With The Song Of Life: March 2018

Saturday, March 31, 2018

The J. Geils Band - Original Album Series (2009)

Blues, Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 5 CD | 437 Mb

The first five albums by Boston rockers J. Geils Band are collected here in Warner Bros. Original Album Series box set. While the band would later find major chart success in the early '80s, the swaggering, bluesy party rock of their early output made them a beloved American touring act as they packed arenas throughout the early '70s. Behind charismatic frontman Peter Wolf and ace guitarist J. Geils, they were the consummate hard-working bar band, delivering R&B-influenced good-time rock & roll on their first two studio albums, the self-titled J. Geils Band (1970) and its follow-up, The Morning After (1971). As good as those albums were, the band's natural home was on-stage and their live third album, Full House (1972), recorded at Detroit's Cinderella Ballroom, remains a career highlight. Their excellent third studio effort, Bloodshot (1973), would prove to be their most successful release to date, reaching number ten on the Billboard album charts. Ladies Invited, which arrived later that same year, didn't fare quite as well commercially, but still contained plenty of strong material, bolstering J. Geils Band's status as one of the early--'70s great American rock bands.

CD 1 - The J. Geils Band
1. Wait (3:27)
2. Ice Breaker (For The Big "M") (2:17)
3. Cruisin' For A Love (2:32)
4. Hard Drivin' Man (2:18)
5. Serves You Right To Suffer (4:59)
6. Homework (2:43)
7. First I Look At The Purse (3:53)
8. What's Your Hurry (2:44)
9. On Borrowed Time (3:04)
10. Pack Fair And Square (2:00)
11. Sno-Cone (3:24)

CD 2 - The Morning After
1. I Don't Need You No More (2:36)
2. Whammer Jammer (2:37)
3. So Sharp (3:10)
4. The Usual Place (2:45)
5. Gotta Have Your Love (4:32)
6. Looking For A Love (3:47)
7. Gonna Find Me A New Love (3:24)
8. Cry One More Time (3:23)
9. Floyd's Hotel (3:11)
10. It Ain't What You Do (It's How You Do It!) (5:12)

CD 3 - The Live Full House
1. First I Look At The Purse (4:08)
2. Homework (2:43)
3. Pack Fair And Square (2:34)
4. Whammer Jammer (2:37)
5. Hard Drivin' Man (4:39)
6. Serves You Right To Suffer (9:57)
7. Cruisin' For A Love (3:37)
8. Looking For A Love (5:27)

CD 4 - Bloodshot
1. (Ain't Nothin' But A) House Party (4:43)
2. Make Up Your Mind (3:30)
3. Back To Get Ya (5:19)
4. Struttin' With My Baby (3:18)
5. Don't Try To Hide It (2:34)
6. Southside Shuffle (3:43)
7. Hold Your Loving (2:32)
8. Start All Over Again (4:13)
9. Give It To Me (6:32)

CD 5 - Ladies Invited
1. Did You No Wrong (4:08)
2. I Can't Go On (5:04)
3. Lay Your Good Thing Down (4:32)
4. That's Why I'm Thinking of You (3:13)
5. No Doubt About It (3:40)
6. The Lady Makes Demands (4:21)
7. My Baby Don't Love Me (3:42)
8. Diddyboppin' (3:31)
9. Take a Chance (On Romance) (3:56)
10. Chimes (5:03)

Thursday, March 29, 2018

The Beatles - '69 Rehearsals Vol. 1 (1991)

Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 131 Mb

1. Medley: Get Back... (22:07)
2. Get Back-2 (1:58)
3. Medley: Get Back... (17:05)
4. Medley: Octopus's Garden... (13:53)

The Beatles - '69 Rehearsals Vol. 2 (1991)

Rock | Mp3 VBR kbps | 140 Mb

1. Two Of Us (10:11)
2. The Long And Winding Road (12:13)
3. Let It Be (14:53)
4. Medley: Across The Universe... (14:19)
5. Medley: One After 909... (10:55)

The Beatles - '69 Rehearsals Vol. 3 (1991)

Rock | Mp3 VBR kbps | 110 Mb

1. Don't Let Me Down (15:11)
2. Don't Let Me Down (15:45)
3. Medley: Oh, Darling, Long And Winding Road... (10:07)
4. Medley: Back Seat Of My Car... (18:03)

