Customer Reviews

Back to Tulsa: Live & Loud at Cain's Ballroom

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As the liner notes say, this isn't a greatest hits package--after all, the band has only one (maybe 2?) Top Forty hit(s), and even that one failed to make it past 30. Why? Because Cross Canadian Ragweed doesn't make music for radio--they make music for themselves...and, as this album shows, their fans. And it works great either way.

BACK TO TULSA contains two discs...I repeat, two discs of Ragweed. Double the pleasure? Double the pain? Double the heartache? Double the angst, the resentment, the life lessons, the tears, the joy, the liquor, the music? Yep. Double the expert musicianship, stellar songwriting, and cheering fans. Double the enjoyment.

In fact, it's really the audience who makes this record...as they sing along at the top of their lungs, you can tell they truly love these boys, and the Ragweed guys truly love them in return. The guys are a bit older, a bit wiser (Canada at one point apologizes for dropping the "f-bomb," then goes on to say: "But sometimes, you gotta call an a**hole out!"), but they're still the same. And thank God for that...BACK TO TULSA is easily the best live album these guys have recorded, and probably one of their best records period. It's certainly one of the best country/rock records of the last few years...if you aren't already a Ragweed convert, then buy the album and find out why you damn-well should be.

This double disc live CD includes all my favorite CCR songs, and also pulls up some of their friends to sing with them. Unlike most live CD's there is not a lot of talking, just a lot of great music. This live compilation is a vital for all CCR fans.

Finding out where some of the songs came from (inspiration) was great! I hope everyone read the thank yous...that was just as great as the cd itself. These guys and their families are some of the best people.

If you think the days of true rock and roll are dead and gone, check out this CD. As someone who can barely stand to listen to rock radio anymore, Ragweed is a welcome sign that good music is still being made, whether the mainstream wants us to hear it or not. Cody Canada has really turned into a shredder on the electric guitar, and this CD is worth buying just for the sake of listening to his solos. Canada's playing makes Robert Earl Keen's "Lonely Feeling" into one of the most powerful rock ballads I've heard. All of the tracks show off the skills of this band, and it's amazing how far they have come since "Live at the Wormy Dog" (which is another great CD if you want to hear the early days). The last few songs on the first CD are acoustic, which gives you a chance to hear a side of Ragweed that you maybe haven't heard before. Canada's cover of Neil Young's "Needle and the Damage Done" really shows off his voice and acoustic guitar skills.

If I have one complaint about this CD, it might be that the CD is a true live CD (no remixing), and sometimes it's hard to hear the awesome musicianship or Canada's vocals over the noise of the crowd. A lot of people will probably love it for the same reason though. All in all, anyone who loves good old fashioned rock and roll will love this CD.

Sadly,this band had its members decide to go their own ways...BUT...they left us with some music that will forever have their trademark sound. This band is without a doubt,one of the "best of the best" kickass rock n' roll bands to emerge from the southwest. Give this album a listen...there's still a party goin' on that you don't want to miss.

I found out about these guys from a biker friend of mine, and boy am I glad I listened. This album is AWESOME, This Band is AWESOME!!! I love my country music with an attitude and these guys deliver!!! I highly recommend this album!!!!

Judging by the other reviews and other people who have heard of Cross Canadian Ragweed before, apparently live is where the band is in their element, which is why this recent convert to the Cross Canadian Ragweed coven had to get this. I was impressed right from Dimebag at the beginning of the show and grew steadily more so as I listened. Their cover of the Todd Snider written Late Last Night is so addictive that I have been singing it in my sleep.
The whole thing is great from the Steve Earle style vocals, the repartee with the crowd, to the acoustic set including a fantastic cover of Needle and the Damage Done. And to hear some impressive acoustic guitar playing, check out When Will It End, which you do not want to end.
I also love their live version of Anywhere but Here, my favourite Ragweed song.
The second CD is pretty solid with Cold Hearted Woman, Blues For You and a great long version of Ray Wylie Hubbard's Wanna Rock and Roll.
My only beef, if I had to pick one, would be the crowd drowns out the band singing on their hits like 17 and Constantly.
If you have not heard of them then this is a great place to start.

This is by far my favorite band, I feel like I know them, their personality, through hours of listening to them while crossing the long Texas highways late at night. I've been watching them live since the late nineties when 60 or 70 of us would be packed into the dance floor of the Jolly Fox in Huntsville for a one-night show and the band would be as close to me as someone who I would be having a conversation with, due to the intimate space we occupied. I do not care for this album, there are much better examples of what they have to offer, see the Purple Album, Soul Gravy, and Cross Canadian Ragweed (self titled) but don't start here. I found the sound to be underdeveloped and the energy to be muted compared to the true output of this band. Their live shows are intoxicating, you would be better off spending your money on experiencing this band once than buying any of the albums they have ever made.

If you've seen Ragweed live, this album will take you back to those memories. It's great to hear the energy and talent they bring to their live shows. Cody Canada is definitely one of the most gifted singer/songwriters out there. Back to Tulsa is their best live album and has a ton of songs on it. Their cover of Robert Earl's song at the end of disc two is priceless. Buy it!!

What can you say about CCR. Absolutly amazing. I own over 40,000 songs and this is one of my top 5 bands being that they are so original and you can tell they love their music. I love punk rock, grunge, and classic rock and these guys really are in their own genre. I love their remake of "Wanna rock'n'roll" This is really the CD you need to check out if you haven't heard these guys before... Its just to bad there is no "Boys from Oklahoma" ...