Customer Reviews

Live Grape

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

 

 

"Live Grape" is a welcome addition to any Moby Grape fan's collection because of its historical importance, being the 1978 reunion album. Truth be told, the contents are slight because of the absence of original drummer Don Stevenson and original bassist Bob Moseley. Skip Spence apparently makes a cameo or two ("Must Be Goin' Now Dear"). With substitutions Cornelius Bumpus (later in the Doobie Brothers) and John Oxendine, the playing is very well executed and the energy level is high. However, the creative songwriting impetus that carried them through their first five albums seems to be lost. There are some highlights, including the Peter Lewis compositions "That Lost Horizon" and "Up In The Air". Overall, one gets the impression that Moby Grape were, at this stage, a great bar band (the Cornelius Bumpus tune "Set Me Down Easy" is a great example). Unfortunately, without the full quintet of principals, the writing isn't as varied. One misses the the throaty soulfulness of Moseley, the other half of the Miller/Stevenson writing duo and the mercurial fire of a fully-participative Skip Spence.

This is a great album! Issued in 1978 without any mention of "Moby Grape" anywhere (no pictures either) it was a record that fell into the bins because it was released by a small label that didn't promote. But hey, any album that is released on a small indie label gets that treatment. This features all the original Grape guitarists together again for "Must Be Goin' Now,Dear", a new Spence track. Recorded some 10 years after he left the band (discounting the reunion in 1971)after his last performances. Also featuring Cornelius Bumpus (Doobies,Steely Dan,etc.) and John Oxendine on drums. The record sounds part studio, part warm-up, some live. Out of print, but worth finding.

Despite the title "Live Grape" is only partly live--about half sound like they were recorded without an audience, like at soundcheck. Good playing throughout, but it doesn't have that essential Moby Grape "wild electron energy" that the first 3 lp's did--until Skip Spence shows up and sings "Must Be Goin' Now, Dear". Then the 3 guitar energy powers up again, revealing for once and for all that Spence really wanted to be the Grape's lead guitarist, but Jerry Miller already had that spot nailed down before Spence joined. The result? Lots of competing lead guitar fills and a lot of charisma. Too bad this was to be his last recorded appearence with the band. As for the rest of the tunes, they are solid musically, and Jerry Miller is his usual great "have guitar, can play anything" self, but this CD is for current fans, rather than for people new to the band.

This is an interesting collection of random songs by a band that is not even close to being Moby Grape. Done live, and done pretty well, I find this album highly entertaining. Full of very tasty, yet simple blues guitar licks, and a real hodge-podge collection of songs by different writers including an original by Cornelius Bumpus that shines pretty brightly. If you look at it as a good collection of listenable songs, you won't be dissapointed. I liked it well enough to buy the disc to accompany my old vinyl version.

While appreciating the comments of longtime Moby Grape afficianados who might have had different expectations, I found this to be very enjoyable and listenable. Some great rolling blues tunes and some shuffles that would actually be great listening music on the Carolinas beach scene, which is not what I might have expected. If you don't have preconceptions from longtime knowledge of the band, you should be able to enjoy this simply for the music itself.

I BOUGHT THIS CD AFTER READING ABOUT MOBY GRAPE IN ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE. THE CD THEY REVIEWED, MOBY GRAPE, THEIR FIRST ALBUM,WASN'T AVAILABLE, SO I BOUGHT THIS ONE.
IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE CD'S TO LISTEN TO. IT'S A GREAT ALBUM. BUY IT NOW AND THANK ME LATER.