Sunday, March 25, 2018

The Beatles - Bootleg Recordings 1963 ~ Remastered Edition (2013)

Pop, Rock | FLAC | 2 CD | 771 Mb

CD 1
1. There's A Place (Takes 5&6) (2:17)
2. There's A Place (Take 8) (1:58)
3. There's A Place (Take 9) (2:03)
4. Do You Want To Know A Secret (Track 2, Take 7) (2:16)
5. A Taste Of Honey (Track 2, Take 6) (2:11)
6. I Saw Her Standing There (Take 2) (3:08)
7. Misery (Take 1) (1:53)
8. Misery (Take 7) (1:54)
9. From Me To You (Take 1) (3:23)
10. From Me To You (Take 5) (2:17)
11. Thank You Girl (Take 1) (2:07)
12. Thank You Girl (Take 5) (2:05)
13. One After 909 (Takes 1&2) (4:27)
14. Hold Me Tight (Take 21) (2:41)
15. Money (That's What I Want) (RM7 undubbed) (2:49)
16. Some Other Guy (26Jan63 Saturday Club) (2:08)
17. Love Me Do (26Jan63 Saturday Club) (2:36)
18. Too Much Monkey Business (16Mar63 Saturday Club) (1:52)
19. I Saw Her Standing There (16Mar63 Saturday Club) (2:39)
20. Do You Want To Know A Secret (25May63 Saturday Club) (1:51)
21. From Me To You (25May63 Saturday Club) (1:54)
22. I Got To Find My Baby (11Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:00)
23. Roll Over Beethoven (29Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:30)
24. A Taste Of Honey (23Jun63 Easy Beat) (2:02)
25. Love Me Do (20Oct63 Easy Beat) (2:27)
26. Please, Please Me (20Oct63 Easy Beat) (2:11)
27. She Loves You (20Oct63 Easy Beat) (2:28)
28. I Want To Hold Your Hand (21Dec63 Saturday Club) (2:19)
29. Till There Was You (21Dec63 Saturday Club) (2:19)
30. Roll Over Beethoven (21Dec63 Saturday Club) (2:17)

CD 2
1. You Really Got A Hold On Me (4Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:59)
2. The Hippy Hippy Shake (4Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (1:44)
3. Till There Was You (11Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:15)
4. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (18Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:09)
5. A Taste Of Honey (18Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (1:57)
6. Money (That's What I Want) (18Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:41)
7. Anna (Go To Him) (25Jun63 Pop Go The Beatles) (3:03)
8. Love Me Do (10Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:29)
9. She Loves You (24Sep63 PopGo The Beatles) (2:17)
10. I'll Get You (10Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:06)
11. A Taste Of Honey (10Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:08)
12. Boys (17Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:14)
13. Chains (17Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:22)
14. You Really Got A Hold On Me (17Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:58)
15. I Saw Her Standing There (24Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:42)
16. She Loves You (10Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:16)
17. Twist And Shout (24Sep63 Pop Go The Beatles) (2:37)
18. Do You Want To Know A Secret (12Sep63 Here We Go) (1:57)
19. Please, Please Me (12Sep63 Here We Go) (2:00)
20. Long Tall Sally (13May63 Side By Side) (1:51)
21. Chains (13May63 Side By Side) (2:25)
22. Boys (13May63 Side By Side) (1:54)
23. A Taste Of Honey (13May63 Side By Side) (2:06)
24. Roll Over Beethoven (26Dec63 From Us To You) (2:19)
25. All My Loving (26Dec63 From Us To You) (2:07)
26. She Loves You (26Dec63 From Us To You) (2:22)
27. Till There Was You (26Dec63 From Us To You) (2:16)
28. Bad To Me (demo) (1:27)
29. I'm In Love (John demo key of F) (1:35)
30. I'm In Love (John demo key of G) (1:22)

Friday, March 23, 2018

The Beatles - The Sweetest Apples (1994)

Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 191 Mb

1. Revolution (3:21), 2. Yer Blues (4:04), 3. Not Guilty (4:27), 4. Lady Madonna (2:18), 5. Tomorrow Never Knows (2:57), 6. The Bus (0:45), 7. Strawberry Fields Forever (2:41), 8. Jealous Guy (4:08), 9. Mucho Mungo/Mount Elgar (3:48), 10. Many Rivers To Cross (4:57), 11. How Do You Sleep (8:00), 12. Subterranean Homesick Blues (3:15), 13. One After 909 (3:03), 14. Get Back (2:19), 15. Mail Man, Bring Me No More Blues (1:54), 16. The Walk (0:57), 17. Two Of Us (3:42), 18. Don't Let Me Down (3:54), 19. Save The Last Dance For Me (0:44), 20. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (2:44), 21. Strawberry Fields Forever (3:15), 22. Dig It (4:20), 23. Let It Be (4:03), 24. Her Majesty (2:12)

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Grand Funk Railroad - Survival (2002)

Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 177 Mb

By the time Grand Funk Railroad came to make Survival in January 1971, Cleveland Recording had moved to new quarters, and the group had become a national phenomenon, its last two albums Top Ten million-sellers. They spent a relatively luxurious six weeks or so on the record, and the results showed; Survival was the best-sounding and the best-played album they had yet made. Such assessments are, of course, relative, however. The group's playing remained rudimentary, especially in the rhythm section, and its sense of song construction was simple and repetitious. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Mark Farner sang in a strained, limited tenor lyrics that yearned for basic satisfactions ("Comfort Me," "I Want Freedom"), then led the lengthy instrumental passages with either simple guitar patterns or simple organ patterns. The band's choice of covers, Traffic's "Feelin' Alright" and the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," indicated taste (and that they were short of material), but their interpretations were inferior. This may have been Grand Funk's first real studio album, but they still sounded like they hadn't quite figured out how the studio differed from the stage and what added dynamics might be necessary to make a recording successful.

1. Country Road (4:21), 2. All You've Got Is Money (5:14), 3. Comfort Me (6:45), 4. Feelin' Alright (4:26), 5. I Want Freedom (6:17), 6. I Can Feel Him In The Morning (7:12), 7. Gimme Shelter (6:19), 8. I Can't Get Along With Society (2002 Remix) (5:39), 9. Jam (Footstompin' Music) (4:40), 10. Country Road (Unedited Original Version) (7:36), 11. All You've Got Is Money (Unedited Original Version) (8:18), 12. Feelin' Alright (Unedited Original Version) (5:54)

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Neil Young With Simon & Garfunkel - Concert For The Children’s Health Fund (1993)

Folk Rock, Pop Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 2 CD | 264 Mb

CD 1
1. Neil Young - From Hank To Hendrix (6:20)
2. Neil Young - Mr. Soul (3:25)
3. Neil Young - World On A String (4:29)
4. Neil Young - Pocahontas (5:58)
5. Neil Young - Harvest Moon (5:36)
6. Neil Young - One Of These Days (6:10)
7. Neil Young - Sugar Mountain (6:35)
8. Neil Young - Stringman (5:19)
9. Neil Young - After The Gold Rush (6:47)
10. Neil Young - Helpless (with Simon & Garfunkel) (6:18)
11. Neil Young - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (with Simon & Garfunkel) (3:09)

CD 2
1. Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer (4:27)
2. Simon & Garfunkel - America (3:41)
3. Simon & Garfunkel - Homeward Bound (2:56)
4. Simon & Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair (3:57)
5. Simon & Garfunkel - Cecilia (2:34)
6. Simon & Garfunkel - American Tune (4:25)
7. Simon & Garfunkel - El Condor Pasa (3:34)
8. Simon & Garfunkel - So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright (4:03)
9. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (4:40)
10. Simon & Garfunkel - The 59th Street Bridge Song (feelin' Groovy) (3:59)
11. Simon & Garfunkel - Mr. Robinson (3:40)
12. Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound Of Silence (with Neil Solo At The Electric Guitar) (7:12)
13. Simon & Garfunkel - Old Friends (4:19)

Concert For The Children Health Fund, Live At Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, Los Angeles, California March 1st 1993

Grand Funk Railroad - E Pluribus Funk (2002)

1971 | Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 124 Mb

Grand Funk Railroad took longer than usual to make their fifth album, Survival, in early 1971, but when they came to make their sixth, E Pluribus Funk, that September, they spent less than a week at the effort. The rush shows. The album, made by a band by now popular enough to sell out Shea Stadium (depicted on the back of the album, its cover designed to look like a silver coin), consisted of a series of simple rock tunes with lyrics devoted to the joys of music itself ("Footstompin' Music"), social concerns generically expressed ("People, Let's Stop the War," "Save the Land"), and claims of romantic betrayal ("Upsetter," "No Lies"). Lead singer Mark Farner wailed in his limited tenor, joined in unison by drummer Don Brewer, and the rhythm section played in plodding lockstep. Farner added guitar and organ parts that emphasized the simplicity and repetitiveness of the musical patterns. "Loneliness," the concluding track, made a failed attempt at grandeur by adding a symphony orchestra. Six albums in, Grand Funk were still primarily a live band, able to achieve intensity, but with little sense of the varying dynamics and musical textures that might make a studio album interesting to listen to beyond being a souvenir of their live show.

