The most exciting Palmer release to date
Mr. D. W. Lloyd | 05/25/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Well what can I say, finally after a solo career spanning just short of 30 years we have a proper live release from the legendary Robert Palmer. (Sound wise 2001 cut Live At The Apollo is a bit of a mess with heavy-handed post production and some re dubbed vocals).
The last time we were treated to anything new was the release of Drive in 2003 just a few months before Robert's untimely death. Incidentally if Drive is not in your collection, I highly recommend it to hear Palmer give it his all with his self-described 'rambunctious rocker' of blues covers.
As a Palmer fan for more than 15 years it is with some irony this album comes along just a few short days after I finally filled the glaring gap in my collection with the purchase of Pride. This live CD, recorded by the BBC at the Hammersmith Palais on the 31st May 1983, contains six cuts from that album alone, including the Kool and The Gang cover and single You Can Have It (Take My Heart).
Now to the content itself. Fifteen live cuts from the era when Palmer's career was just gathering mass-market momentum. Two drummers playing on the tracks provide a solid backing track yet allow for an offbeat rhythmic style to be aptly used on tracks such as Woke Up Laughing and Best of Both Worlds. If your looking for Addicted To Love style stuff then this album will probably miss a beat with you, that's not to say this album isn't kicking, try It's Not Difficult segueing Some Guys Have All The Luck and concert staple Sneakin' Sally. The use of drum effects and synths is heavily evident but this is backed up by some fantastic bass playing from long time collaborator Frank Blair. The band is tight, as you'd expect from the demands placed on them, and vocally Palmer is on form. Critically however there isn't a lot of audience atmosphere during the tracks and nothing new is done with them versus the album versions with the exception of Clues, now with a nifty new intro.
I never had the pleasure to see Palmer live but from what I have read he works and works his band and this is certainly evident on this disc with the tracks flowing one after the other with little audience participation.
The packaging is rather on the thin side and makes no mention of band personnel, which I shall now rectify. Drums: Dony Wynn, Michael Dawe. Bass: Frank Blair. Keyboards: Jack Waldman. Guitar: Alan Mansfield. On the plus side the insert does contain a nice picture of Palmer wearing his ubiquitous double dolphin brooch.
This fills in one gap in what is a criminally overlooked musical legend's career. Now we await definitive remasters of his albums, oh yeah and a live DVD and a B side cuts disc and .......
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A Unique Touch of Class!
Vegan-Analysis | from parts unknown | 05/24/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I just got my import copy by international mail. I am listening to it now. FANTASTIC! It is well-known that Robert's remixes for stage were often much more creative than his studio versions - that creativity is captured here. Each song is sleek and punchy, and the arrangements are unique to the point of brilliance. So many times over the years I thought that Palmer's studio work, though excellent, was overly tamed for radio. I felt he needed to capture more of the creativity of his live performances on his studio albums without giving up the silkiness(designed for radio)that made him famous. Well, here we have a live album from the master artist that does just that. This is a huge step up from Maybe It's Live and Live At The Apollo."
Robert Palmer at the BBC
M. Scott-Queen | 05/24/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Robert Palmer's style of music and eccentric enthusiasm for it make him one of the most beloved, yet underrated musicians of his time. This archive of his earlier musings is a splendid sound to the ears for those who enjoy his musical efforts, but without the polish and technology of the period to quell his "rock tenor", his live raspings have a way of piercing the ear, such as on the track "Some Guys", but he makes up for it on the bonus track with "Johnny and Mary" when he's not struggling quite so hard to maintain his voice. All in all if you love Robert Palmer then you'll love this. I do."
