12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very good representation of the AVALON tour, August 31, 1998
This review is from: Heart Still Beating (Audio CD)
HEART STILL BEATING isn't Roxy in prime form--for that you'd have to refer to VIVA!(1976), but it is a good representation of their later work and it covers one song not represented anywhere else(Neil Young's "Like a Hurricane").
Clearly this tour was a compromise between their solo work(Ferry's "Can't let go" and Manzanera's "Impossible Guitar") and group compositions. Ferry is in fine form and the band's playing is impeccable. Manzanera rips off some fiery solos. Still, it feels as if some of the passion has gone out of the band's playing. Some of the older material is played as if by route("Out of the blue", "Love is the drug"--an exception to this is the frantic "Editions of you"), while the newer material clearly elicits the most interest. Perhaps they were just bored playing the hits.
Nevertheless, this is a fine disc with many treasures. Although it is curious that the record company(and Rhett Davies the producer of both the original HIGH ROAD album and this album) chose to open the album with "India"--which is a recording of from the AVALON album and not live.
Bryan Ferry has stated his dissatisfaction with this album and it was released(supposedly)over his objections after his E.G. contract was up. One can only imagine that Bryan would have liked a more fiery performance represented on disc(there are plenty of bootlegs out there from the FLESH & BLOOD and MANIFESTO tours that are such).
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Late-Era Roxy. Subdued, But Effective, January 29, 1999
This review is from: Heart Still Beating (Audio CD)
Fans of the late period wistful Roxy Music will like this disc. This is not the fire-breathing live band of the early-to-mid-period, but a subdued mature version. I definitely prefer the earlier take-no-prisoners live Roxy, but it was unfortunately never really captured on official live releases. But, if you have any affection for the period from Siren onward, you will like this disc.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Like a Hurricane, October 29, 2003
I have NO idea what the one-star reviewer was listening to, but if for nothing else than the brilliant despair of "Can't Let Go" this live album is a stunner. And then . . . and then . . . one gets to "Like a Hurricane" and there isn't a more emotionally charged moment in any live album I have ever heard by any band. Phenomenal. Ferry is the true genius of our time.
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