The Album Review Club - Week #145 - (page 1923) - Tellin' Stories - The Charlatans

OB1 said:
The Background

After my short, sweet interview of a laidback album, which proved that length doesn’t get you points, a bit like me fathering twins, it’s time to turn the volume back up and go long.

Unlike Rob, I do love a live album, especially a good double. Up to now, I have resisted reviewing one. In fact, live recordings represent my favourite albums by two of the bands I have reviewed thus far. Several bands made their names with double lives during its 1970’s heyday. The biggest seller of the type – Frampton Comes Alive – inspired the release of the album I have picked this time round, which also happens to be considered by many Classic Rock fans to be the finest example of its kind, although that’s not why I am reviewing it.

This album kind of picked itself. Just as I was finishing up my last review and thoughts were turning to what to write about next time round, the super deluxe edition of Live & Dangerous by Thin Lizzy arrived chez ob1. As I played my way through the eight discs, which feature the seven gigs that material was selected from for the album itself, I realised that I didn’t have a choice to make.

Obviously, I will not be asking anyone to listen to the eight disc version. That version does have some relevance though because, alongside the many accolades L&D has been showered with over the years, it also gained a bad reputation for not being truly live. Even Uber producer Tony Visconti has claimed as much. Guitarist Scott Gorham on the other hand tells an amusing tale about a mistake that he made in concert that lives on in the album’s grooves. Listening to the source material for the album makes it clear that Lizzy were on it night after night and in little need of studio assistance.

Lizzy were a superb live act and one of my favourite bands back in the 70’s. The incarnation of the band that appears on this record played some of the best gigs I ever attended. Phil and the boys were best enjoyed in concert. and the foursome featured here are the best version of the band.

Brian Downey was a kind of Irish Moon without the loon. The truly influential guitar duo of flame haired Scot Brian Robertson, with his incendiary playing, and the California cool of Scott Gorham had a twin harmony lead guitar sound that was considered unique at the time and helped to give the group such a distinctive sound.

The star of the show was charismatic band leader Phillip Lynott. Lynott was not your typical hard rock front man – a mixed race Irish bass playing vocalist who could write lyrics that conjure up the kind of romantic imagery normally reserved for the likes of Bruce Springsteen. Phil was simply one of the coolest kids on the block. He was in his element in front of a partisan crowd and could wrap an audience around his finger.

Heartbreakingly, Phil died young, largely for cliched rock n roll reasons. To this day, no rock star death continues to have the emotional punch of that of Phillip Lynott. This is how to remember him: Live & Dangerous.

The Review

Lizzy breakout one of their best riffs for opener, siren song Jailbreak.

Phil follows up with his famous Irish quip and the band march into Emerald propelled by Brian Downey’s thunderous drums. The song features the dual harmony guitar that Lizzy made famous. The guitar solos rip across the speakers while Phil weaves his bass in between them. A template for Big Country’s career?

Lizzy head Southbound for their next song, a gentler, melodic number with another great dual guitar hook.

The pace steps back up for a scorching riff driven cover of Bob Seger’s Rosalie that Lizzy make their own; especially with the inclusion of the Cowgirl’s Song mid-section, where you will want clap along.

Phil goes all James Jamerson as his bass line brings in the Motownesque Dancing in the Moonlight. This is one of two songs on this album that I adore beyond words, not least because Phil’s words perfectly capture the experience of being a teenager in love:

“When I passed you in the doorway
Well, you took me with a glance
I should've took that last bus home
But I asked you for a dance
Now we go steady to the pictures
I always get chocolate stains on my pants
And my father, he's going crazy
He says I'm livin' in a trance”

John Earle from the Graham Parker band adds some lovely sax and Scott Gorham contributes a wonderful spiralling, melodic solo.

A soupcon of feedback leads onto a change in mood with Massacre as Robbo’s urgent riffing introduces another killer track.

The mood changes again for the Blues ballad Still in Love with You, where Phil’s aching vocal and lyrics evoke the pain of love lost. The song is also notable for the magnificent guitar solos, the audience reaction to Robertson’s speaks for itself. The second from Gorham morphs into some twin lead work reminiscent of Felder & Walsh.

Lynott goes all hip-hop gangsta for the funk rock tale of drug dealers Johnny the Fox meets Jimmy the Weed.

