Customer Reviews

Ecstasy on the Edge

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

 

 

Overall, being a big Hall & Oates fan, it's nice to hear a live recording of their 1979 tour including some songs from the "Along The Red Ledge" album. Those are rare gems. The "Serious Music" beginning was really butchered. Definately for the die hard Hall & Oates fan, especially those who followed them during the 70's.

I really like this era of Hall and Oates music this disc really takes me back . I remember seeing H&O from this 79 tour in a small venue like it was yesterday . This is a good show and one of the highlights from this tour for me was GE Smith on guitar! Flawless leads and fillers by the ex-SNL Band Leader. The band is tight here and although there is cut at the beginning Of "Serious Music" (possibly due to master tape problems?) it doesn't ruin the show.They have plenty of highlights "Do What You Want, Be What You Are", "It's A Laugh","Wait For Me","Sara Smile" and "She's Gone" are excellent!
Bottom line is if you are a Hall and Oates fan you should own this one. If you are a borderline fan you still need to experience this cd and enjoy :)

Another CD I never thought I would see. From the X-Static tour this appears to be one of the many radio shows Daryl and John recorded. I know of other early shows including the Red Ledge and Voices tours, so I am guessing this is also a broadcast. This CD contains some gems including great live recordings of The Woman Comes and Goes, Don't Blame it on Love, It's a Laugh and Sweet Soul Music. The hits are here also and there is a nice version of Wait for Me when it was still new and fresh to Daryl and John. The only real dissapointment is Serious Music. The actual performance is great and they did a great job on a hard song to do live, but the song starts after the beginning. Not sure if there was a problem with the tape or the show was just coming back from commercial or what, but the entire beginning of the song is gone and it fades in just beyond the intro. Too bad, because as I said otherwise it's a great version. The CD ends with the late 70's closer Pleasure Beach and rocks out. Glad I have this in my collection now with the versions of Room to Breathe already available, you can now buy concerts with both of the great concert closers! You also get to see(hear) the beginnings of the 80's band with G.E. and Charlie "Mr Casual" both on board at this point. Just two pieces short of the ultimate H and O band, though this version does know how to rock. The package is decent but has flaws. The song list on the back lists Be Bop Drop which is not included and also has Charlie DeChant as Dechamps and the small print on the back has Oates as Oats. Minor flaws, but obviously not a big H and O fan worked on the release. This is on a tiny label and will no doubt not be available long. Buy it now. Performances of the 70's songs are hard to come by.

with that said, 'Ectasy on the Edge'is a trip down memory lane, of sorts. as with most live albums, the editing is a real problem. 'Sweet Soul Music', a staple of their shows in the late 70's, is chopped up here to a level that is all but criminal. and 'It's a Laugh' should have been followed up with 'Melody for a Memory', the way they performed it on both 'Along the Red Ledge' and in concerts. I don't recall them doing one without the other. if you're a fan from way back, this is a must have. if you're not, you can skip this one and won't have missed much. we can only hope that 'Greatest Hits Live' will feature 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' from the Big Bam Boom tour. if you were there, you know what i'm talking about.

Obviously a cheaply done unauthorized release. Was looking forward to hearing a live "Bebop Drop", but although it's listed on the CD back cover, it's not even on the CD! So don't expect a professional package from this. Nontheless, there are a couple of tracks worth hearing.

I love H&O and was SO disappointed. Now, don't get me wrong. If it's a timepeice you are after, here it is. It really catches them where they were then. It's almost tentative. The audience is also different. During the opening rips on Wait for Me, the crowd is silent. They had never heard it before. That is cool. But the music was not yet their own. Today they have an amazing sense of self ane their music. Go for one of their more recent live compilations! See recommendations....