts, and some intriguing song selections by Bob). Unfortunately, when it came time to putting together a live album, Dylan vetoed most of Garcia's suggestions as to what should be on it (probably because most of them had appeared on his last live album, 1984's plodding Real Live). This is what they compromised with. There are some good selections here: a brutal Slow Train, a skipping I Want You and a dark version of Queen Jane Approximately. Unfortunately there's also a 12-minute version of Joey where Bob and drummer Mickey Hart seem determined to outdo each other in slowness (it really drags) and by-the-number versions of Watchtower and Heaven's Door. Strangely enough, the lasting effects of the Dylan/Dead tour wouldn't be fully apparent until it was over. The Dead adopted a large number of Dylan's songs into their repertoire, performing them with a zip and verve not visible here; and Dylan would adopt the Dead's 'tour every year, rotate your song lists often, pull out unusual selections and revivals' credo, which would re-enthuse him and lead to the Neverending Tour, where he's currently playing better than ever. I love Dylan, but I'm sure I'm not alone in judging this the single least necessary disc in his catalogue.

A way to take you to that place.
I can remember the hazy, heat rising as the sun tried to bust through the New Jersey smog while Dylan sang JOEY about the NYC mobster.Giants Stadium. August 1987. It was a very heavy moment. A mark in time. Sure it wasn't tight. It was loose like the whole short tour itself. When the LP came out, I, too, was dissapointed because it wasn't the shining collaboration that it was supposed to be. But, listening now, I can really feel the sluggish summer of 87, THE CROWDS IN THE STADIUMS and the sound of that big PA and the bittersweet notion that it was a time and a sound that will never be back. Spend a few bucks and buy the CD. It is not a bad way to spend an hour.

Should Have Been Better
I've heard the half dozen shows Mr. D recorded with the Grateful Dead and my question to the boys in the suits and I guess to Mr. D himself is, "How could you guys have blown it so hard?" These shows were all great and one of them should have been released in it's entirety. Instead, somehow we get a hodge podge effort that seems like it was thrown together as an after thought. Believe me, there isn't anyone on God's green earth who is a bigger Dylan fan than me, not even that guy who used to go through his garbage all those years ago, wading through used pampers, looking for Dylan info. But even I was disappointed in this one. Still it's Bob and the Dead and if you don't have access to the tapes of the shows, then you gotta have this one even though I can only give it four stars.

Reviewed by Stephanie Sane

Not great, but not bad
Having seen the Dylan/Dead show at Oakland Coliseum, I was surprised that this release didn't have the jump that much of the show I attended did. Still, it's not bad. The Dead were arguably the best interpreters of Dylan's songs and they had a great feel for the songs, Jerry especially. I liked the inclusion of "Joey". For those who want a superb collection of Dylan's songs reinterpreted, buy the Dead's "Postcards of the hanging."

Not THAT bad
Sure, this CD has a few flaws here and there but overall these two bands compose a great musical juggernaut which is too powerful to be destroyed by a few mistakes. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Never looked so nice.
One day I downloaded a track of "Feel Us Shakin'" featuring frontman Sean Kelly and Boyd, LeRoi, and Carter from the Dave Matthews Band. The next week, I picked up this album, off of the strength of that one song, and it was in my stereo for about a month straight afterward. Tracks like "Sacred Stones," "Feel Us Shakin'," "Nothing Lasts for Long," and "Who Am I" sound like they can only be sang through tears of joy, and rousing versions of "Did You Ever Look So Nice," "Won't Be Back Again," and "Little Silver Ring" among others run wild with energy, greatly benefitted by Sean Kelly's soaring vocals. It is said that The Samples can only be truly appreciated if seen live, and aside from catching them on one of there numerous tour dates, a copy of "Transmissions" is as beneficial a satellite broadcast from venues all across Anytown, USA. A must have for any hardcore or fledgling fan.

Remains one of the Best from one of music's Best!
The Sample's "Transmissions from the Sea of Tranquility" is a live album from The Samples released in 1997. As an avid Samples fan, this CD remains one of my favorite albums by the band. As the liner notes indicate, the album was recorded during a period of band member transitions, and there was some doubt as to whether the band would remain together. Thankfully, Sean Kelly and company have remained together to this day and continue to produce some of the best and most overlooked rock music.