1. Footstompin' Music (3:46), 2. People Let's Stop The War (5:12), 3. Upsetter (4:27), 4. I Come Tumblin' (5:37), 5. Save The Land (4:14), 6. No Lies (3:55), 7. Loneliness (8:38), 8. Live Medley: I'm Your Captain/Closer To Home (5:56), 9. Hooked On Love (2:45), 10. Get It Together (2:52), 11. Mark Say's Alright (Live) (4:20)

Nat 'King' Cole - The Billy May Sessions (1993)

Vocal, Jazz | Mp3 320 kbps | 2 CD | 261 Mb

Nat King Cole recorded with arranger/bandleader Billy May on several occasions and all of their collaborations are on this excellent double-CD The Billy May Sessions. Dating from 1951, 1953, 1954, 1957 and 1961, some of the more memorable numbers include "Walkin' My Baby Back Home," "Angel Eyes," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Send for Me," "Who's Sorry Now," "The Party's Over" and "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street." Cole also takes organ solos on three of the selections from 1961 (the only time he ever recorded on that instrument), though he plays no piano on this set. It's recommended for his superior middle of the road singing.

CD 1, 1. Walkin' My Baby Back Home (2:39), 2. What Does It Take (2:47), 3. Walkin' (2:48), 4. I'm Hurtin' (2:49), 5. Angel Eyes (3:14), 6. Lover Come Back To Me (2:30), 7. Can't I (3:14), 8. Papa Loves Mambo (2:39), 9. Teach Me Tonight (3:11), 10. Blue Moon (2:13), 11. With You On My Mind (2:37), 12. Don't Try (2:22), 13. Send For Me (2:38), 14. Let's Make More Love (2:55), 15. Don't Get Around Much Any More (3:11), 16. The Song Is Ended (2:45), 17. You'll Never Know (2:43), 18. Just For The Fun Of It (Alt. Take) (2:34), 19. Who's Sorry Now (2:56), 20. These Foolish Things (3:47), 21. Once In A While (2:46)

CD 2, 1. Just One Of Those Things (2:14), 2. I Should Care (2:47), 3. The Party's Over (2:43), 4. Just For The Fun Of It (2:35), 5. A Cottage For Sale (2:56), 6. I Understand (2:24), 7. When Your Lover Has Gone (2:29), 8. Ebony Rhapsody (3:04), 9. Day In, Day Out (2:25), 10. Too Little, Too Late (2:58), 11. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street (2:07), 12. Cold, Cold Heart (3:45), 13. Let's Face The Music And Dance (2:24), 14. Something Makes Me Want To Dance (2:08), 15. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (2:34), 16. Rules Of The Road (2:43), 17. Warm And Willing (3:00), 18. Bidin' My Time (2:26), 19. Moon Love (2:09)

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Grand Funk Railroad - Live Album (2002)

Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 184 Mb

Either you love or you hate it. Live Album by Grand Funk Railroad was a smash when released and those who loved it played it to death. A hard rock phenomenon of the waning days of the Sixties, Grand Funk proved over and over that they were the live performing act of the time, and this album is a testament to their in-concert power.

