Search - Robin Trower :: Greatest Hits Live

The times they were a-changin'

running_man | Chesterfield Twp., MI | 11/30/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"'Robin Trower Greatest Hits Live' was recorded for the King Biscuit Flower Hour in late 1977 at the 8,700-plus seat New Haven Coliseum (closed in 2002 after hosting events near Yale University for 30 years). Appearing on the nationally syndicated King Biscuit program typically meant a band was on the cusp of stardom (as was Steve Miller when he recorded a program for The Bis in 1973), or losing traction on a downhill slide. Robin Trower's career peaked with his 1974 release 'Bridge of Sighs', and his riff heavy, Jimi Hendrix-style guitar theatrics were giving way to two revolutions in the late 70's, New Wave Punk and, of course, disco. Trower and his backing band, 'Robin Trower' (now that's original!... unless 'Alice Cooper' beat him to it) deserve a meritorious service award for not giving up the ship, even keeping the wah-pedal front and center along with Peter Frampton (the only difference being that Trower actually knows how to use the thing) late into the decade.



There's a little bit more than sympathy for everybody here, which probably means few will be totally satisfied with the setlist. I tend to get a bit bored when Robin spaces out on his lengthy slow blues-jams ('Somebody Calling', 'Falling Star', 'Daydream', and even 'Bridge of Sighs'), but I perk right up when he breaks into his blues-rock format ('Lady Love', 'Fool and Me', 'Day of the Eagle', and 'Little Bit of Sympathy', all four songs drawn from the quintessential 'Bridge of Sighs' disc). For those who appreciate both of Trower's personas, Robin offers 'Too Rolling Stoned', which starts out on a fast tempo, in this performance sounding half a step faster than the studio version, but breaks into an extended, slow coda. The closer, 'Further On Up the Road', is one of four tracks drawn from Trower's 'In City Dreams' (1977) disc, and splits the difference between hard rock and slow blues. Truth be told, however, Trower sounds razor sharp on all of the tracks he layed down this particular evening, and King Biscuit's recording is equally exemplary. Crowd noise, which can be an unwelcome bedfellow on these recordings, is thoroughly drowned out by the band's mega-decibel modus operandi.



The best offerings on the disc are 'Lady Love', a perfect opening track for a concert, and 'Day of the Eagle' and 'Little Bit of Sympathy', both honed to perfection through years of touring. Only two songs are offered from discs other than 'Bridge of Sighs' and 'In City Dreams'. Track six ('Daydream') appeared on Trower's first solo album, 'Twice Removed From Yesterday' (1973), and the eleventh track, 'Messin' the Blues' (which, ironically, is solid rock), is culled from Trower's 1976 album, 'Long Misty Days'. It seems these tracks were selected to contrast Trower's heavier schtick rather than as representatives of his best work. All the numbers are credited to Trower and lead singer James Dewar, with the exception of 'Further On Up the Road', composed by Don Robey and Joe Veasey, and first put to vinyl by Eric Clapton in 1975.



King Biscuit discs usually come with extensive packaging, but this disc is a bit on the light side. Bruce Pilato penned the liner notes, and is able to offer comments from Trower himself on this particular performance. Other than a couple photographs, however, that's about it. The track listings are given twice, but running times are sadly omitted. Unless you're a devoted fan of Robin Trower, or feel owning a sample of his remarkable live work is essential to your collection, I think the remastered version of 'Bridge of Sighs' is the only essential material Trower has produced. This is good, but I enjoy the "cleaner", standard studio versions more."

Re-release of King Biscuit

J. Nash | Lyles, TN USA | 01/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love Trower's music and really like hearing live recordings of my favorite artists, but I already have the King Bisuit RT In Concert. I feel like King Biscuit just repackaged it to get people like me to buy it again thinking I was getting "rare tracks pulled straight from the archives." I don't know about the re-mastered aspect of the recording but the liner notes have been edited and are skimpier than the original (which you can get thru Amazon for $80). Why not just re-issue the orignal instead? If you don't have In Concert buy this, but if you do and you think this is something different then you'll get ripped like I did. It's good to be the king."