Customer Reviews

America - The Best of MusikLaden Live

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Several months ago I purchased the boxed set "Highway" which proved to be a great introducton to the band America. I was curious to find a live performance of the band prior to the departure of Dan Peek and stumbled upon this Musikladen release. I wasn't expecting much from a 1975 made for tv performance, but I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. The dolby digital sound was excellent and each member of America displayed great musicianship in recreating some of the bands most innovative work. My favorites include some of their lesser known tunes including "wind wave", "california revisted", and "green monkey". This isn't a high energy jam fest, but if you enjoy acoustical guitar riffs and teriffic harmonies, then you will invariably like this musikladen production. This is a "must have" to complete your America collection.

This is an outstanding record of a 1975 in-studio (no audience) concert done by the world's most enduring super group AMERICA. The vocals are truly superb, the guitar & piano playing is excellent. It really sounds like the original LP's. Included are some souped versions of such hits as TIN MAN, I NEED YOU & HORSE W/NO NAME. Also the more rarely played RAINBOW SONG & MOON SONG are included. GERRY BECKLEY & DEWEY BUNNELL are still recording & touring, they have never stopped. Their latest CD's are HIGHWAY 30 YEARS & HUMAN NATURE. This DVD is highly, highly recommended if you enjoy good warm music.

All the performances are great; Moon Song, Rainbow Song, Tin Man, Horse with no name. Listen for Dewey Bunnell's unique introductory guitar licks in Tin Man. And the fake crowd noise following Windwave gives a sense of the band members' playfulness. You'll enjoy the musicianship throughout. Even if you're not a die-hard America fan, this DVD is wonderful for anyone who likes this band.

I have to disagree with the reviewer who says this isn't a good purchase: I understand -- when I first started the DVD, I thought the same things he mentioned: the camera work isn't great. The director missed the mark a number of times, and in the first cut you realize the cameras are in EXACTLY the wrong spots leaving the mics blocking the faces! But the work gets better, and you only notice about two missed shots after that.

But all that was overshadowed by AMERICA'S performance. I was shocked BY JUST HOW GOOD THESE GUYS ARE!

(_I've_ always thought they were great -- but at the end of the first song, I realized "that was just an off the cuff gig" -- and then they followed with 8 more!)

There is no "show" here. No audience, no fans, no screaming to cover bad vocals and missed cues. And what we see instead is a GREAT example of a band dedicated to great guitar work and superb sound. Seriously, you have to SEE this to believe how "casual" these guys are as they turn out these gems!

At the end of the first song, which had left me dazed after YEARS of live acts that sound terrible and can't be re-created outside a studio, Bunnell asks "Do we go back to fix the things that didn't work?" WHAT DIDN'T WORK??? I echo the recording engineer -"Ahhh, no -- Just go on!"

The entire session is great, and features songs too rarely heard. I _suspect_ it was recorded BEFORE the "Holiday" album became a big hit: Tin Man" and "Lonely People" don't sound quite as "polished" and actually a bit different in arrangement.

Also don't overlook the fact this piece also features the band with Dan Peek, and it was very nice to see the "whole group" again.

This is a simple, straight ahead recording session. There isn't even much for joking between the cuts -- but each cut is the best they could provide their fans, and the show is a lost treasure recovered 25 years later. Enjoy!

FOR THE EARLY SEVENTIES, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE - RECORDED IN A STUDIO TYPE ENVIRONMENT, WITH NO AUDIENCE - VERY IMPROMTU AND VERY GOOD - CHECK THIS OUT - THIS IS AMERICA AT THEIR BEST - I WOULD RECCOMEND ANY ASPIRING GUITAR PLAYER OR SONGWRITER TO TAKE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THIS ONE

If this was newer material, I would have knocked off a star for sound quality. Knowing that this was originally recorded back in the early 70's makes the 5.1 digital remix all the more amazing. Good song selection, good camera work, and a "you are there" intimacy make this one a keeper. While the band does appear bored at times, (hey, there wasn't an audience!) they nevertheless turn in a pretty solid performance. Until something else comes along, this is the only live footage of America available on DVD, (that I'm aware of) so shell out the 20 bucks, sit back, and smile.

I love this DVD. The sound, the songs, superb. The between song interaction also has its moments (keep in mind this interaction was never meant for fans' consumption since the taping was intended for a TV music variety show). The performance starts out slowly, as the band members seem confused at times about the flow of things. But it gets progressively better as it goes along. The song selection mixes several hits with well chosen album cuts, much to the listener's pleasure.

All the performances are great; my favorites are probably Don't Cross The River, Moon Song, Rainbow Song, and California Revisited. Listen for Dewey Bunnell's unique introductory guitar licks in Tin Man. And the fake crowd noise following Windwave gives a sense of the band members' playfulness. You'll enjoy the musicianship throughout. Even if you're not a die-hard America fan, this DVD is wonderful for anyone who likes this band.

If you never got to see AMERICA back in the beginning. When all three of the guys were in the group than this is your lucky day. It's all captured on this DVD and shows why they were and will always be remembered in the Rock World as a great group. The sound is classic AMERICA tight singing and great 12string guitar playing. They are still recording and touring today but this lets you see and hear them with Dan Peek who's songs and voice are missed today. So sit back put in the DVD and have a flash- back to the early 70's and enjoy AMERICA AT THEIR BEST...sit in your bean bag chair ...turn the blacklight on ..and eat some brownies...enjoy the ride

Sorry to go against the words of a fellow Chilango (the negative review from Mexico City) but this is a gem! If you are a musician you will really appreciate seeing these outstanding performances. The band kind of bitchly brushes aside the loss of original member Dan Peek these days and it is nice to see him with them again after all these years chilling in Grand Cayman. The guitar work and the vocals are exceptional. Sorry if the technology of 1975 and the wierdness of German people make this seem unlike TRL but this DVD is cool and the best of the MusikLaden series I have seen so far.

This is the first concert I have seen with the original trio from America and it did not disappoint. The band looked a little less for wear as pointed out in Dan Peeks book. Conspicuous by his absence was bass player Dave Dickey who had a brief falling out with the band but later rejoined.I wish Peek would have been allowed back in these past years cause the three of them sound all the better. Well worth the money for this DVD.