The album’s high point arrives as Phil’s western imagery and another classic riff bring us the Cowboy Song, with the déjà vu moments of its wonderful mid-section, followed by the greatest segue in the history of rock ‘n’ roll and the Boys Are Back in Town, the other Lizzy song that I love beyond words, and I love the words:

“You know that chick that used to dance a lot
Every night she'd be on the floor, shakin' what she's got
Man, when I tell you she was cool, she was red-hot
I mean, she was steamin'”

Phil wasn’t just a poet: he was a painter.

Lynott, of course, would tell you: Don’t Believe a Word.

Warrior keeps the momentum going, as does the straight ahead Are You Ready.

The band go all Leiber and Stoller before they boogie their way through Suicide, which sounds much more uplifting than the song title would suggest.

Sha La La is another rapid-fire number that sounds like it should feature a drum solo, and Brian Downey duly obliges by briefly knocking seven bells out of his already well hammered kit.

By now it’s party time and Phil leads the band and audience into set closer Baby Drives Me Crazy. Some unknown dude from support band Clover adds Harmonica, jousting with messrs. Robertson and Gorham.

Finally, Lizzy encore with The What, a.k.a. The Rocker, which does what it says on the tin.

The greatest live album ever? Not quite for me, but right up there.
Click to expand...
Brilliant review of a fantastic album. As a matter of interest what is the greatest live album in your humble opinion?
 
GornikDaze said:
Brilliant review of a fantastic album. As a matter of interest what is the greatest live album in your humble opinion?
Click to expand...
Oooh, not sure I'd call my opinion humble on such matters.

I think there's a few contenders. As a matter of duty, I often say Kiss: "Alive".

Being more serious, Deep Purple: "Made in Japan"
Other contenders Rush: "All the World's a Stage"
Lynyrd Skynyrd: "One More From the Road"
The Who: "Live at Leeds"
 
OB1 said:
Oooh, not sure I'd call my opinion humble on such matters.

I think there's a few contenders. As a matter of duty, I often say Kiss: "Alive".

Being more serious, Deep Purple: "Made in Japan"
Other contenders Rush: "All the World's a Stage"
Lynyrd Skynyrd: "One More From the Road"
The Who: "Live at Leeds"
Click to expand...
Rush.lol
None of the above.
 
OB1 said:
Boo.
Click to expand...
Sorry mate -- it's only fair I feel. That said, most of us didn't really care for that Dylan record (albeit the arrangements were all different for his "classics").

As for "greatest lives", in general I don't care for live records but The Kinks "One For The Road" has good old stuff and some of the better 70s stuff without the insipid 80s stuff. And of course the (full) soundtrack to "Stop Making Sense", the greatest concert movie ever made, and "The Decline Of Western Civilization" (the first one, the punk one).

Of your list I'd lean to Skynyrd. And I'd definitely pick "Exit . . . Stage Left" over "All The World's A Stage".
 
Last edited:
OB1 said:
The Background

After my short, sweet interview of a laidback album, which proved that length doesn’t get you points, a bit like me fathering twins, it’s time to turn the volume back up and go long.

Unlike Rob, I do love a live album, especially a good double. Up to now, I have resisted reviewing one. In fact, live recordings represent my favourite albums by two of the bands I have reviewed thus far. Several bands made their names with double lives during its 1970’s heyday. The biggest seller of the type – Frampton Comes Alive – inspired the release of the album I have picked this time round, which also happens to be considered by many Classic Rock fans to be the finest example of its kind, although that’s not why I am reviewing it.

This album kind of picked itself. Just as I was finishing up my last review and thoughts were turning to what to write about next time round, the super deluxe edition of Live & Dangerous by Thin Lizzy arrived chez ob1. As I played my way through the eight discs, which feature the seven gigs that material was selected from for the album itself, I realised that I didn’t have a choice to make.

Obviously, I will not be asking anyone to listen to the eight disc version. That version does have some relevance though because, alongside the many accolades L&D has been showered with over the years, it also gained a bad reputation for not being truly live. Even Uber producer Tony Visconti has claimed as much. Guitarist Scott Gorham on the other hand tells an amusing tale about a mistake that he made in concert that lives on in the album’s grooves. Listening to the source material for the album makes it clear that Lizzy were on it night after night and in little need of studio assistance.

