Hi there and thank you for reading my list of Top 5 Live albums. Now let’s be clear, what makes my Top 5 may not jive with your list, however I would gladly listen to anyone else’s Top 5 list. All that said, I simply love to listen to live versions of songs.
Criteria:
What makes a live album great?
- The crowd is clearly in the moment. (often small venues sound better). My favorite live albums are those which sound like a complete concert. I love it when there is a formal introduction of the artist followed quickly by the band jumping right uinto the opener. The show then should proceed logically and sound like a complete concert. My least favorite structure for a live album is the “live cut” version. This structure is best described as a collection of live versions of songs. Usually each cut is separated by a fade out of the crowd after each song, then a fade in to the next song.
- I should be able to put the cd in and listen to it straight through just as if I was at the concert. It should should sound like a concert experience it has a beginning, a middle and an end.
- Musicians should sound like they are at their best. Great live recordings should not be studio versions with live crowd noise, (see Eagles). Great live recordings should sound like the musicians are having fun and enjoying themselves. My choices for best live album must feel like a coherent show. An album which is simply a collection of live versions of songs does not make the grade.
So here are my nominations in no particular order
– Frampton Comes Alive – Live Album Review
– Jackson Browne Solo Volume 1
– Deep Purple: Made in Japan
– Simon and Garfunkle Live in Central Park.
– Clapton’s unplugged
Stay tuned for the next 5 posts here – Album reviews of each of these selections.
Thanks for stopping by!
JohnnyOooooooo