The bulk of the material in this double CD is live material found on their earlier studio releases, including their self-titled debut, No Room, The Last Drag, and Autopilot. There are also a few studios songs sprinkled in, including a cover of John Lennon's "Watching the Wheels". What I enjoy most about this Samples album is the stripped-down nature of the songs; most are acoustic and a bit of a departure from their earlier works. There are a couple of weak songs, notably "Prehistoric Bird" and a remake of an early Samples song, "African Ivory". However, there are some great gems that appear on later albums, such as "Indiana" and "Losing End of Distance"

In my humble opinion, The Samples continue to be the best, if least known band in music today. While Sean Kelly's voice may not be spectacular, his song writing is superb and the musical instrumentation is terrific. The lyrics often tell wonderful stories and vignettes of love, life, and loss. I've been to dozens of Samples concerts since first seeing them in 1992, and I've rarely been disappointed. If you are either a longtime Samples fan or just discovering their music, I highly recommend this album.

Best CD you can own
The Samples have always been a favorite of mine. The Samples good energy combined with creative lyrics make them a band i will keep listening to over and over. This CD (2 Discs, actually) is one that you will keep in your CD player for a long time, and keep listening to it.

By far the best Samples CD, do yourself a favor and buy this.

A Stand-Alone Masterpiece
In this day of candy pop music and overdone morbid music, this double disc is the silver lining of an otherwise monotonous cloud of digital garbage. The Samples have brought together the majority of their meaningful songs as well as new insights toward this beautiful piece of work.

Favorites include live versions of "Weight of the World", "Feel Us Shaking", "Did You Ever Look So Nice", a cover of John Lennon's "Watching the Wheels", and AMAZING versions of "Anyone But You" and "Nothing Lasts for Long". There is also a hilarious little whale bit.

Another plus is the way Sean/Andy describe the meanings behind the pieces, on the disc jacket. Plus the pictures are a riot.

If you are a Samples fan, this is a MUST because the acoustic versions of the songs you know are elevated to a new level. If you are unfamiliar with the Samples, I highly recommend this album, for with a varying musical range from folk to alternative, they will appeal to most music fans. I cannot really think of a band they remind me of, but Dave Matthews Band is a big fan of the Samples work, if that tells you anything. This double disc is a great investment! I highly recommend it.

transmissions from the sea of tranquility
this cd very closely mirrors the experience of seeing the samples live. good energy, great songs...one of my top ten albums ever. catch the samples' show if they're in your area...you won't regret it!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In their inimitable 1958 Wayne touring bus, stuffed withflea-market couches and a propane stove, Fred Eaglesmith and the FlyingSquirrels have spent the last decade descending from Canada to play anyvenue that will have them. These two discs generously capture the furyand fun of their live gigs, despite the track fade-outs and the absenceof Eaglesmith's hilarious between-song storytelling. The set includesthe previously unrecorded (for good reason) novelty tunes "WhiteTrash," "Big Hair," and "How's Ernie?" yet another car song "BenchseatBaby," but also "John Deere" and "Carmelita," rare gems that stand withthe best of Eaglesmith's working-class portraits. He growls and snarlsthrough every line, while his cohorts--including human salvage yardWashboard Hank, distortion-pedal-loving mandolinist Willie P. Bennett,and harmony vocalist and bassist Ralph Schipper (whose last show theset documents)--rock like punks on a mission. --Roy Kasten ... Read more

Reviews (9)

a good'un
Just what you probably think you don't need--yet another two-disc thematic song suite on an indie label. "Ralph's Last Show" (named for the bandmate whose green card has since expired) sounds like the worst sort of treacle in theory--songs about trains, old cars, old loves, even, so help me, one about an old dog. In reality these are beautifully observed, sometimes sweet, often hilarious songs written by a journeyman Canadian folkie whose voice has just the right amount of road- (if not world-)weariness in it. All that and an Appalachian murder ballad that sounds more authentic than anything Gillian Welch has thus far come up with.

Docked a notch only for spreading two 40 min. sets across two cds when both would've easily fit on one.

Torn between 4 and 5 stars.
FOUR car songs, three train songs, a tractor song, and a bunch of awesome non-machinery songs too... I'd label it country/folk with an edge, with tons of fiddling in the background. Unless you hate that kind of music, what's not to like?

Well, it comes in a cardboard sleeve with no lyric sheets, and parts of it wouldn't play in my finicky old CD player, probably because the CDs got a little warped in transit because of the cheesy packaging. (The lyrics are pretty clear in the songs, so not having a lyric sheet isn't a crisis. The songs I could play on the old player were good enough to justify purchasing a new CD/DVD player the day after I got the CD, which plays both disks just fine.) "Flowers in the Dell" is a little creepy. And after a while the album's overall vocal and musical roughness got on my nerves, so I had to play something else for a bit.

Still, it's an amazing album, too good to knock down a whole star. But if 4.5 was an option, it'd be that.