1. Introduction (2:26), 2. Are You Ready (3:38), 3. Paranoid (7:19), 4. In Need (10:57), 5. Heartbreaker (7:10), 6. Words Of Wisdom (0:52), 7. Mean Mistreater (4:53), 8. Mark Say's Alright (5:13), 9. T.N.U.C. (10:54), 10. Inside Looking Out (13:43), 11. Into The Sun (11:24)

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Grand Funk Railroad - On Time (2002)

Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 149 Mb

Grand Funk Railroad's 1969 debut is a wildly uneven affair. Although the exuberant energy and power-trio theatrics that would fuel their 1970s hits are in place, the group's songwriting and arranging abilities are very much in their infancy. The biggest problems in terms of songwriting are the often-amateurish lyrics: "Anybody's Answer" is a sincere but muddled attempt at a message song that expends a lot of energy without ever focusing on a particular target and "Heartbreaker" is a love lament that is content to trot out a series of well-worn heartbreak clichés. In terms of arrangements, the band often places an aimless jam where a tight instrumental break should be. The standout example of this problem is "TNUC," a loose-limbed tune that wears out its welcome with an overlong and unstructured drum solo. Despite these problems, there are some strong tunes in the mix: "Are You Ready" is an exuberant rocker built on one of Mel Schacher's trademark walking basslines and "Into the Sun" is a clever tune that starts as a mellow mid-tempo jam before blossoming into a stomping rocker with a funky guitar riff. Both of these sturdy tunes appropriately became mainstays of Grand Funk Railroad's live show for many years to come. "Time Machine" is another highlight, a bluesy shuffle built on Mark Farner's wailing vocals and a catchy, stuttered guitar riff. All in all, On Time is way too patchy of an album to please the casual listener but provides a few hints of and contains enough worthwhile moments to please the group's fans.

1. Are You Ready (3:27), 2. Anybody's Answer (5:16), 3. Time Machine (3:44), 4. High On A Horse (2:55), 5. T.N.U.C. (8:41), 6. Into The Sun (6:28), 7. Heartbreaker (6:33), 8. Call Yourself A Man (3:04), 9. Can't Be Too Long (6:33), 10. Ups And Downs (5:00), 11. High On A Horse (Original Version) (4:24), 12. Heartbreaker (Original Version) (6:52)

Friday, March 9, 2018

Grand Funk Railroad - Grand Funk (2002)

Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 139 Mb

Grand Funk Railroad's 1970 somewhat eponymous album, their second for Capitol, is characteristic of the classic rock radio sound that would permeate the airwaves of the late 20th century. Grand Funk Railroad was a seminal force in giving the friendlier side of the heavy rock sound its charm and making it stick. Built on fuzzed-out blues riffs, simple lyrics, and at times seemingly unnecessary jamming, Grand Funk's songs are mild in nature. Far less extreme than Black Sabbath, but slightly toothier than Foghat or Bad Company, Grand Funk's major influence is from the loose, blues-based power trio formula of bands such as Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Grand Funk combines rawness with radio-friendly melodies and vocal harmonies that would become their trademark sound. Hordes of bands to come, from Foreigner to Bon Jovi, would emulate Grand Funk's sound and style, focusing on good-time rocking material while attempting a few token social commentary pieces. This is a good album as far as early hard rock goes, and as Grand Funk Railroad would move farther and farther away from the type of roughness and loose arrangements found here, it is well worth picking up as an example of one of their early efforts.

1. Got This Thing On The Move (4:37), 2. Please Don't Worry (4:19), 3. High Falootin' Woman (3:00), 4. Mr. Limousine Driver (4:25), 5. In Need (7:53), 6. Winter And My Soul (6:38), 7. Paranoid (7:49), 8. Inside Looking Out (9:32), 9. Nothing Is The Same (Demo) (5:39), 10. Mr. Limousine Drive (Extended Version) (5:28)

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Willy DeVille - The Willy DeVille Acoustic Trio In Berlin (2002)

