Customer Reviews

Getting Away with It...Live

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Where can I begin? For starters, since I've never seen nor heard James live in concert, this double CD will have to do. GAWI...L is James live at their final concert (w/Tim Booth anyway) in Manchester, England, recorded Dec. 7th, 2001. It is also James at their very finest, performing their songs with such beauty and poetry. The hometown crowd manages to show their appreciation through cheers and sing-a-longs. Compared to their studio performances, the band gives their songs a spontaneity and freshness that in some cases make the live versions better than the studio versions! In any case, GAWI...L is a fitting testimony for a band that's been together for almost twenty years! Songs like "Sometimes", "Laid", "God Only Knows", and "Sound" reveal the band's unique and passionate take on folksy art-rock music. The highlight is the closer "Sit Down" where both Tim and the audience sing a slowed-down version of the song. Anyways, with twenty-two songs (about two hours worth of music), James put on a stellar performance. It's a shame that Tim is leaving the band. But at least, they left us this fine live concert recording which we can listen to again and again! BTW, in case you didn't know, the DVD is also available! (but only in the UK, and it's Region 2, PAL format) The DVD, however, does not include "I Know What I'm Here For" and "Hymn From A Village". Assuming your DVD player can play Region 2 DVD's in the PAL format, I'd highly recommend it! (you can get it through amazon.co.uk) In addition to the live performances, it comes with other additional features!

I listen to this CD and think "dammit, why did I only just get introduced to this band three years ago and why do I live in the U.S.!?" I envy any of you Americans out there who had the chance to see James in the States. And, of course, now it's too late to see them anywhere. But...on with a review.

For any James fan, this album sells itself. And I'll admit, even though I only started listening to James three years ago, I have managed to amass all of their albums, my point being that I'm a bit biased. Speaking of, I also envy any of you out there that have your hands on any James singles before Millionaires, especially those containing songs left off their album of B-sides.

Anyway, the highlights of this 2-discer for me are, in no particular order, "Sit Down", "Johnny Yen", and "Protect Me". I find that there are a number of things one can do to improve a song for a live performance: add accoustic guitar, slow it down a bit, and/or throw in some nice piano playing. The best example of any of this is "Sit Down". Appropriately, it's the last song (and decidedly my favo(u)rite after hearing this recording) of the concert. Here, it starts off with a very nice piano part, and it's funny because it takes the audience more than a few moments to figure out (at least to me) which song they're hearing. But there's the piano and the first verse, before the chorus chimes in, which is slowed down a great deal and, as a result, even more poignant.

I won't ramble on much longer, only to say this. For me a great live album re-emphasizes just how great a band is and just how truly wonderful are their songs. I go away from this album with a better understanding of every song here, loving many of them even more, and, as someone on the west side of the pond, very happy to hear an entire crowd singing soulfully along with Tim Booth, having only encountered a handful of people over here who know who James are, and even fewer who can name a song beyond "Laid".

Buy this album and enjoy!!

Don't pass this piece up - it is exquisite. The versions on here of "Out to Get You" and "Sit Down" alone are worth the price. The entire 2 CD compilation is great listening. James may be through (even if they choose to continue without the lead singer) but their skill on this album makes a long time fan like myself feel they're just hitting stride . . .

Tim Booth, lead singer since the band was founded (circa 1983) is leaving to pursue a solo career. Why? Who knows. My advice to him, ask Morrissey how record sales are these days! Why did Mercury Records (USA) drop this band in 1998? Crazy. Must have had to make room for Jennifer Love Hewitt. Thus, if you missed "Millionaires", James' 1999 UK-only release - GET IT - it's awesome. 2000's "Pleased to Meet You", the last studio album with Booth, is a must only for die-hard James fans. It's disappointing much like "Whiplash" was after following the smash hit "Laid".

As Tolkien said, "much that was good in this world has passed". So too James. Adieu!

Think of them as U2 without the ego. Instead of the popular kid at school who was always visible and outspoken, James was more like the unassuming quiet guy you'd see every day and barely notice. But down-to-earth as they were, this group could write a mean hook and a joyful soaring chorus with the best of them. Combine that with some intelligent lyrics and a staying power underneath the catchiness, and you've got one of the most modest but fascinating pop catalogues out there. (Even with several hits, they'll always seem like an under-the-radar treasure to me. I'm sure I'm not the only one.) This set can't help seeming like a memento - farewell shows tend to do that - but as a live album it's also top-notch. The band puts everything they've got into a heartfelt performance, and a few small warts only make it that much more honest & personal.

