"Utterly" Great Album
Jerry | Milwaukee, WI United States | 07/11/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I wish this was a ten star rating system, cause I would give this album a nine. I just have to reserve a five for a pinnicle record. Anyways, this is a really good live record. Like all of the "Live in a Dive" series, this record really represents the specific Utters show. I've seen them twice and it is picture perfect. Why are the Utters the Bay Area's favorite band? Listen and find out. After getting home from the enitial drive from buying the cd, I was on song 12, only half the way through. Yes!!! So many good songs! If there is one thing you can say from a Fat Wreck Chords release is that you are guarenteed to get your money's worth and more. PS. I was surprised at how well the backup vocals came out, they can't be easy."
Live in a Dive
Luke | Victoria, Australia | 07/10/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This release, the latest in the Fat Live in a Dive series, sees San Franciscan punks Swingin' Utters perform 23 of their fun punk tunes live. As with most punk bands, the Utters are at their best in their live element, proving that they can do their thing on stage just as well as they do in the studio, but with the added bonus of the on-stage banter, screams from the crowd, and of course the energy of a live punk show. All of these elements come together to give Live in a Dive that unique atmosphere that you can only find on a good live release. It's hard to pick highlights because it's all so good and so varied, with songs spanning the better part of their 15 year career having been included. With the acoustic `Fruitless Fortunes', and `All I Can Give', the faster, rawer, punk classics `Five Lessons Learned' and `Here we are Nowhere', and, of course, the fun sing-along favorites `The Dirty Sea' and `Catastrophe', the Swingin' Utters ensure that all bases are covered, making Live in a Dive accessible to all fans, new and old."