Search - West Bruce & Laing :: Live N Kickin

Tough to find

CDnut | San Francisco, CA | 01/24/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This import was probably more of a novelty item for me, but it does have great production quality (for the era) and is a nice companion piece to Why Dontcha. A lot of sound for a trio."

Solid live album

J. Talsma | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 05/04/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"at the time of its release the band consisting of Leslie West and Corky Laing, formerly of Mountain and Jack Bruce of Cream fame and solo-artist, was already extinct (after two studio-albums, neither very good nor bad) so I presume the idea was not from the bandmembers, who not even were involved, but their recordcompany. Anyway, more than both previous albums it is a fitting testament of a band who was more than the sum of its players. Sadly it offers a mere 4 songs but what songs! Starting with the Rolling Stones' "Play with fire" from which only the lyrics come close to its original (a popsong) you hear loud, distorted guitars and gruntled singing, with pouding drums in an extended version. Followed by "the Doctor" from the first album, which had Bruce announcing they were a band, in the same vein. Comes "Politician", a Cream signaturesong, and "Powed Sod", a new recording, which gives Bruce the time to shine with his bass, playing a solo and being more a overamped guitar than bassguitar. Nothing more was recorded when the band played live, which was longer than their stay with Mountain and Cream. So don't expect a CD reissue of the vinylalbum with lots of bonusmaterial, it isn't there and probably doesn't exist after 35 years. This album sums up wat WBL was like and able to do and sound. At times you hear Mountain, than Cream, and if you like those bands (playing live that is) this album is a must. In the midseventies almost every rockact had its livealbum and this is no exception but damned good.

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