Customer Reviews

Live in Berlin

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If I was wealthy, I'd own everything with this man's name on it but "Live in Berlin" might be my favorite record. It is intimately produced; you can hear Willy's sniffs, giggles, finger snaps and guitar thumps. It's like being in his living room. Some highlights are "Spanish Harlem" where his brain slips into a special "handsome" gear and he flirts wildly with an unsuspecting microphone. His phrasing is deliberately reluctant and results in a super erotic delivery, which may be why I occasionally walk into walls while listening to him. (that's ok, Willy, I'd take a bonk on the head for you anytime). "All By Myself" has a tasty little breakdown after the 1st solo. There is a fierce ache to "Night Falls" and excruciating restraint in "Heaven Stood Still" where even the tough guys in the audience are momentarily humbled. "Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Foot?" is a great treat and "Let It Be Me" could wrench loose a rusted bolt. Willy can tug at your heart like nothing else. Seth Farber (piano) is a treasure and master of finesse and with the ever-present David Keyes flawlessly manhandling an upright bass, it's no wonder Willy seems fearless. This feels like one of those moments that will never be duplicated again. I can't imagine Willy ever being in better voice. What a rare and perfect listen!

I have been a fan of Willy DeVille from the get go: Mink Deville was one of my favorite bands, with their unique brand of romantic rock 'n' soul (for want of a better description). When he went solo it was even more difficult to label him, with such different recordings such as 'Horse of a different colour' and 'Loup Garou'.

And now the band has been brought back to its bare essentials: a piano player, a bass player (the big acoustic bass, not a bass guitar) and Willy's voice, occasionally accompanied by dobro or acoustic guitar and the odd accordeon. It must be said that his singing has never before had the impact it has on this recording. The joy each song brings to him is clearly felt, and the recording technique brings the trio right in your very own living room. It may be true that the voice is somewhat eroded by time and various substances, but his heartfelt rendering of this eclectic bunch of originals and classics more than makes up for that.

This is Willy at his most intimate, almost as if performing especially for you. One of his best recordings, and thank the producer with the vision to make this a double album. You just cannot get enough of it.

The bonus tracks by the original Mink DeVille band are a nice touch.

A must-buy.

I cannot remember when I have been so captivated by the raw emotion expressed when Willy sings.He lives each song .....I am new to the Willy Deville fan club but am adding to my cd collection as quickly as my budget allows.
To me his voice sounds like a cross between Joe Cocker amd Bill Medley with a sprinkle of Louis Armstrong thrown in,yet at the same time uniquely his own style.One cannot pigeonhole him to one specific style,at times it is the Blues,,,,then Rock but...always fabulous.When you listen to Willy sing you feel as if he is singing to you and you alone.This double CD compilation is a must for all Willy Deville fans.

This is a very fine record, incorporating pretty much all of what we call "roots" music into a coherent whole.

I've followed Willy DeVille since his first record. And yes, I do mean vinyl. The age on him wears really well. The voice has almost a Louis Armstrong quality--defiantly beautiful despite the rasp.

For the life of me, I can't understand why the common consumer prefers a squeaky clean, computer-enhanced "vocal" to an actual performance, but I guess I'm just too old...or too open to nuance.

If you like extremely fine songs extremely well delivered, this is for you. Plus, the playing, particularly the barrelhouse piano, is pretty spectacular. Willy DeVille is MY American Idol.

I'm in consent with the chorus of admirers for this double CD. Herein is one of the soul ballads great exponents. It's a consummate coverage of the genre, self-penned highlights of a studded career and ourageously powerful coverage of various masterworks. By track 4, disc one, when Willy launches into The Drifter's, 'Spanish Harlem', you know you are in the midst of something very special. My roll call of the great expressive gravel vocal pathways has The Wolf, Van Vliet, Waits, Roger Chapman, Van Ronk, James Dickerson(Free Beer), and, not least, the late Dylan material. Just as a youthful Dylan yearned for the maturity of mentor, Woody Gutherie's pipes, so has Willy sought the light from great 50s and 60s crooners like Ben E King and Clyde McPhatter. And like Dylan, the years have enriched Willy's reach and emotive integrity. He fits his material as never before. No one trawls the valleys of his vowels with more seductive breathiness than Deville. I came in on him with, 'Le Chat Bleu' in the late 70s, where he'd mastered the big ballad, replete with that 50s resonance, castenets included. In Berlin, he reworks Fred Neal's, 'Shake Sugaree' in an unparalleled manner. 'Hound Dog' is just as good. Then so is,'You Better Move on'. His treatment makes you forget the originals. There really isn't a loser amongst the selection. And the coda is an absolutely marvellous version of Dylan's, 'Billy'. You might have as good a soul/blues/rock disc at your disposal, but you will not surpass this set. Amazon might be the best place to acquire this. Certainly in Australia, Willy rarely rates save at the savagely discounted basement bins...and Live in Berlin??? Forget it!

Willy doing an Acoustic Show with Stand Up Bass,Acoustic Piano & Guitar (A must for Willy DeVille fans)also bonus tracks from Mink DeVille band.

Willy Deville Accoustic Trio Live in Berlin is a performance that is unique nowadays. Willy is leaning more towards traditional Rhythm and Blues in a way that is raw, pure and just exellent. he also has great performances of his well known songs like Spanish Harlem, YOu better move on, Big Blue Diamond, Carmelia,... and a heart ripping version of the Everly Brother's "Let it be me" .. This CD is one that you MUST have.... I saw him Live just three days ago in Luxemburg, Europe and it was just as amazing as this cd.

I agree with the other person's review. The only thing he didn't mention was the astounding quality of the recording and the piano player from heaven. They mic'ed the guy's piano to bring it alive, and he lets it sing. My take on Willy's vocals is that time has caught up with him, maybe some substances, too. I seriously thought that he had a guest vocalist on many of the tracks the first time I listened to it, because it just didn't sound like him. Some straining to make his voice cooperate. It's a bluesy CD with an in your living room sound, and some of the tracks are worth the price of admission.

This is a really nice artifact and makes a terrific addition to your Willy collection. The recording is first-rate, the performances very good - with a couple of exceptions, and then not so much the recordings as the choices. His attempting the rock 'n' roll chestnuts like Hound Dog with only piano and bass accompaniment are dire. With a full band I'm sure DeVille could kill on these, but with this lineup they simply sound flat and, frankly, a little silly. The sparse arrangements do, however, work wonderfully on nearly everything else, covers and originals. I do wish there had been less cover and more Willy, but except for the caveat above, if you care about Willy, you will care about this set. Not essential, but certainly most worthwhile.

Sad news: Willy Deville died of pancreatic cancer on August 5th, 2009. He was only 58 years old.