Blues Rock, Acoustic | Mp3 320 kbps | 2 CD | 288 Mb

Even though the same love of '50s and '60s music courses through the blood of Willy DeVille on this live stripped-down acoustic show from Berlin (with eight bonus tracks from a gig in Stockholm with a predominantly different band to flesh out the second disc) in the early 2000s, this is very different from anything the singer recorded with his Mink DeVille group two decades earlier. He is more blues-oriented here, covering everyone from Robert Johnson to Little Willie John and Champion Jack Dupree. He's lived a bumpy life, both personally and professionally, which is evident in his ragged but soulful and instantly identifiable vocals. The bulk of the double-CD set is recorded in Berlin with a backing duo featuring the stunning piano work of Seth Farber. The pianist is the primary instrumentalist with DeVille's strummed guitar appearing only occasionally throughout the hour-and-a-half Berlin section. It's a loose, intimate performance with Willy delivering stirring renditions of ballads such as "Spanish Harlem" (the only recorded version of a song perfectly suited for him), "Let It Be Me," and his own "Storybook Love." He dives into New Orleans second-line boogie-woogie with a roughed-up "Hound Dog" and rescues his lovely "Night Falls" from 1987's unjustly ignored Miracle album. The gorgeous "Heaven Stood Still," one of the only selections from his Mink days, is another highlight. Disc two closes the Berlin section with Jerry Lee Lewis and Joe Turner rockers as pianist Farber takes the spotlight to showcase his rollicking lines and lead vocals as DeVille assists. The Stockholm show rounds out the second CD with a 12-song, 40-minute set that equals and at times bests the longer Berlin segment. Here DeVille is joined by a larger band that includes percussion, a pair of female backing vocalists, and a full-time guitarist to expand the sound. A sprightly mix of covers from Warren Zevon, Bob Dylan, Johnny Burnette, and Mississippi Fred McDowell testifies to DeVille's wide-ranging tastes, but it's his own percussive "Bamboo Road" that practically steals the show on this consistently entertaining, and often even revelatory, two-hour package.

CD 1, 1. St. Peter's Street (2:07), 2. Batty And Dupree (5:03), 3. It's Too Late She's Gone (4:00), 4. Spanish Harlem (4:08), 5. Trouble In Mind (3:29), 6. Storybook Love (4:23), 7. Big Blue Diamond (4:21), 8. Shake Sugaree (4:50), 9. Let It Be Me (4:13), 10. That Is The Way To Make A Broken Heart (4:48), 11. Hound Dog (2:44), 12. Junker's Blues (3:51), 13. You Better Move On (4:05), 14. Night Falls (4:46), 15. Since I Met You Baby (3:51), 16. Heaven Stood Still (3:55)

CD 2, 1. I'm Blue So Blue (4:07), 2. Keep A Knocking / Sea Cruise (4:11), 3. Shake Rattle And Roll (5:05), 4. Rambling On My Mind (7:21), 5. One Night Of Sin (2:52), 6. Steady Drivin' Man (6:03), 7. Goin' Over The Hill (3:26), 8. Bamboo Road (5:45), 9. Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Foot (5:03), 10. Carmelita (4:41), 11. All By Myself (3:10), 12. Billy The Kid (5:08)

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Grand Funk Railroad - Live ~ The 1971 Tour (2002)

Rock | Mp3 320 kbps | 185 Mb

This Grand Funk Railroad concert recording from Detroit, Chicago, and Shea Stadium on the band's enormously successful 1971 tour captures them in all their mega-stadium excess. Extended beyond the breaking point versions of "T.N.U.C." (nearly 18 minutes), "Inside Looking Out" (over 15 minutes, including a pro-pot intro), ten minutes of "Into the Sun," and nine minutes of what has to be the most plodding version of the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" ever recorded for better or worse portray this trio in all their over-the-top glory. In concert, the least funky band ever to have the word "funk" in their name pounded out tough, workingman rock with as little subtlety as possible, aiming to please the fan sitting in the last row of the stadium. While that may have made for an invigorating concert experience, having to endure this music without the live stage show as distraction is a headache-inducing chore. The sound, while acceptable for 1971 standards, is still brittle and harsh, and Mark Farner's wah-wah-heavy guitar is exactly what Spinal Tap had envisioned with their amps that went to 11. Since this was recorded in the band's earliest period, none of the more pop elements that gave them the hits that softened their sound are in the set. That leaves this as the definitive live document of these years. It's not nearly as listenable or eclectic as 1975's Caught in the Act, which they recorded as a quartet, but does depict the group in all its uncut power, glory, and volume. Brash, noisy, and abrasive, Grand Funk Railroad earned their money by giving the people what they wanted in a show full of raw energy and blistering hard rock. In retrospect, its appeal is limited, but if you were there, you'll appreciate this souvenir. If not, after hearing this warts-and-all recording, you may wonder what all the excitement was about.

1. Intro (1:39), 2. Are You Ready (3:11), 3. Footstompin' Music (5:24), 4. Paranoid (6:03), 5. I'm Your Captain, Closer To Home (5:48), 6. Hooked On Love (2:45), 7. Get It Together (2:45), 8. T.N.U.C. (17:12), 9. Inside Looking Out (15:30), 10. Gimme Shelter (8:44), 11. Into The Sun (9:49)