Search - Humble Pie :: BBC Sessions: Natural Born Boogie

Never Tasted So Good

Carlo Matthews | Been Moving Around | 04/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With Frampton still on board for over half of these live-in- the-studio sessions, and axeman Clem Clempson plugging in for the rest of the proceedings, this juicy selection of some of the Pie's tastiest slices has to be one of the great lost dishes ever produced by the band.Clean, crisp-sounding, full of buoyant energy and menacing swagger, the lads make their way through a handful of classics with amazing confidence and self-assuredness: they had the moves, the riffs, the Big Picture. The first 3 cuts -- early classics in their own right -- rival the original versions with their jaunty r&b rythms, kaleidoscope guitars, rootsy yet phenomenal vocal interplay, and concise interpretations (no meandering solos here). The bluesier numbers of the second half are the embodiment of sheer soul ("Black Coffee") and rock & roll danger ("Rolling Stone," "I Don't Need No Doctor"). Again, the jamming is kept trimmed and never threatens to overrun the songs themselves.Having said all that, there's an unmistakable innocent charm in these performances, as if , besides the serious skillmanship and Marriott's occasional bravado, the lads are playing for the sheer love of music, for the wonder and the excitement. Cheeky yet humble.The BBC Sessions may be the Pie's last stroke of genius and is certainly a treasure trove for the fan. For those just discovering Humble Pie, Rock On or Smoking (the two albums most represented in these sessions and the band's highest creative/performance peaks) may be the place to begin on a beautiful journey."

Poor value, for collectors only

Redgecko | USA | 02/25/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Quoted from All Music Guide Review:



For collectors only. Humble Pie's disappointing entry into the generally classy BBC series clocks in at an anemic 36 minutes and features slapdash, often incorrect track documentation (at least three tunes are credited to the wrong songwriters) as well as below par mono sound, which seems to be transferred from vinyl. Nine of the ten tunes are studio reproductions of existing album cuts and add little to the original versions. The majority were recorded before 1971 and feature Peter Frampton, but none of the performances are revelatory. An alternate version of the rare "The Big Black Dog" single, previously available only on the definitive double anthology Hot N' Nasty, is a worthy addition, but an album-closing live "I Don't Need No Doctor," seemingly recorded by a hand-held microphone in the middle of a field, sets a new low for fidelity on a non-bootleg release and pales in comparison to the classic Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore version. Steve Marriott is in sturdy, soulful, high strutting voice throughout, but only diehard fans will find anything of interest here, and even they will be frustrated by this shoddily assembled, inconsequential addition to the catalog of a once impressive band.

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