Customer Reviews

The Complete Live At Raji's [Expanded]

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Amazing sounding reissue of classic live blast. Really, this is one of the best sounding live albums I have ever heard. The set list is fantastic, the audience in prime form, and the band can't get more committed. Searing solos, bouncing feedback, a rhythm section that will tear your heart out: this has it all. It makes you sad thinking that this group of individuals may never record again. Steve Wynn's solo stuff is OK, but this document is an essential part of any true understanding of american popular music. Most of the songs come from either "Days of Wine and Roses" or "Medicine Show" and the sonic assult of "Halloween" is quite possibly the best redition EVER. I can't recommend this enough. I can't stop listening to it even though I've heard all the songs a thousand times. It's the real deal.

One of the very few bands who ever produced a vital live album. This is an incendiary piece of work - a great band captured at the peak of their powers. In the studio the Dream Syndicate could sometimes sound restrained and mannered, here the hounds of hell rip havoc all over the shop. This is a vital recording of one of the great American bands of the 1980's. Buy it!

If you are already a fan of this great band and don't have this CD; you must buy this. I thought the original release was already great. This one sounds even better. Steve Wynn is a man of many moods and influences which permeate his music--however, he puts a spin to whatever the influence is. This is what I've found so great about him and have followed his career for years. Being a great fan of theirs and the Paisley Underground, I flew to LA just to see this show. The crowd was small (189 people) but it didn't stop them from playing the songs fiercely as if there were thousands.

Steve Wynn is a chameleon and isn't known for being a "great singer." That doesn't matter to me because it's made up in passion. I can find a Steve Wynn song for every mood. And you can never tell what he is going to do. I've seen them and him numerous times and each show is different. Paul Cutler, Dennis Duck and Mark Walton along with Steve always played their parts with intensity. I think that the band was in a "classic rock" phase when this was made (lot's of Peter Frampton quips). Check out the difference in "When You Smile" from the studio version. I wouldn't expect to hear too much of the sound from the first CD if that's what you are looking for. He grew out of that pretty quick. Nevertheless, "The Days of Wine and Roses" is just smokin'. Peter Case guested on "John Coltrane Stereo Blues" playing harmonica and that was one of several of the high points during the show. To have a live version of "Until Lately" is thrilling because they didn't perform that song very often. I've enjoyed all of their CDs as well as Steve's solo stuff so I LOVE this CD. When you consider that when this was recorded, they were pretty down and out and near the end of their existence as band and had no big budget, were recording for an indie label, etc., you would expect a subpar product. Yet the outcome was a fabulous show. Even if you didn't particularly like them, you won't believe how great this sounds.

Is this isn't one of the best, if not the best, live albums of all-time, then my name's not Sleepy Jackson.

As much as I love the old Dream Syndicate with Karl Precoda on guitar and The Days of Wine and Roses being the album of my halcyon days - this my friends is the real deal.

Paul B. Cutler on the beatnick, neatnick lead guitar has assumed total guitar tone-age and the rest of the band is spot on and right in the pocket on just about every track.

I had the cassette for years and then got this complete concert on CD years later.

Don't know why the complete set wasn't released from the get go because there ain't a stinker in the bunch (though I've never understood the appeal of John Coltrane Stereo Blues).

I remember putting this on after not hearing it for awhile and when the opening track came barreling out of the speakers at high volume (See That My Grave Is Kept Clean), I got tears in my eyes.

The sound was so good and then they follow it with Still Holding On To You and Forest For The Trees without stopping - bam, bam, bam - pure rock and roll heaven. I even love the flubbed chord to the opening of Still Holding On To You.

You can take all your Led Zep reunions, yer Who reunions, any of those dinosaur classic rock bands and stuff 'em in a sack, mister.

These guys are the real deal - I'll be waiting for their reunion.