He's a pretty good guy.. with a great cd
I've seen quite a few live Fred shows, and this cd captures the band at its musical peak. Included are some very new songs, some standards, and some revived classics. The best news is that you can really hear Washboard Hank, who's been a major force in the live shows but sadly missing from the recordings. Pay close attention to Hank's excellent dobro work!
On the down side, the cd doesn't include the between-songs stories, quips, and banter that make a Fred Eaglesmith show a truly a wonderful experience.

One CD's worth of music on two CDs...
OK, I'm somewhat of a Fredhead, so maybe I was expecting more from this two-CD set than I should have been. But I sure feel ripped off! In total music, the two CDs combined time out at about 82-83 minutes, or just a few minutes more than one CD can hold. One track could have been cut and this could have been released as a less-expensive one-CD package. Instead, both CDs have lots of unused space, but the price being charged doesn't justify the amount of music on the two CDs. There is no between-song banter. Each tune just fades and another begins. This did not even begin to convey the fun of a Fred Eaglesmith show! OK, the music is pretty solid, but the manner in which this CD was packaged made it seem like it would be a "warts and all" complete live show, a la the Grateful Dead's "Dick's Picks" series of live CDs. Fortunantely for me, I got a defective CD with two Disk 2's. Disk 1 was missing, so I only heard the 40-odd minutes on Disk 2. I was able to return this and get my money back because of the fact it had two of the same disk. I didn't ask if there was another copy. I spent my money on something else.

TOP TEN FOR YEAR 2001
This is cd is more acoustic than his last cd's, you'll have to go back to "Paradise Motel" for the same feeling. The cd is full of raw energy, and Eaglesmith as always is amazing. It's his best cd (from the ones I've heard) and one of the best cd's this year.

Amazing!

Just one problem, at close to 82 minutes it's too short for 2 cd's, it could have fit into one (- some applause and maybe one track less). It's yr money so you better know it before you order. ... Read more

Album Details

Features Two Albums Originally Released in 1960 on the Vanguard Label. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

some of the best of Odetta, from the "old days"
I have both original recordings, and love them. Odetta has a voice and style that has always impressed and moved me. She sings these songs with great respect for the music. Odetta is one of the true icons of folk and blues. When you listen to these songs, you will understand. Any one interested in the origins of folk, folk - rock, or any other folk hybred needs to have this collection. Buy one for a back up. My son's taste in music ussualy leans toword heavy metal, rap, and hip hop. However, when has listened to some of my Odetta and other folk greats, the recordings disappear to his house. ... Read more

Album Description

First ever US release spotlights Iain's crystalline vocals on Seven Bridges Road, Keep On Sailing, and Darkness, Darkness. Recorded live at The Bottom Line in NYC in '88. Includes 4 bonus tracks. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Diamond Among Lumps of Coal
This is an exquisite album. I have always preferred Iain's Elektra years when he gave us "Amelia" and "Bear", still the two albums by which I measure all of his work. On this live album, we have Iain Matthews Unplugged. His wonderful sad voice is on display in front of a small audience, late at night. He sings both "Woodstock" and "On Squirrel Hill" acappella. Almost all of the other songs feature his voice accompanied only by acoustic guitar and backup vocals. "Keep on Sailing" is as good as he has ever done it, along with a wonderful version of "Darkness Darkness." I found myself stuck in rush hour traffic today for two hours, and I just wailed along with him. If you want Iain's voice in its purity, this is it. At $7 new, it is one of the best buys on the internet; it is a steal, a diamond among lumps of coal. I put it in my top 3, right alongside "Amelia" and "Bear."

A strange case
Three years ago, I finally saw Iain Matthews perform live. Imagine the circumstances: there was the man who survived in the business for more than thirty years, who made dozens of albums, performing on an tiny stage for about thirty people. Yet he played for a solid two hours, cheerfully, even exchanging jokes with this small audience. And when he started to sing, it was spine-chilling: here was that incredible voice, that hadn't lost any of its hypnotizing magic. I wish I had secretly recorded that concert. 'Nights in Manhattan' is a poor substitute; although the performance is more than adequate, and the choice of songs delightful, this CD is very badly produced. It sounds as if Iain is singing to an audience of dozing nightporters in a vast, rectangular hangar situated on an abandoned airfield. I only hope that someone will give 'Iain live' a second chance.

First we take Manhattan, then we take Points West
Nights in Manhattan' was originally relaesed in 1988. It's a live album, recorded at the Bottom Line in NYC. It is now available combined with a West Coast concert, and sort of doubles the value of the CD. It brings together laid back, acoustic versions of songs by 'maestro's' like Richard Thompson, John Martyn, Richard Farina, Joni Mitchell and - of course - Ia(i)n Matthews himself. ... Read more