Lizzy were a superb live act and one of my favourite bands back in the 70’s. The incarnation of the band that appears on this record played some of the best gigs I ever attended. Phil and the boys were best enjoyed in concert. and the foursome featured here are the best version of the band.

Brian Downey was a kind of Irish Moon without the loon. The truly influential guitar duo of flame haired Scot Brian Robertson, with his incendiary playing, and the California cool of Scott Gorham had a twin harmony lead guitar sound that was considered unique at the time and helped to give the group such a distinctive sound.

The star of the show was charismatic band leader Phillip Lynott. Lynott was not your typical hard rock front man – a mixed race Irish bass playing vocalist who could write lyrics that conjure up the kind of romantic imagery normally reserved for the likes of Bruce Springsteen. Phil was simply one of the coolest kids on the block. He was in his element in front of a partisan crowd and could wrap an audience around his finger.

Heartbreakingly, Phil died young, largely for cliched rock n roll reasons. To this day, no rock star death continues to have the emotional punch of that of Phillip Lynott. This is how to remember him: Live & Dangerous.

The Review

Lizzy breakout one of their best riffs for opener, siren song Jailbreak.

Phil follows up with his famous Irish quip and the band march into Emerald propelled by Brian Downey’s thunderous drums. The song features the dual harmony guitar that Lizzy made famous. The guitar solos rip across the speakers while Phil weaves his bass in between them. A template for Big Country’s career?

Lizzy head Southbound for their next song, a gentler, melodic number with another great dual guitar hook.

The pace steps back up for a scorching riff driven cover of Bob Seger’s Rosalie that Lizzy make their own; especially with the inclusion of the Cowgirl’s Song mid-section, where you will want clap along.

Phil goes all James Jamerson as his bass line brings in the Motownesque Dancing in the Moonlight. This is one of two songs on this album that I adore beyond words, not least because Phil’s words perfectly capture the experience of being a teenager in love:

“When I passed you in the doorway
Well, you took me with a glance
I should've took that last bus home
But I asked you for a dance
Now we go steady to the pictures
I always get chocolate stains on my pants
And my father, he's going crazy
He says I'm livin' in a trance”

John Earle from the Graham Parker band adds some lovely sax and Scott Gorham contributes a wonderful spiralling, melodic solo.

A soupcon of feedback leads onto a change in mood with Massacre as Robbo’s urgent riffing introduces another killer track.

The mood changes again for the Blues ballad Still in Love with You, where Phil’s aching vocal and lyrics evoke the pain of love lost. The song is also notable for the magnificent guitar solos, the audience reaction to Robertson’s speaks for itself. The second from Gorham morphs into some twin lead work reminiscent of Felder & Walsh.

Lynott goes all hip-hop gangsta for the funk rock tale of drug dealers Johnny the Fox meets Jimmy the Weed.

The album’s high point arrives as Phil’s western imagery and another classic riff bring us the Cowboy Song, with the déjà vu moments of its wonderful mid-section, followed by the greatest segue in the history of rock ‘n’ roll and the Boys Are Back in Town, the other Lizzy song that I love beyond words, and I love the words:

“You know that chick that used to dance a lot
Every night she'd be on the floor, shakin' what she's got
Man, when I tell you she was cool, she was red-hot
I mean, she was steamin'”

Phil wasn’t just a poet: he was a painter.

Lynott, of course, would tell you: Don’t Believe a Word.

Warrior keeps the momentum going, as does the straight ahead Are You Ready.

The band go all Leiber and Stoller before they boogie their way through Suicide, which sounds much more uplifting than the song title would suggest.

Sha La La is another rapid-fire number that sounds like it should feature a drum solo, and Brian Downey duly obliges by briefly knocking seven bells out of his already well hammered kit.

By now it’s party time and Phil leads the band and audience into set closer Baby Drives Me Crazy. Some unknown dude from support band Clover adds Harmonica, jousting with messrs. Robertson and Gorham.

Finally, Lizzy encore with The What, a.k.a. The Rocker, which does what it says on the tin.

The greatest live album ever? Not quite for me, but right up there.
Click to expand...
I’m getting a real education on this thread, so thanks for the latest instalment. Looking down that track list, unbelievably, I think I’ve only heard “The Boys Are Back In Town”!
 
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