Getting Away also makes a splendid introduction to the group - it covers their entire career in two hours, it's got some material you'd otherwise have to hunt down some import CDs for, and it shows their variety much better than the single-disc best-of. The ambience is almost palpable. The energy is infectious from start to finish. It's easy to imagine how well some of the tunes must have worked as bouncy arena singalongs, but there's also a sincerity that can't be faked, from the modest jokes about technical glitches to Tim Booth's parting farewell ("I'd love to invite you all home for milk and cookies"). Like all James, this stuff is always fresh and never fails to give me a lift. At the heart of it all it's a group and an audience having a great time enjoying some excellent songs.. no flash or showiness required. Simple and fairly common, yes, but it's something that never gets old.

Let me go over the facts...I'm not even done with the first go around of this album..."Ring The Bells" is currently playing on my stereo. Now, not having heard the entire thing may not be the best way to write a review, but why wait, when the decision has been made. This IS A FANTASTIC LIVE DOCUMENT OF 'ONE' OF THE WORLD'S GREAT BANDS. The sound is awesome, Tim Booth's vocals are real upfront, the crowd is easily heard....in short, it's very live and sounds SUPERB! It's a weird time in rock 'n roll....some of the world's great bands are bowing out....while the [stuff] plays on on our radios. If you like REAL music from the heart and soul, then you could do a whole lot worse than James. Great setlist, great concert recording, GREAT band! You can't go wrong with this! Recorded in December of 2001 as one of the very last shows with Tim Booth on vocals and maybe one of the last James shows ever....one thing is for sure, they won't be the same!

I love this band just to start with. I bought their best of CD and was instantly hooked on songs like Laid, Hymn From A Village, Sometimes, and How Was It For You. Even though I love all of there songs.
I have a huge weakness for this band and especially for this CD. I automatically love everything I hear from them. And even though I knew that they were broken up when I got into them I almost cry when I hear this CD. Maybe because I want to see them live. Maybe because I love the band. I don't know.
But about the CD. It's great. It's a great set list with a loud vocal participant crowd. What else do you want in a live album. All I can tell you is buy this CD if you are a fan of James or you are new. Just get it.

I`ve never been a huge James fan.The only cd`s I have are Seven and Laid.The other day I saw the DVD of this particular concert in our local record bar and decided to take a chance on it,seeing that I`d probably never get to see them live.
The DVD blew me away.Their music comes across so much more powerful live than on their studio albums.
A song that I`d never heard before,"Waltzing along",is stunning.
Two former members of the band,Andy Diagram(trumpet)and Larry Gott(guitar)also appear on some of the tracks.
The picture quality and sound are excellent on the DVD.
Highly recommended!!!

When looking for one of the great bands of modern music you can't get better than the seven guys from James. Every single member and every single track is memorable. This DVD made me travel 8 hours south to NYC in September 2010 to see them live.

They are a genuinely gracious set of gentlemen, very humble to boot and their music spans three decades... who else can approach this type of review?

It's incredibly sad to see Tim Booth leave James... although not technically a founding member, Booth has shaped much of what most people know as James from the voice to the words.

This cd is a romp and party through everything that James has been. Fans of James will get to know their favorite songs all over again.

And the enthusiasm that is quite apparent on this album is very, very contagious. If you're a fan of James or just a fan of live music done well this is a great aquisition. Not a bad introduction to the James sound and soul for the uninitiated, either.

and to the writer of "The Orange Review"... it's "fought with kitchen knives and SKEWERS" not squares.

I admit that I'm not the world's biggest James fan.... but this CD blew me away! I've had it for several days and it has only left my home stereo to make its way to my car's CD player for when I run about town.

This CD is just remarkable. It is, in my opinion, James at their best. They have some amazing musical moments and the between song banter is interesting and even funny in some spots (including an apology to Mum for the swearing!).

I won't rattle on, but this CD is fantastic. It's easily one of the best CDs I have purchased in the last year. I bought it with several others and I'd take them all back so long as I could keep this one....